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Population size of pallid sturgeon, S caphirhynchus albus ( F orbes & R ichardson, 1905), in the lower M issouri R iver near K ansas C ity, M issouri, USA
Author(s) -
Winders K. R.,
Steffensen K. D.
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
journal of applied ichthyology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.392
H-Index - 62
eISSN - 1439-0426
pISSN - 0175-8659
DOI - 10.1111/jai.12558
Subject(s) - sturgeon , fishery , endangered species , population , hatchery , biology , fish measurement , acipenser , fish <actinopterygii> , lake sturgeon , habitat , ecology , demography , sociology
Summary The objectives of this study were to investigate the population size of hatchery‐reared and wild pallid sturgeon, S caphirhynchus albus ( F orbes & R ichardson, 1905), in a 43.3 river kilometer (rkm) reach of the Missouri River downstream of K ansas C ity, M issouri, USA and compare these with previous published estimates. This reach has been shown to represent the abundance and distribution of the pallid sturgeon population throughout the lower Missouri River, and was therefore chosen for this study in order to monitor progress towards recovering this federally endangered species. The robust‐design approach was used within the Program MARK using mark‐recapture data of fish sampled from 2011 to 2013. The annual population estimates of pallid sturgeon varied from 6.1 to 11.1 fish/rkm, of which known hatchery‐origin pallid sturgeon (5.5 to 10.2 fish/rkm) were much more abundant than those of wild origin (0.6 to 0.9 fish/rkm). These population estimates are drastically fewer than those published for another reach of the lower Missouri River and represent far less advancement (12–18%) towards meeting the five wild adult fish/rkm criteria for considering reclassification of pallid sturgeon.