If you’ve ever caught a glimpse of a massive fish breaching the surface of a quiet Lowcountry creek, you may have witnessed one of the region’s most ancient inhabitants: the Atlantic sturgeon.
These remarkable fish have been around since the Late Cretaceous period, roughly 100 million years ago, earning them the title of “living fossils.” Their lineage stretches back even further, with ancestors dating over 170 million years. Found in the deep waters and saltmarshes of South Carolina’s coast, Atlantic sturgeon are a living connection to Earth’s prehistoric past. Once highly valued by Native American communities for their meat and eggs, these gentle giants still inspire awe today as they crest our tidal waters, offering a rare, modern-day encounter with the age of dinosaurs.
With their armored bodies and prehistoric features, Atlantic sturgeon are unmistakable. Instead of scales, they have five rows of bony plates called scutes that run along their sides and back, providing protection as they move through rivers and coastal waters. Their long, shark-like tails add to their primeval appearance. A protruding snout and four sensitive barbels help them detect prey along the seafloor, where they use their toothless, downward-facing mouths to vacuum up food. These slow-growing giants can live up to 60 years and reach impressive sizes, with some measuring over 14 feet long and weighing as much as 800 pounds.
Atlantic sturgeon spend much of their lives near the bottom, sticking to rivers and nearshore waters where they feed and migrate.
As bottom feeders, they forage for shrimp, worms, mollusks, and small fish living in the sediment. Their life cycle begins in freshwater, with spawning typically taking place in late summer or fall. In South Carolina, spawning has been documented in rivers like the Pee Dee, Edisto, Combahee, Savannah, and possibly the Waccamaw. After hatching, larvae drift downstream to brackish estuaries, where they may remain for up to five years before heading out to sea. Tagging studies show that juveniles travel widely and often intermingle with fish from other river systems, highlighting the sturgeon’s broad range and resilience.
Beyond their ecological role, Atlantic sturgeon have deep cultural and historical significance. Indigenous tribes along the Atlantic coast have harvested them for over 4,000 years, long before the arrival of Europeans. In fact, sturgeon are credited with helping sustain the Jamestown colony in 1607, serving as a critical food source during its most difficult months. Centuries later, their highly prized roe ignited the “Black Gold Rush” of the late 1800s, when caviar fever swept across the eastern United States. But this high demand, combined with habitat degradation, fishing gear entanglement, and vessel strikes, has taken a toll.
Atlantic sturgeon are more than just ancient fish; they’re vital indicators of river health, relying on clean, unpolluted waters to spawn and survive.
Their presence reflects the overall well-being of our aquatic ecosystems, making their protection a priority not only for biodiversity but for the health of our rivers as a whole. Today, all five U.S. Atlantic sturgeon populations are listed as threatened or endangered under the Endangered Species Act. If you encounter a sturgeon while fishing, remember to keep the fish in the water and carefully remove the hook or cut the line for a safe release. If handling is necessary, always use wet hands to protect their delicate skin. Small actions like these can help ensure that they continue to thrive for generations to come.
By Master Naturalist, Kathleen McMenamin, Assistant Director, Island Recreation Center.
