During the summer months, human and Atlantic sturgeon (Acipenser oxyrinchus) interactions may increase due to heightened commercial fishing and recreational boating activity. Sturgeons may be accidentally injured or killed due to vessel collisions or entanglements, and deceased Atlantic sturgeon may wash up on beaches. Carcasses most commonly wash up on ocean beaches but can also be found off Long Island Sound beaches as well. To better conserve this species, it's important to collect data on these observations. If you encounter a live or deceased Atlantic sturgeon in the marine environment, including Long Island Sound, please contact NYSDEC by calling (631) 444-0462.

Atlantic sturgeon are anadromous fish, which means they’re born in freshwater but spend most their lives in saltwater, returning to freshwater only to spawn. Sturgeon are one of the largest and longest-lived anadromous fish in North America. They are commonly seen off the coast of Long Island and in the Hudson River during the spring and fall. Historically, they supported a major commercial fishery in New York, but due to overfishing they’re now listed as an endangered species.