the Connecticut River versus those of Savannah River origin. This research suggested that shortnose sturgeon are likely behaviorally adapted to unique features of their watershed. Major conservation threats and human impact Although there are now about 12,000 adult shortnose sturgeon living within the Delaware River estuary, the population faces serious human-induced threats. Water quality contaminants such as endocrine distributing chemicals (EDCs) have been linked to reproductive and developmental disorders in many fish species. These contaminants were found in shortnose sturgeon tissue collected in 2001 and include PCDDs/TCDFs, DDE, PCBs, and cadmium. Other threats to Delaware River shortnose sturgeon include heavy industrialization and waterfront development. This destruction of habitat can affect the Sturgeon’s ability to travel to freshwater and spawn or can degrade the quality of the habitat. For example, some dams impede sturgeon travel back and forth between salt and fresh water, resulting in the disruption of natural spawning cycles and preventing the reproduction of the already struggling species. More human-induced threats include ship/boat strikes, poaching, mortality from commercial and recreational fishing (bycatch) due to high sensitivity to being caught, injury to early life stages from water intake systems, instream construction projects within the spawning area, and dredging, including the ongoing Delaware River deepening project. Additional research has been done to prove that algal blooms, which can be caused by increased nitrogen levels in runoff or other anthropogenic factors, sometimes result in Shortnose Sturgeon die-offs. Overall, the combination of human-induced destruction of habitat and overconsumption have devastated many species along the Atlantic Coast. The future effects of climate change are not fully understood, however, these could potentially exacerbate many of these struggling populations even further. Conservation efforts Conservation efforts for the shortnose sturgeon include removing outdated dams from their habitats. The most recent recovery plan was enacted in December 1998, for the National Marine Fisheries Service National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The stated goal of this plan is to recover populations to levels of abundance at which they no longer require protection under the ESA. For each population segment, the minimum population size will be large enough to maintain genetic diversity and avoid extinction. NOAA Fisheries work with conservation organizations, energy companies, states, tribes, and citizens to evaluate barriers—big and small—to improve upon fish passage. Breeding programs are currently being used to help the dwindling sturgeon populations. The fish are captured and bred to help provide important insight into the