Sea Monster Washes Ashore in SC

03/23/2012

The corpse of a bizarre-looking creature washed ashore in Folly Beach, South Carolina.  The large "sea monster" confounded residents, but a local veterinarian identified it as a rare but native fish.  Any ideas what it could be?

According to live5news.com, a veterinarian from the South Carolina Aquarium identified the body as that of a sturgeon.

There are several sturgeon species in North America, and all get large.  The Atlantic sturgeon is the species that is found in South Carolina waters, and they can grow to be 15 feet long and weigh 800 pounds (although more commonly they are less than ten feet long and weigh around 300 pounds).  Sturgeons have been around for over 100 million years, and individual fish can live to be over 60 years old. 

Their bodies are covered in bony plates called scutes rather then scales, and they have tiny eyes and barbels on their face that help them locate prey in the muddy bottom of murky water, all of which gives them their bizarre appearance. 

Sadly, sturgeon are on the decline.  National Wildlife Federation reports:

Once common in American waters, sturgeon were regarded as trash fish until the mid-1800s, used only for fertilizer. By the late 19th century, however, the fish had caught on as a source of meat, leather and caviar.

Demand for sturgeon products helped put the fish into a steep decline. For example, in 1885, Great Lakes waters bordering Michigan accounted for a catch of 1.5 million pounds of sturgeon. By 1928, the catch in the area was less than 2,000 pounds. The commercial catch of white sturgeon peaked in the Columbia River in 1892 at more than 5 million pounds. During the early 1900s, the catch was scarcely 200,000 pounds.

Today, the lake, Gulf, pallid, Alabama and shortnosed species are listed as endangered or threatened by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the green sturgeon is being considered for listing. The white and shovelnose are still fished for sport. Sturgeon may have survived the Age of Reptiles and the ice ages, but they may not survive the excesses of humankind.

Speaking of giant fish, mark your calendars for the return of River Monsters with Jeremy Wade.  The new season premieres on Sunday April 1st at 9pm eastern/pacific.  Here's the promo video.  I can't wait!

 

 Photo from Facebook via live5news.com.

Comments

[Mudfire]

LOL- I just read that article in Jeremy Wade's voice - LOL

[tattooedkountrygirl]

I read it in Jeremy Wade's voice too! haha To funny!

[Tonya Thornley Stout]

loved to see Folly Beach made headlines to get River Monsters attention. Maybe River Monsters could come to SC to film a show..we have lots of rivers. We have had our share of odd creatures here and there.

[kerry duckett]

I live in oregon ..and our sturgeon ..dont look ant thing like that ...not even the body ..

[stheeve stevens]

if it's a "sturgeon" and it lives in fresh water, why would it wash up on a ocean beach?

[Carolyn Dougharty]

I am not ashamed to admit it. I LOVE Jeremy Wade, and I love big giant nasty fish that live in rivers.

[Melissa Norris]

If I remember correctly, Sturgeon are capable of being in both fresh and salt water. There are other fish capable of this as well such as the cat fish, bull shark, striped bass, sturgeon, and lamprey eels. Correct me if I'm wrong..but I'm pretty sure about it.

[David Mizejewski]

Melissa is correct, sturgeons spawn in fresh water but otherwise live in salt water. Here's some good info on sturgeon: http://www.chesapeakebay.net/fieldguide/critter/atlantic_sturgeon

[alllen]

they migrate across the atlantic

[alllen]

these fish spawn in the satilla river in ga. and the sawanne in fl.

[CookiesMommy]

I just want to know who plans to bring the hush puppies? I'll bring the cocktail and tartar sauce. Looks like good eating to me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Joshua]

Of course there's only one photo. Anytime I see something unique that isn't moving I make sure to take a single photograph to make the whole image impossible.

[matt]

how do i catch my own river monster in missouri? on the marimec river.

[robert]

@matt - use your wife as bait.