JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- The demolition of the old Fuller Warren Bridge could be delayed by concerns being raised about an endangered fish.

The St. Johns River Water Management District is expected next month to vote on a delayed permit allowing the Florida Department of Transportation to go ahead with the demolition. Now, the National Marine Fisheries Service wants to know how the demolition might impact the shortnose sturgeon population.

"We've not been contacted by any of the fish and wildlife agencies about the sturgeon," said David Miracle, director of the Jacksonville Service Center, which houses the SJRWMD. "We're just not aware of any of the concerns they may have. We have been contacted by those agencies about the manatees, so the DOT has come up with a manatee protection plan to address the protection of the manatees."

It is not certain how many, if any, of the endangered fish might be in the vicinity of the old bridge. There have only been a handful of documented cases in which the shortnose sturgeon has been found in the St. Johns.

"These fish have never been an issue in any St Johns River projects in Jacksonville," said FDOT spokesman Mike Goldman.

The sturgeon concern came as a surprise to Miracle.

"We're within the range of the sturgeon, but we just weren't aware that that was a species of concern for this part," said Miracle.