Environmentalists are suing New York, New Jersey and Delaware over sturgeon extinction

New York, New Jersey and Delaware were accused in federal lawsuits Thursday of improperly allowing commercial fishing of Atlantic sturgeon, even though the prehistoric fish is on the brink of extinction.

Three parallel lawsuits filed by the Delaware Riverkeeper Network and Hudson Riverkeeper accuse the states of violating the Endangered Species Act by failing to obtain the necessary permits that allow commercial fishermen to catch and kill Atlantic sturgeon while catching other species such as striped bass and summer flounder. . . Conservationists say the once-thriving fish’s recovery is at risk as it accidentally ends up in commercial nets as “bycatch”.

In 2012, Atlantic sturgeon in the Delaware and Hudson Rivers were listed as endangered under the Endangered Species Act.

“The Atlantic sturgeon of our two rivers are at risk of being wiped out from the face of the earth within our lifetime,” Maya van Rossum, Delaware River Conservator, said during an online press conference.

Environmental groups say they want to force states to comply with the Endangered Species Act, which they say will reduce bycatch and help Atlantic sturgeon recover.

Environmental agencies in New York and New Jersey declined to comment on the lawsuit.

An email requesting comment was sent to the Delaware Environmental Protection Agency.

Sturgeons, known for the bony plates that line their bodies, date back to the time of the dinosaurs. Atlantic sturgeon is born in fresh water and migrates to the sea.

Sturgeon populations began to plummet more than 100 years ago due to pollution, dam construction and overfishing. The decline was partly caused by the demand in the 1800s for roe, a delicacy made from dried sturgeon roe.

Rossum said the Delaware River, which once teemed with an estimated 180,000 females, now has fewer than 250 spawning adults left. Tracy Brown, a Hudson River ranger, said numbers have also declined in New York.

“Despite being listed as an endangered species, our Hudson River sturgeon population has not improved,” Brown said. “Frankly, it’s a shame that so little progress has been made towards recovery.”