Sturgeon in the Pacific Ocean: Species and Distribution

Yes, several sturgeon species are native to the **Pacific Ocean** and its connected river systems.

Key Pacific Species

White Sturgeon (Acipenser transmontanus)

• Range: California to Alaska (coastal waters, estuaries, rivers).
• Habitat: Anadromous—spawns in large rivers (Columbia, Fraser, Sacramento), feeds in estuaries/nearshore ocean.
• Size: Largest North American freshwater fish; up to 6 m (20 ft), 800 kg (1,800 lb), 100+ years.
• Status: Threatened in some segments (Kootenai River); regulated fishery elsewhere.

Green Sturgeon (Acipenser medirostris)

• Range: Similar coastal range; more marine-oriented.
• Status: Southern DPS (Sacramento River) Threatened; Northern DPS stable.

Asian Pacific Species

• Sakhalin Sturgeon (A. mikadoi): Sea of Japan/Okhotsk; critically endangered.
• Chinese Sturgeon (A. sinensis): Yangtze River; critically endangered (functionally extinct in wild).
• Kaluga (Huso dauricus): Amur River basin; largest sturgeon (up to 1,000 kg).

Conservation

All sturgeons face threats: dams blocking spawning, overfishing (caviar), pollution, habitat loss. CITES regulates international trade. Pacific species are no exception—many are endangered.