Sturgeon Fin Ray Removal is Nondeleterious

Marginal pectoral fin rays were removed from cultured shortnose sturgeon Acipenser brevirostrum and wild Atlantic sturgeon A. oxyrinchus oxyrinchus to evaluate the impact on growth and survival. Shortnose sturgeon were examined after 98 d and Atlantic sturgeon were examined after 183 d. There were no significant differences between control (no fin ray removed) and treatment fish in growth (weight or length) or survival of either species, and all wounds had healed. Removal of pectoral fin rays for age analyses had no apparent deleterious effects on these sturgeon species.