A friend emailed me the following report and photos. I do not know who wrote the note, and I don’t know if it is accurate. Pretty amazing whatever the actual facts are!
I spoke to the WDFW biologist referred to below and he provided the following info: These pictures were taken last Thursday from [somewhere in Washington]. He thinks most survived being trapped in the channel, with a few big ones perishing. He found 8 dead ones in an extensive survey yesterday, all in the 6-10 foot range only Columbia origin fish have been documented in [somewhere in Washington], although others, particularly Fraser fish are probably here. He thinks the Skagit and other bays may get similar utilization, but they just haven't been discovered there as much.
Greetings -This has to be the most fascinating [somewhere in Washington] sturgeon event of the decade. Our hero Brett received these pictures of dozens of sturgeon trapped in a tidal ditch near [somewhere in Washington]. When I called Brett on his cell phone to confirm the authenticity of the pictures, I caught him out on the tidal flats leaning over a dead 9 foot sturgeon. Unfortunately this was the only fish he could find and sample. If this happens again and Brett is able to access this mob of sturgeon, he could sample (measure and scan for PIT tags) a huge sample. In 3 hours two people could collect the equivalent data of 10 years of chasing anglers and the odd sport-caught sturgeon. Brett will send a quick report and advice once he gets back on dry land. If access to these fish is possible in the future, I will offer to try and organize a "scanning party" from BC (volunteers with scanners, measuring tapes, data sheets, and chest waders) if this would be of any assistance. A friend took these pics last Thursday at a mudflat [somewhere in Washington]. He estimated there were 1500 sturgeon stuck in the ditch.
I spoke to the WDFW biologist referred to below and he provided the following info: These pictures were taken last Thursday from [somewhere in Washington]. He thinks most survived being trapped in the channel, with a few big ones perishing. He found 8 dead ones in an extensive survey yesterday, all in the 6-10 foot range only Columbia origin fish have been documented in [somewhere in Washington], although others, particularly Fraser fish are probably here. He thinks the Skagit and other bays may get similar utilization, but they just haven't been discovered there as much.
Greetings -This has to be the most fascinating [somewhere in Washington] sturgeon event of the decade. Our hero Brett received these pictures of dozens of sturgeon trapped in a tidal ditch near [somewhere in Washington]. When I called Brett on his cell phone to confirm the authenticity of the pictures, I caught him out on the tidal flats leaning over a dead 9 foot sturgeon. Unfortunately this was the only fish he could find and sample. If this happens again and Brett is able to access this mob of sturgeon, he could sample (measure and scan for PIT tags) a huge sample. In 3 hours two people could collect the equivalent data of 10 years of chasing anglers and the odd sport-caught sturgeon. Brett will send a quick report and advice once he gets back on dry land. If access to these fish is possible in the future, I will offer to try and organize a "scanning party" from BC (volunteers with scanners, measuring tapes, data sheets, and chest waders) if this would be of any assistance. A friend took these pics last Thursday at a mudflat [somewhere in Washington]. He estimated there were 1500 sturgeon stuck in the ditch.