# Sturgeon on the Suwannee River



## roger23 (Jan 14, 2001)

*Sturgeon on the Suwannee River*

*BE WARNED:* Signs like these have been posted up and down the Suwannee River after jumping sturgeon began colliding with boaters and causing serious injuries. Eight people were injured on the river in 2006. So far this year, there have already been eight injuries on the water.
*Watch Jeffrey Kofman's report from the Suwannee River on Monday on "World News" and click here to read his blog about the exotic and challenging assignment.* 
(Jeffrey Kofman/ABC News) 

http://abcnews.go.com/Nightline/popup?id=3374611

Fishing For The Shot
July 13, 2007 1:26 PM

ABC&#8217;s Jeffrey Kofman traveled to the fabled Suwannee River in North Florida to find out why the giant sturgeon are jumping and boaters are getting seriously injured. It was an exotic assignment, but tougher than you might imagine.

Sometimes I tell people that what we put on air for viewers to see is &#8216;life without the boring parts.&#8217; We do a lot of waiting to capture on video the moments that illustrate a story. What you&#8217;ll see on air for this story might be better characterized as &#8216;life without the frustrating parts.&#8217; (At left, ABC cameraman Al Durruthy as he waits patiently for a sturgeon to jump in front of his lens.)

We had heard that there was a bizarre story unfolding on the Suwannee involving collisions between recreational boaters and jumping sturgeon&#8230; fish that can be eight feet long and weigh 300 pounds. As we arrived on the river the fish did not disappoint. They were jumping in every direction. 

Ace cameraman Al Durruthy and his Betacam were with us to capture this curious event. It was not easy. The fish were jumping everywhere but where Al pointed his camera. (At right, a Gulf Strugeon in the air.)

&#8220;Wow!&#8221; I&#8217;d exclaim as huge sturgeon bounded into the air 20 feet from our boat. &#8220;Did you get that?&#8221; 

&#8220;Noooo,&#8221; was the sullen response from Al, &#8220;it was just outside the camera frame.&#8221;

&#8220;SPLASH.&#8221;

&#8220;SPLASH.&#8221;

&#8220;How &#8216;bout those?&#8221;


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## roger23 (Jan 14, 2001)

Flying sturgeon injure Florida teens












Created: 7/17/2007 1:20:20 PM
Updated:7/17/2007 3:14:01 PM

Three Florida teens have quite a tale to tell after some flying fish injured them while on a trip to North Florida.
"We all started crying and screaming and stuff," Allie Katrick said. 

Pictures after the attack showed Katrick visibly shaken, with large cuts on her legs and those of her friend, Kori Snitker.

"It happened so fast. It just jumped out and hit the side of our legs, and we just started screaming," Kori said. 

"I remember it landing on me at first, and it was heavy," added Allie.

Katelyn Burroughs said the large amount of blood made her wonder if Allie had lost a finger. 

Burroughs was vacationing with Snitker, Katrick and their families on the Suwannee River, where officers with the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission are warning that it could be the worst year on record for sturgeon strikes. 

So far officers have documented five injuries.

The giant spawning fish can weigh as much as 200 pounds.

Allie Katrick said they smell really bad. 

"They have this goo or slime on the fish, and it was all over my fingers, and it looked like it was chopped off," Allie said.

One woman was knocked unconscious when she was struck by the sturgeon in one of the five documented cases. 

The girls said they aren't going to be next. 

"It was very scary what happened to me. I'm never going back," Katelyn added.


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