Are 'Breaching' Sturgeon A Good Sign? | Hudson Valley On The Water

HUDSON VALLEY, NY — The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) will study an apparently good omen from a fish once so plentiful and widely used on lunch tables in the Hudson Valley, that it was commonly dubbed "Albany Beef."

Atlantic sturgeon historic populations have declined by 99 percent due to the combined effects of overharvest, habitat loss and human interactions, according to the DEC. In recent years, recovery efforts have seen some success, but the agency says logistical, endangered status and fiscal constraints make it difficult to estimate population size and evaluate the efficacy of those conservation attempts.

Anecdotal reports of increases in the numbers of breaching sturgeon in the Hudson seem to indicate possible evidence of population recovery. Now, environmentalists are studying the hopeful trend to see if it is a reliable indication of the species resurgence.

During 2022, in a collaboration with academics, federal scientists and a local yacht club, the DEC embarked on a novel project to monitor adult spawning Atlantic sturgeon for breaching in the Hudson River, according to a report from the state agency. An increase in the number of reports of breaching sturgeon near the spawning area has led to a new study to see if sightings of breaching adults serve as an index of abundance.

The NYSDEC is using a remote camera to film Atlantic sturgeon breaching at a known spawning site in the Hudson River. The agency said it will correlate the number of breaching sturgeon with environmental variables and estimates of local spawner abundance. The results could someday be used to determine if breaching behavior occurs more often during certain times of day or tides. The data will also provide outreach material to help minimize human-sturgeon interactions, according to officials.