For nearly 10 years, researchers at Virginia Commonwealth University have been surveying the James River, but have never encountered Atlantic stalactite.
So it was a big surprise when researchers at the American University recently found about 148 small sturgeon, Fox News reported.
"The results were very encouraging," said one researcher, "seeing this type of fish at this stage in his life was exciting."
"He had lost hopes because he spent years researching without a result," said researcher Matt Balazik.
"But what we have found this week has revived hope, we continue to search because we are sure that a significant number of these fish are still in the sea."
Atlantic sturgeon usually lives more than 50 years, but has been affected, since the early 1900's, by overfishing and habitat loss.
In 2012, Atlantic sturgeon was listed as an endangered species.
