Program on the Environment

The Southern Distinct Population of green sturgeon (Acipenser medirostris) is a species of fish listed as threatened under the U.S. Endangered Species Act. This population of green sturgeon resides off the coast of Half Moon Bay and San Francisco Bay, and they experience deaths due to fishing bycatch. Because of the green sturgeon’s status under the U.S. Endangered Species Act, any death can affect the recovery status of the Southern Distinct Population. During my internship with NOAA Fisheries, I analyzed footage of green sturgeon, California halibut (Paralichthys californicus), and other flatfish. I noted their interactions with bottom trawl fishing nets, including their behavioral response to the fishing net, and body length.The purpose of this study was to find applicable fishing gear modifications that could exclude green sturgeon from nets while retaining fishermen’s target fish, flatfish species.To accomplish this task, I conducted literature reviews of scholarly articles regarding green sturgeon behavior and fishing gear modifications that focused on retaining flatfish while excluding non-target fish. Studies from my literature review suggest that a selective sorting grid can help retain target flatfish and reduce the bycatch of non-target fish. However, this selective sorting grid has not been specifically tested for reducing green sturgeon bycatch and would need further data to determine if it could reduce green sturgeon bycatch. For future research, I recommend that testing trials be conducted in green sturgeon habitats using a selective sorting grid to quantify if this fishing gear modification can reduce green sturgeon bycatch.