Green sturgeon in California

“There are two genetically identifiable populations, or Distinct Population Segments (DPS), of Green Sturgeon recognized by the state and federal governments. The northern DPS is known to spawn in the Klamath River in California, as well as the Rogue River in Oregon. Northern DPS fish have also been observed in the Trinity and Eel rivers, as well as in the Umpqua River (OR), though it is not yet clear if they routinely spawn in those locations. Southern DPS Green Sturgeon are found in the Sacramento and San Joaquin rivers and Delta. They primarily spawn in the upper mainstem of the Sacramento River, although some spawning activity has recently been documented in the Feather and Yuba rivers. The extent to which the species uses the San Joaquin River is unclear at this time, although an adult fish was recently found in a major tributary, the Stanislaus River, indicating at least some use of”

“Green Sturgeon spend much of their life in marine waters, more so than most other sturgeon species. Adults and sub-adults spend many months each year in ocean waters along the coasts of CA, OR, and WA. In the summer, these fish often enter bays or brackish estuaries to feed. Age at first reproduction is approximately 15 years old, after the fish have grown to about 150 cm length. Green Sturgeon can live to 60 years old and grow to approximately 256-270 cm, with females growing larger than males. The species is anadromous, migrating in March-June from seawater into the freshwater reaches of larger coastal rivers to spawn. Sturgeon do not die after spawning like Pacific salmon, and the species is capable of repeated migrations every 2-6 years. Green Sturgeon spawn in cool, deep, swift flowing river reaches over gravel and cobble bottoms. Some adults exit the river rapidly after spawning, b”