CLOSER LOOK – Lou Logan (Inupiaq) this afternoon gets a close look at the SJ Museum’s Seward Peninsula Kayak, which was collected by Sheldon Jackson himself and has been on display since 1895. Logan, a quyaq (kayak) builder, is in town from Juneau on a Museums Alaska grant to take measurements and photographs, consult object records at the museum, and find inspiration for his own work. He gave a talk titled “Building the Inupiaq Qayak” this afternoon to a standing room only audience at the museum. (Sentinel Photo by James Poulson)
SHANNON HAUGLAND
Sentinel Staff Writer
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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
March 2005
Western Illinois’ Travis Watson was named Swimming and Diving Athlete of the Week by the Mid-Continent Conference after a successful campaign in recent individual and relay team events. Watson, a 2000 Sitka High graduate, is a senior in engineering technology. He is the son of Cathy Watson and the late Craig H. Watson.
50 YEARS AGO
March 1975
Marilyn Knapp, president of the Greater Sitka Arts Council, announced today the council will solicit local businesses and individuals for scholarships to be awarded to Sitka students planning to attend the Regional Fine Arts Camp on the Sheldon Jackson College campus in July.
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