Altamaha. Ogeechee. and Sa\annah Rivers in Georgia: and. in South Carolina, the river systems 

 that empty into Winyah Bay and the Santee/Cooper River complex that forms Lake Marion. 

 Shortnose sturgeon have been documented in the Cape Fear River. North Carolina. In the 

 northern portion of the range, shortnose sturgeon are found in the Delaware River from 

 Philadelphia. Pennsyh ania to Trenton, New Jersey; the Hudson River in New York state; the 

 Connecticut River and the lower Merrimack River in Massachusetts: the Kennebec River in 

 Maine; and the St. .Tohn River in New Brunswick. Canada. Shortnose sturgeon are collected 

 occasionally in the upper portions of the Chesapeake Bay. It is unclear whether these fish belong 

 to a Chesapeake Bay population or are strays from the Delaware River. The distribution and 

 abundance of shortnose sturgeon in the Chesapeake is not well-known. 



MAJOR IMPACTS 



Construction of dams and pollution of many large northeastern river systems during the period of 

 industrial growth in the late 1 800's and early I900's may have resulted in substantial loss of 

 suitable habitat. In addition, habitat alterations from discharges, dredging or disposal of material 

 into rivers, or related development activities involving estuarine/riverine mudflats and marshes, 

 remain constant threats. 



Commercial exploitation of shortnose sturgeon occurred throughout its range starting in colonial 

 times and continued periodically into the 1950's. The bycatch of shortnose sturgeon in Southeast 

 coastal shad fisheries may be a continuing substantial source of mortality for southern 

 populations. 



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