photo from Geological Survey of Alabama

Fate of the Alabama Sturgeon Rests
with the Marion Fish Hatchery

by Thomas H. Wilson, Biologist, Judson College, Marion, Alabama

March 23, 1999

Judson students Sasha Hood & Alison Goolsby

Nick Nichols was outside the Marion Fish Hatchery office leaning against the brick wall and staring up the highway. He was waiting for a pair of U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service biologists to arrive and assist him in a surgical procedure on an Alabama sturgeon which is a species that is very close to extinction. Nick had invited me and two Judson College biology majors to observe the procedures. We chatted with Nick while we waited for the team from the Warm Springs Regional Fisheries Center in Georgia.

Alabama sturgeon at the Marion Fish Hatchery

The Alabama sturgeon, Scaphirhynchus suttkusi Williams & Clemmer, 1991, has had a rough political existence since being rediscovered in the Alabama River. A few scientists suggested that the Alabama sturgeon was not a distinct species and that it actually was a population of Shovelnose sturgeon. DNA samples have recently proven that the Alabama sturgeon is a legitimate species. Federal funds and a grant from the Alabama Rivers Alliance have been awarded to the Marion Hatchery personnel to conduct research on this fish.

The U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service recently issued a proposal to offer the Alabama sturgeon protection under the Endangered Species Act. Most environmentalists agree that this sturgeon should be listed as endangered.

Holding tank containing Alabama sturgeon

Phil Kilpatrick is a lead biologist in the Alabama Sturgeon project at Marion. Phil has spent almost 5,000 line nights attempting to catch these fish with trotlines baited with earthworms. Phil called Nick and talked about the sturgeon as we waited for the other members of the team.

Carlos Echevarria & Nick Nichols net an Alabama sturgeon

Sasha Hood was writing her senior biology seminar paper on sturgeons and the opportunity to see the rare Alabama sturgeon and to watch a surgical procedure to determine the reproductive status of the fish was a tremendous educational event for all of us. Alison Goolsby shared our interest in the prehistoric fish, and we listened to Nick explain the project.

“There are only three Alabama sturgeons in captivity in the world and they are in a tank at the Marion Hatchery. We have one female and two males. We need to spawn these fish and attempt to raise offspring to be released into suitable habitats. There are not many of these fish left in the wild. The continued existence of this species, Scaphirhynchus suttkusi, Williams & Clemmer, 1991, depends upon spawning in captivity. These ancient fish live in deep, gravel beds in the river’s current. There is no chance that they will spawn in ponds,” stated Nichols.

Nick Nichols removes Alabama sturgeon from tank

Carlos Echevarria, Hatchery Manager at Warm Springs, and Haile Macordy, Assistant Manager, were experienced at the surgical procedure that allows the inspection and sampling of eggs and testes of the fish. These biologist had recently worked in Russia with giant, one-ton sturgeons. This was an impressive cooperative effort between Federal and State Departments of Conservation that represents the only chance we have of saving the Alabama sturgeon.

“We need to know if the female is ready to spawn. We will have to open her up and sample some eggs. We have to section these eggs with a blade and inspect the position of the germinal vesicle in relation to the animal pole. The closer the germinal vesicle is to the animal pole, the closer the female is to spawning. We have to boil the egg in order to fix its contents. Then we can do the sections,” continued Nichols.

Alabama sturgeon rests in hammock during procedure

“When we determine the female is ready to spawn, we will inject her with LHRH, a hormone that stimulates ovulation in fish and also in mammals. We will then strip the female of eggs by gently rubbing her abdomen and inducing the release of eggs. Sturgeons are ancient fish, and their eggs are more like tadpoles than like that of typical bony fishes. The eggs have polarity. There is an animal pole and a vegetal pole. Also, the ovaries of the sturgeon are not covered with membranes like other bony fishes,” reported Nichols.

Our lesson in ichthyology was interrupted by the arrival of the men from Warm Springs. We quickly moved to the area of the tank holding the three important fish. After a brief but very deliberate planning session, the three fisheries biologists moved into action.

Nick Nichols making incision in belly of Alabama sturgeon Nick Nichols using catheter to extract eggs from Alabama sturgeon 

The largest male sturgeon was removed from the tank and placed up-side-down in a hammock- like holder. Water was gently run into the mouth of the fish, and Nick Nichols began the operation. The sharp scalpel made a tiny slit in the abdomen. Forceps were used to sample the condition of the testes. “They look good, white and a little folded. I think he is ready,” remarked Carlos. Nick quickly sutured the incision, applied an antiseptic, gave the fish an injection of tetracycline, and returned it to the tank.

Anticeptic is applied to Alabama sturgeon's incision

The three pound female was lifted from the tank with a net and placed on the hammock holder. This was a beautiful fish. It was brownish-orange on the back and light tan on the sides. It had big eyes, long barbels in front of the mouth, and a white abdomen. “Look at the hairy lips on this sucker. I have never seen that on a sturgeon before,” commented Carlos.

Nick quickly made a small incision into the abdomen and a few eggs exuded from the slit. A catheter was used to suck out a few more eggs from the female. Nick sutured the incision, treated the fish, and returned her to the tank.

The eggs were taken to the hatchery laboratory and boiled for a few minutes to fix the contents before sectioning. An egg was placed on the dissecting microscope that was equipped with a camera and a monitor. We watched the monitor as Carlos inspected the egg’s morphology. “This egg is entirely black. This makes it difficult to tell the poles. It looks ripe. I think you will be able to spawn the fish by Friday of this week,” exclaimed Carlos.

 
Nichols closes incision with sutures

We thanked the men for allowing us to be part of such and exciting and important educational event. We have a special feeling for the Alabama sturgeon. It used to be common in the Cahaba River and we hope that the work at the Marion Fish Hatchery will bring this ancient species back to life and, especially, back to the Cahaba.

Echevarria examining condition of eggs Echevarria examining Alabama sturgeon eggs

Digital Images and Web Design by Thomas Wilson