A massive 220-pound Atlantic Sturgeon was pulled out of the Hudson River late last month.
According to the NY Post, a team from the Hudson River Estuary Program snagged the fish near Hyde Park. The team caught the 6-foot fish with a net, and released it after a quick scan for tags. The 200-plus pound monster swam off unharmed, just 85 miles from New York City.
The sturgeon was a female, and had yet to span, adding to its already incredible size and weight. In a Facebook post, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation mentioned that the sturgeon was caught with an endangered species research permit, allowing the group to track the species' population growth.
Interestingly, Atlantic Sturgeon spend most of their in the nearby Atlantic Ocean. But, during their spawn, the fish move into the Hudson River. Once there, Atlantic Sturgeon are the largest fish in the Hudson River.
Massive Sturgeon Caught and Released in Hudson River
In 2014, roughly 450 individual sturgeons swam in the Hudson River. It is assumed that number has grown in the last decade.
Amanda Higgs, a biologist with the Hudson River Estuary Program, says new numbers are on the way to confirm the assumptions of a growing population. According to Higgs, preliminary data suggests the population of Atlantic Sturgeon is moving in a positive direction. Higgs also mentioned that several fish between 250 and 300 pounds have been caught in the river.
Of course, this is all great news, as the Atlantic Sturgeon are listed as critically endangered by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The fish, while primitive in appearance, are certainly downstream of a very scientific approach to conservation.
According to the Hudson River Estuary Program's website, the work is tireless in preserving the estuary for generations to come. With the help of a variety of other groups, the Estuary Program pushes to create a culture of effective stewardship of the estuary, and the river's ecology.
