Relationship between Recruitment of Gulf Sturgeon and Water Flow in the Suwannee River, Florida

摘要

A 19-year mark-recapture database was used to estimate yearly recruitment of Gulf sturgeon Acipenser oxyrinchus desotoi in the Suwannee River, Florida, using a length—age equation derived from known-age fish. Yearly recruitment information was then transformed into a relative year-class strength index, which was analyzed against monthly river flow. Recruitment was positively correlated with high monthly mean flow in September and December. It is postulated that the correlation is the result of increased survival of late-winter estuarine-feeding age-0 juveniles during high-flow years.