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Mayo man encounters sturgeon on Suwannee May 23, 2008 A Mayo man was slightly injured Friday when he was struck by a jumping sturgeon on the Suwannee River. This is the first reported sturgeon strike in 2008. According to Florida Fish and Wildlife
Conservation Commission (FWC) officers, Brian Mosley was boating
one mile south of Ivey Park in Branford when a sturgeon leapt in
front of his boat. The fish did not survive the encounter. FWC officials remind boaters that sturgeons are returning to the Suwannee River to spawn, and the agency wants to alert boaters to the risks of jumping sturgeons. “There are signs posted at all the boat ramps along the Suwannee, explaining the risk of impacts with these fish,” said Karen Parker, public information coordinator for FWC’s North Central Region. “Boaters have been seriously injured when hit by these fish. This is the first reported sturgeon strike for 2008. Let’s hope that it’s the last. We recommend boaters reduce their speed to reduce the risk of impact.” Biologists are unsure why sturgeons jump. The fish winter in the Gulf of Mexico and enter the Suwannee in the summer and fall months to spawn. They can grow to 8 feet in length and weigh up to 200 pounds. Sturgeons are a protected species and cannot be harvested. To report sturgeon collisions, call 1-888-404-FWCC (3922). |
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