TRAINING SESSION – Motivational speaker Gene Tagaban of the Native Wellness Institute tells a story this afternoon at UAS Sitka Campus during a day-long training session for health professionals sponsored by Sitka Tribe of Alaska Social Services. Tagaban, who grew up in Southeast Alaska, is based in Tacoma and gives talks, workshops and performances nationwide. About 50 people attended today’s event. On Saturday Tagaban will lead a free workshop, called the Community Healing and Wellness Gathering, 9 a.m.- 4:30 p.m. at the Westmark Sitka. Contact Anna Schumacher at 966-9662 for information and registration. The events are being held as part of Native American Heritage Month. (Sentinel Photo by James Poulson)
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Daily Sitka Sentinel
Record-Sized Rockfish May Also be the Oldest
By TOM HESSE
Sentinel Staff Writer
A record-breaking rockfish was hauled in near Sitka last week.
Henry Liebman reeled in the 39.08-pound shortraker late last week, breaking the old record of 38.69 pounds for a shortraker caught on sportfishing gear.
The age of the fish hasn’t yet been determined, but that too might be a record, a fishery expert said.
Liebman, an insurance adjustor who works in Seattle, said he frequently visits Sitka to charter fish, so he knew that he had a large fish on when the shortraker struck.
“I knew it was abnormally big (but I) didn’t know it was a record until on the way back we looked in the Alaska guide book that was on the boat,” Liebman said.
A fishery biologist said this shortraker may have been patrolling Sitka’s coast since the time of Alexander Baranov.
Troy Tidingco, Sitka area manager for the state Department of Fish and Game, certified Liebman’s catch, and said this fish might be in the neighborhood of 200 years old.
“The rougheye is the oldest-aged fish at 205,” Tydingco said. He said the longevity record for shortrakers, which are often confused with rougheyes, is 175 years. But that record fish, he said “was quite a bit smaller than the one Henry caught.”
“That fish was 32 and a half inches long, where Henry’s was almost 41 inches, so his could be substantially older.”
Samples of the fish have been sent to a lab in Juneau where the actual age of Liebman’s fish will be determined.
Rockfish live at depths that range between 84 feet all the way down to almost 4,000 feet. Liebman said he was fishing at a depth of around 900 feet, 10 miles out when his giant shortraker took his bait.
The fish went back to Washington with Liebman, who plans to have it mounted.
He also took home a big fish story that he said he’s already been “getting a lot of mileage” out of.
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20 YEARS AGO
November 2004
The Soroptimist Club met at Revard’s Thursday and began plans for the progressive dinner marking the 25th anniversary of the club’s beginning in Sitka, in 1949. The dinner will start at the home of Betty Shennett at Whitcomb’s Trailer Court, proceed to Marta Ryman’s, then to Bette Shupp’s and end up at Carolyn Young’s.
50 YEARS AGO
November 1974
Photo caption: Allen Johnstone Jr. presents a check for $1,000 to SJC President Merton Munn, as part of the college’s fund drive. Johnstone, manager of the Sitka Hotel, made the donation in memory of Russell Clithero, who was an owner of the hotel.
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