Atlantic Sturgeon. Photo by NOAA.

Conserving Atlantic Sturgeon

By-catch is one of the biggest dangers to both endangered Atlantic Sturgeon and fishermen's gear. Delaware Sea Grant, the University of Delaware, and the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control are using satellite data about the Delaware Bay to predict where Atlantic Sturgeon will be and provide that information to fishermen so they can avoid this endangered species.

The result: a phone app and text-based messaging system that alerts fishermen to where in the Delaware Bay Atlantic Sturgeon are most likely to be found. The app gives forecasts of up to three days into the future so that fishermen can plan their fishing routes accordingly to protect both their gear and Atlantic Sturgeon.