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probably reduce the ability of pallid sturgeon to compete with other piscivorous species <br />for the small fish in the lower Platte River. <br />PS-3: Non-Program actions (e.g., harvest, stocking, Missouri River conditions) determine the <br />occurrence of pallid sturgeon the lower Platte River. <br />Non-Program actions such as introductions of invasive species and may influence <br />available prey, predator and competitor populations for pallid sturgeon. The spread and <br />establishment of Asian carp populations is of particular concern since they may feed on <br />drifting sturgeon larvae as well as the larvae of other species important as food resource <br />for pallid sturgeon. <br />Age, Growth and Condition: <br />The health of a fish population can be evaluated by examining its age structure, the rate <br />of growth of its members and their physical robustness (Condition). Table 6 summarizes the <br />literature citations on pallid sturgeon which address these topics. <br />Age: <br />Pallid sturgeon are a long lived species which may attain ages of over 40 years(Keenlyne <br />and Jenkins 1993). The large specimens which are still infrequently collected in some portions of <br />its historic range where there has been no known reproduction for over 35 years bear testimony <br />to their longevity (Keenlyne and Jenkins 1993). Since the skeletons of pallid sturgeon are <br />primarily cartilaginous, ageing specimens is difficult and imprecise. Several studies have <br />attempted to validate the use of sections through pectaral fin rays from known age hatchery <br />reared fish, but these results have not been encouraging (Hurley 1998; Hurley et al. 2004a).