white sturgeon
Acipenser transmontanus
Giant North Pacific sturgeon, which runs up large rivers to spawn and reaches 6.1 m. In Mexico it occurs only in northern Baja California. It is considered a sport fish.
Also called: esturjão-branco, esturjão, esturión blanco, white sturgeon
- maximum
- 610 cm
- record/max.
- 816.0 kg
- depth
- 1–122 m
who is the white sturgeon
Fish of the family Acipenseridae, with an elongated body and bony plates on the belly, and no spines on the dorsal fin. It reaches 6.1 m and 816 kg, and spends nearly all its time at sea, close to the coast. It enters the estuaries of large rivers and travels far upriver to spawn. The largest eat mainly fish; the smaller ones eat insect larvae, small crustaceans and molluscs. The flesh is very good to eat, and the roe is made into caviar. In fishing it is considered a sport fish and turns up now and then.
Essential profile. Identification, where it occurs and rules, with data from FishBase and the cited regulations. Season, time of day, technique and bait are added once we have a good source for the white sturgeon; in the meantime, see the similar species.
fun facts
- It can reach 104 years: that is the recorded maximum age.
- Younger females spawn every 4 years, and older ones every 10 to 11 years.
identification
Elongated body, grey or brownish on the back and paler underneath, with grey fins and no spines on the dorsal fin. Between the anus and the anal fin there are two rows of bony plates. It has no obvious bony scutes behind the dorsal and anal fins. The barbels are closer to the tip of the snout than to the mouth.
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Each card shows the day's index (0 to 100) and, below it, a strip with the index for each hour, from 0h to 23h. from poor to excellent.
Essential profile: the index uses a general fish model (weather, sun, moon and tide), without a season or time of day specific to this species.
where found
In Latin America, it only occurs in northern Baja California, Mexico. The species lives mainly in the North Pacific, from Alaska to California.
Habitat: At sea, near the coast, and in the estuaries of large rivers; it runs up rivers to spawn.
rules for the white sturgeon
Summary of the regulations we found, with the source for each. Rules change; before keeping or transporting fish, check with the state environmental agency.
We found no species-specific rule beyond the region's general rules.
catch and release
catch and release Releasing the fish alive, quickly and with a wet hand. During a closed season it isn't always allowed: what the regulation says applies.
A sturgeon that lives up to 104 years and only matures at around 160 cm, and the species is considered vulnerable. If you catch one, release it carefully and, ideally, with the fish in the water.
in the kitchen
Sold fresh, smoked or frozen, and the roe is used as caviar.
how much it weighs without taking it out of the water
Length-weight relationship W = a·Lb (a = 0.00302, b = 3.18; FishBase (relação peso-comprimento bayesiana, estimativa da própria espécie)). It's an average: a fat or lean fish can vary by 10% to 20%.
estimated weight
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sources and references
Essential profile: size, length-weight, depth, countries and conservation come from FishBase and the cited regulations, and the texts were written from those sources. Season, time of day, sensitivities, technique and baits and lures are not included yet, because we did not find a good source for this species.
- scientific FishBase: Acipenser transmontanus (ficha da espécie)Size, length-weight, depth, habitat, distribution, biology, and IUCN status. Page checked on Oct 13, 2026.
- scientific FishBase: nomes populares de Acipenser transmontanusNames by country and language.
