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Smaller than white sturgeon and more ocean-going, green sturgeon were once abundant in rivers and coastal areas of the western U.S. and were an important food for many Native Americans. Dams and fishing pressure have reduced many populations, but they appear to be healthy in the Klamath and Eel Rivers of California and they can be found in the Columbia and estuaries of Oregon. Dr. Selina Heppell conducted a biological review of green sturgeon that combined data from agency and tribal sources.
Did you know? The green sturgeon is smaller than the better-known white sturgeon and has a more marine lifestyle. They spawn every 4-7 years in larger river systems, particularly the Klamath, and are an important fishery species to the Yurok and Hoopa people there
Heppell, S.S. 2007. Life history analysis of green sturgeon, Acipenser medirostris. Environmental Biology of Fishes 79:357-368.
Heppell, S. S. and L. Hofmann. 2003. Biological assessment for the green sturgeon, Acipenser medirostris. Technical report to Biological Review Team, Southwest Fisheries Science Center, Santa Cruz, CA.