Is it legal to fish for Atlantic sturgeon in Maine?

Maine prohibits anyone from taking, catching or possessing Atlantic sturgeon in coastal waters. Any sturgeon hooked must be released immediately, alive and uninjured.

Atlantic sturgeon (Acipenser oxyrinchus) are protected because their populations have declined sharply because of overfishing, habitat loss and barriers to migration. The Maine Department of Marine Resources enforces the ban through its sea run fisheries rules, which explicitly forbid targeting the fish.

Often described as “dinosaur fish,” Atlantic sturgeon are among the oldest living species, dating back more than 120 million years. These prehistoric giants can grow up to 14 feet long and weigh as much as 800 pounds.

The ban also applies to the smaller shortnose sturgeon, the only other sturgeon found in Maine.

Federally, both species are listed under the Endangered Species Act. The Gulf of Maine’s Atlantic sturgeon population is considered threatened, and the shortnose is considered endangered, which is one level higher.