Sturgeon collides with boat on Suwannee

Sturgeon collides with boat on Suwannee

A sturgeon jumped into a boat cruising down the Suwannee River on Saturday, but there were no injuries to the passengers in the vessel.

Jeff Summers, an officer with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), witnessed the encounter.

"I was anchored out near Rock Bluff with my family when I saw a boat making its way past us. A 3-foot sturgeon jumped up into the boat," Summers said. "Although the people on board were startled, no one was hurt except for the fish."

FWC Officer Brian Humphries talked to the people involved in the encounter. Their boat sustained minimum damage, and they had returned the fish to the water.

"Fortunately, no one was injured during this encounter," said Maj. Lee Beach, FWC regional commander from Lake City. "However, this is an opportunity to remind people that sturgeon are in the Suwannee River, and the chance of an encounter does exist."

What can you do to protect yourself?

"We recommend boaters reduce their speed to reduce the risk of impact and to give people more time to react if they do encounter a jumping sturgeon," Beach said. "Pay attention to your surroundings. Rock Bluff is a ‘hot spot’ of jumping activity for the sturgeon. And always wear your life jacket, even if you’re a good swimmer. It’s hard to swim if you’re unconscious."

The Suwannee River appears to support the largest viable population of Gulf sturgeon. Biologists estimate the population at 6,500 to 7,500 fish, each averaging approximately 40 pounds. Adult fish spend eight to nine months each year in the river spawning and three to four of the coolest months in Gulf waters. Sturgeon tend to congregate in deeper and cooler waters with moderate currents and sand and rocky bottoms.

Biologists are unsure why sturgeon jump.

"Scientists are still attempting to figure that out," said Dr. Jeffrey Wilcox, FWC Fish Taxa coordinator. "The latest theories include that the fish jump to communicate, or it may be a dominance display. No rules require all jumps to mean the same thing.

"I have seen these collisions referred to as ‘attacks.’ However, these fish are in no way ‘attacking’ when they jump. They are simply doing what they have been doing for millions of years … jumping. They aren’t targeting the boaters," Wilcox said.

However, Gulf sturgeon can get quite big, exceeding 7 feet and 170 pounds.

"They have five rows of rock-hard ‘scutes’ along their sides, back and belly. When sturgeon and boaters collide, the results can be devastating," Wilcox said.

Sturgeon are a protected species and may not be harvested.

"Sturgeon are protected by state and federal law, just like bald eagles, panthers and sea turtles," Beach said.

To report sturgeon collisions, call 1-888-404-FWCC (3922).