Gulf Sturgeon Movements in and Near the Mississippi River Gulf Outlet
2008
Kirk, James P.
The Mississippi River Gulf Outlet (MRGO) provides year-round navigation between the Mississippi River and the Gulf of Mexico. Dredging, which is periodically required to maintain navigation, may impact Gulf sturgeon. Consequently, Gulf sturgeon use of the MRGO and nearby disposal areas was monitored monthly from 2004 through 2006 using telemetry tracking. A total of 50, 40, and 20 Gulf sturgeon were captured yearly by netting in the Pearl and Bogue Chitto Rivers and fitted with transmitters. One tagged Gulf sturgeon was located in the MRGO on 19 January 2005 near marker 96 (29 degrees .50.669N 089 degrees .37.643W). Starting in June 2006, intensive gill netting of disposal sites was initiated as telemetry monitoring continued. No other Gulf sturgeon were located by telemetry nor were any caught in experimental gill nets near inland disposal sites despite more than 10,600 net meter hours of effort expended in 2006. This study thus suggests that Gulf sturgeon infrequently use the MRGO and nearby disposal areas.
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