One of the oldest families of bony fish in existence, they are native to subtropical, temperate and sub-Arctic rivers, lakes and coastlines of Eurasia and North America. They are distinctive for their elongated bodies, lack of scales, and occasional great size: Sturgeons ranging from 7–12 feet (2-3½ m) in length are common, and some species grow up to 18 feet (5.5 m). Most sturgeons are anadromous bottom-feeders, spawning upstream and feeding in river deltas and estuaries. While some are entirely freshwater, very few venture into the open ocean beyond near coastal areas.
It is estimated that the number of sturgeon in major basins has declined by 70% over the last century. Further problems are caused by water pollution, damming, destruction and fragmentation of natural watercourses and habitats which affects migration routes and feeding and breeding grounds.
ECC has developed a program to bring the short-nosed Sturgeon back to the Anacostia River. Together with the help of citizen conservationists, we can bring the population back to the Anacostia by carefully cultivating the right environment as Earth Conservation Corps continues its ground breaking restoration of the Anacostia River that started in 1990.