Abstract
Sturgeons (Acipenseridae) are one of the most threatened taxa worldwide, including species in North Carolina
and South Carolina. Populations of Atlantic Sturgeon Acipenser oxyrinchus in the Carolinas have been significantly
reduced from historical levels by a combination of intense fishing and habitat loss. There is a need for estimates of
current abundance, to describe status, and for estimates of historical abundance in order to provide realistic
recovery goals. In this study we used N-mixture and distance models with data acquired from side-scan sonar
surveys to estimate abundance of sturgeon in six major sturgeon rivers in North Carolina and South Carolina.
Estimated abundances of sturgeon greater than 1 m TL in the Carolina distinct population segment (DPS) were
2,031 using the count model and 1,912 via the distance model. The Pee Dee River had the highest overall abundance
of any river at 1,944 (count model) or 1,823 (distance model). These estimates do not account for sturgeon less than
1 m TL or occurring in riverine reaches not surveyed or in marine waters. Comparing the two models, the
N-mixture model produced similar estimates using less data than the distance model with only a slight reduction of
estimated precision.
AbstractSturgeons (Acipenseridae) are one of the most threatened taxa worldwide, including species in North Carolinaand South Carolina. Populations of Atlantic Sturgeon Acipenser oxyrinchus in the Carolinas have been significantlyreduced from historical levels by a combination of intense fishing and habitat loss. There is a need for estimates ofcurrent abundance, to describe status, and for estimates of historical abundance in order to provide realisticrecovery goals. In this study we used N-mixture and distance models with data acquired from side-scan sonarsurveys to estimate abundance of sturgeon in six major sturgeon rivers in North Carolina and South Carolina.Estimated abundances of sturgeon greater than 1 m TL in the Carolina distinct population segment (DPS) were2,031 using the count model and 1,912 via the distance model. The Pee Dee River had the highest overall abundanceof any river at 1,944 (count model) or 1,823 (distance model). These estimates do not account for sturgeon less than1 m TL or occurring in riverine reaches not surveyed or in marine waters. Comparing the two models, theN-mixture model produced similar estimates using less data than the distance model with only a slight reduction ofestimated precision.
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