On February 6, 2012, the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) listed the Atlantic sturgeon as an endangered species in several areas including the the New York Bight. The New York Bight includes the Delaware River at the crossing of the Trenton- Morrisville Route 1 Toll Bridge, downstream for 137 river kilometers to where the main stem river discharges at its mouth into Delaware Bay. Section 4(a)(3) of the Endangered Spices Act requires that that the NMFS designate critical habitat for threatened and endangered species under their jurisdiction, with public notice and an opportunity to comment. Critical habitat is based on the physical or biological features essential to the conservation of the listed entity, which may require special management or protection.
 
The proposed Atlantic Sturgeon Critical Habitat Designation was announced in the Federal Register on Friday, June 3, 2016. Public information meetings on the proposal were held in Annapolis, Maryland on Wednesday, July 13, in Portland, Maine on Monday, July 18, and public hearings were held in Gloucester, Massachusetts on Thursday, July 21.  Comments on this proposal must be received by September 1, 2016.  
 
Few people in the Delaware Watershed are aware of the National Marine Fisheries Service's plans to designate critical habit for the Atlantic sturgeon and what this designation will mean for users of the Delaware River.  The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) will be hosting a webinar on this topic!

The webinar will be held here

Use the following information to participate:

Event number: 669 139 696

Event password: Meeting123

Conference Line: 866-647- 1746

Participant Code: 6042534