Columbia River Sturgeon Conundrum Baffles Experts

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Discussion Overview

The discussion centers around a large congregation of white sturgeon in the Columbia River, estimated to be around 60,000 fish. Participants explore the reasons behind this unusual gathering, considering various hypotheses related to behavior, ecology, and potential unknown factors.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Debate/contested
  • Conceptual clarification

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants suggest the gathering could be related to mating behavior, though uncertainty remains about what is known regarding sturgeon mating.
  • Others propose that the sturgeon might be seeking safety in numbers while dormant or hibernating.
  • There is speculation that the congregation could serve as insulation from colder water temperatures for those in the center of the group.
  • A few participants humorously speculate about the possibility of the sturgeon struggling to navigate around a dam.
  • Some participants note that similar congregations of sturgeon have been reported before, but not at this scale, raising questions about whether this behavior was entirely unknown to science.
  • One participant expresses a desire to see pictures of the sturgeon ball.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express a range of hypotheses regarding the reasons for the sturgeon gathering, with no consensus reached on any single explanation. Some acknowledge previous reports of similar behavior, while others question the extent of scientific knowledge on the topic.

Contextual Notes

There are limitations in understanding the specific behaviors of sturgeon, particularly regarding mating and congregational dynamics. The discussion reflects varying interpretations of existing knowledge and the novelty of the observed phenomenon.

Ivan Seeking
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Big ball of sturgeon in Columbia River baffles experts

...The mountain of white sturgeon contained around 60,000 fish, according to a rough estimate by Michael Parsley, a research fisheries biologist with the U.S.

...The lingering question is: What were all the fish doing there?
http://blog.oregonlive.com/breakingnews/2008/05/big_ball_of_columbia_river_stu.html
 
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A sturgeon party and we were not invited?
 
Auditioning for the chance to be a PF greeter!
 
My husband has informed me of his sighting of masses of sturgeon in the Grand River, here in MI. Nothing anywhere near that amount, but he said perhaps several hundred, and noted its a much smaller river.
I wonder if the PF insurance would cover a injury due to a sturgeon wack?
 
hypatia said:
I wonder if the PF insurance would cover a injury due to a sturgeon wack?
I would be more concerned about the PF sisters blowing out their disks even just trying to pick up one of those monsters. Some of the largest can easily grow to thousands of pounds.
 
hypatia said:
My husband has informed me of his sighting of masses of sturgeon in the Grand River, here in MI. Nothing anywhere near that amount, but he said perhaps several hundred, and noted its a much smaller river.

Interesting! We have a second account of behavior that apparently was previously unknown to science.
 
My first thought was of garter snakes, who gather in large groups for mating.
 
Grasshopper. What is the sound of one sturgeon swarming?

by the way, I am on th look-out for recipes for sturgeon ball soup.
 
Last edited:
Ivan Seeking said:
Interesting! We have a second account of behavior that apparently was previously unknown to science.

Was it entirely unknown? The article gave the impression the behaviour had been seen before, just not on this scale

"Biologists have heard reports of congregations of sturgeon at the surface of reservoirs and rivers, including shallow parts of the Columbia."
 
  • #10
Sure enough. The report I saw made it sound like a complete mystery and I didn't read the entire report linked.
 
  • #11
lisab said:
My first thought was of garter snakes, who gather in large groups for mating.


And hippies.
 
  • #12
Several things popped into my mind as possibilities when reading the article:
1) Mating (not sure what's known about sturgeon mating and if this could be part of it).
2) Safety in numbers while dormant or hibernating of some sort.
3) Some sort of insulation from colder water temperatures...at least for those in the middle.
4) Don't know how to swim through the dam but sure are trying.

I'd love to see some of the pictures of the sturgeon ball.