EAGLE RELEASE - Veterinarian Vicky Vosburg reads information about one of the seven bald eagles released into the wild Saturday morning by the Alaska Raptor Center. Vosberg explained to the hundreds of Sitkans who turned out to watch the releases that the birds are returned to nature in the spring when there is abundant food, including spawning herring. (Sentinel Photo by James Poulson)
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Sentinel Staff Writer
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Sentinel Staff Writer
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Sentinel Staff Writer
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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
Lowell Frank has been promoted to branch manager at Spenard Builders Supply Sitka Store. ... He replaces Steve Brenner, who is retiring from SBS after 25 years of service.
50 YEARS AGO
March 1975
Sitka High Wolves won one and lost two at the state basketball tourney in Anchorage, while Wrangell Wolves lost two games in a row and was out. In Sitka’s loss to Diamond, Kevin Monagle had 14 points. John Hansen and Paul Haavig made the all-tournament team.
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