No.

Maine prohibits anyone from taking, catching or possessing Atlantic sturgeon in coastal waters. Any sturgeon hooked must be released immediately, alive and uninjured.

Atlantic sturgeon (Acipenser oxyrinchus) are protected because their populations have declined sharply because of overfishing, habitat loss and barriers to migration. The Maine Department of Marine Resources enforces the ban through its sea run fisheries rules, which explicitly forbid targeting the fish.

Often described as “dinosaur fish,” Atlantic sturgeon are among the oldest living species, dating back more than 120 million years. These prehistoric giants can grow up to 14 feet long and weigh as much as 800 pounds.

An Atlantic sturgeon leaps from the water as people fish on the Kennebec River in Waterville on June 22, 2023. Often described as “dinosaur fish,” Atlantic sturgeon can grow up to 14 feet long and weigh as much as 800 pounds.  (Michael G. Seamans/Staff Photographer)

The ban also applies to the smaller shortnose sturgeon, the only other sturgeon found in Maine.

Federally, both species are listed under the Endangered Species Act. The Gulf of Maine’s Atlantic sturgeon population is considered threatened, and the shortnose is considered endangered, which is one level higher.

This fact brief is responsive to conversations such as this one.

Sources

• Maine Department of Marine Resources: Chapter 39 — Sturgeon
• Maine Department of Marine Resources: 2025 Maine Marine Recreational Fishing Regulations Sea Run Fish
• NOAA Fisheries: The Sturgeon Family
• NOAA Fisheries: Atlantic Sturgeon
• NOAA Fisheries: Shortnose Sturgeon





Editor’s note: This story was updated on Sept. 2 to correct information about the shortnose sturgeon’s conservation status.