Sturgeons are fascinating fish. If you are wondering why, it is mainly because of their life span.  While most fish’s average life span is 5 years, sturgeons are around 50-60 years!!  They live a long life, and they are late in maturing.  

Sturgeon are unique looking as well.   They have fins similar to sharks, with an average length of 7-12 feet with smooth, scaleless skin.  The largest sturgeon recorded was one captured in 1827, and that measured 23 ft and 7 inches, and weighed 3463 pounds.  

Where do they live? Sturgeon like to live in subtropical and subarctic waters in North America and Eeurasia.  They range along the Atlantic Coast from the Gulf to Newfoundland, and They are also found along the European Atlantic coast.  

Like most fish, they are threatened to be extinct due to overfishing, habitat destruction, and pollution. Their roe, the most popular and valuable, are called Beluga caviar.  Although they are mostly harvested for their roe, people also like to eat their meat as well.During the 1800’s, they were abundant and the US was the leader in the world for production.  90% of the caviar sold worldwideused to caome from the US. However But, within 100 years, the population declined because it wasbecame too overfished and over commercialized, as well as. an increase in pollution.

Now, thanks to the World Sturgeon Conservation Society (WSC) , they are now protected.  They have become one of the largest conservation groups for fish. Also, Sturgeon For Tomorrow, created in 1977 is an important organization that protects sturgeons.