Population decline may be the only thing that has happened quickly with sturgeon, which conform to a slower biological clock than most fish, including in their ascent to maturity. Male white sturgeon spawn at around 15 years of age, while females start at 20. Females typically spawn every four to 10 years. Depending on their age, they will expel between 700,000 and four million eggs into the water. Of these, fewer than 0.1 per cent will survive the first year.