The shovelnose sturgeon is a freshwater species that was historically found throughout most of the Mississippi and Missouri river basins, from Montana south to Louisiana, and from Pennsylvania west to New Mexico. This sturgeon species presently has a more limited range due to anthropogenic impacts. While the shovelnose has not experienced the range reduction of some of the larger Mississippi River Valley sturgeons (e.g., lake and pallid), it is no longer found in Pennsylvania, New Mexico, and large parts of Kansas, Kentucky, Tennessee and other States where it was once abundant (National Paddlefish and Sturgeon Steering Committee 1992).
Smallest of the sturgeon species in North America, shovelnose sturgeon can tolerate high turbidities and are usually found in the strong currents of main river channels. They are often found over sand and gravel substrates feeding on aquatic insects, mussels, worms, and crustaceans. Spawning normally occurs from April through early July with mature shovelnose migrating upriver to spawn over rocky substrates in flowing water between l9-21 C. Individuals mature after 5 to 7 years of age, at approximately 500 mm and 630 mm (TL) for males and females, respectively. Their weight at this age ranges 0.9-1.3 kg (National Paddlefish and Sturgeon Steering Committee 1992). The largest recorded shovelnose was approximately 1062 mm (TL) and weighed 8.17 kg.
The alteration of large rivers and construction of locks and dams for navigation purposes has contributed significantly to the decline of this species by blocking access to ancestral spawning grounds and by eliminating its requisite lotic habitat. While its roe is used as an acceptable caviar, overharvest has not been a major detriment to this species. This may be due to its relatively small size in comparison to the other two sturgeon species found historically throughout its range (i.e., lake and pallid). Shovelnose are locally abundant in some areas where large river habitat is still fairly intact. Modest commercial fisheries occur in a few states where some acceptable riverine habitat still exists; for example, in Arkansas (14,500 kg were harvested annually from the White River in the 1980's), in Missouri (9,956 kg were harvested commercially from the Mississippi and Missouri rivers in 1991) and Iowa (7,000 kg were harvested from the Mississippi River in 1990) (National Paddlefish and Sturgeon Steering Committee 1992).
During the past 3 years, Federal and State hatcheries have developed spawning techniques for this species which are similar to those used to produce paddlefish in Missouri and white sturgeon in California. Unlike the paddlefish and white sturgeon, there is presently little interest shown by private aquaculturists in working with shovelnose. However, there is some interest in their potential trade as an aquarium fish (National Paddlefish and Sturgeon Steering Committee 1992).
Reference: National Paddlefish and Sturgeon Steering Committee. 1992. Framework for the Management of Conservation of Paddlefish and Sturgeon Species in the United States. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Washington, D.C. 12 pp. + App.