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Scores of Fish Beach Themselves in N.C. - "Jubilee" - oxygen levels messing with the fishies?
AP on Yahoo ^ | 2/27/06 | AP

Posted on 02/27/2006 11:07:22 AM PST by NormsRevenge

JACKSONVILLE, N.C. - State and local wildlife experts are trying to figure out what led more than a thousand flounder, spot and pin fish to beach themselves at the Marine Corps' New River air base — and then swim away.

They believe it may be related to a popular phenomenon known in coastal Alabama as "jubilee."

The fish surfaced in shallow water Friday morning. They were lethargic, but alive.

"It's kind of strange," said Mike Sanderford, New River Riverkeeper. "It's a bunch of fish up here, but they're not dead. They're almost docile."

When he arrived, Sanderford said, the fish were lying in shallow water and allowed him to touch them before they swam away.

Representatives of the Division of Water Quality, N.C. Marine Fisheries and N.C. Marine Patrol checked on the fish along the air station's shoreline Friday morning. One expert estimated about 1,000 to 1,500 were crowded in the waterline.

But by afternoon, they were gone. The timing matched another oddity: the water's oxygen level, which veered from one extreme to the other.

"We measured the oxygen levels in the water this morning and they were very low," said Stephanie Garrett, environmental technician with DWQ. "Then two and a half hours later, they were high."

She said that might be a clue that the area saw a case of the "jubilee" phenomenon, in which thousands of live, healthy fish beach themselves.

Scientists know that a jubilee occurs when variety of factors deoxygenate the water, forcing fish to the shore.

Jubilees occur in a number of places, but nowhere as often and as regularly as on Mobile Bay's eastern shore. Jubilees usually occur during the summer, providing a free feast to locals who head to shore to gather the fish up.

"It's normal to them, they all know the conditions that are needed and go down with gigs to get the flounder," said Bianca Klein, biologist at the Air Station. "It's definitely a rarity here, though."

Only about 50 fish died, and that may not have been from natural causes.

"The flounder that were dead were the big ones," Sanderford said. "We're guessing someone came out here early this morning and started to pick out the biggest ones to take home for dinner, but wondered why they were beached and thought something might be wrong with them."


TOPICS: Culture/Society; News/Current Events; US: North Carolina
KEYWORDS: beach; fish; jubilee; northcarolina; oxygenlevels; scores; themselves
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1 posted on 02/27/2006 11:07:26 AM PST by NormsRevenge
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To: NormsRevenge

Nuts! Too late to grab a flounder and get yur halibut out of there fast.


2 posted on 02/27/2006 11:09:01 AM PST by NormsRevenge (Semper Fi ... Monthly Donor spoken Here. Go to ... https://secure.freerepublic.com/donate/)
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To: NormsRevenge

I'm not worried. Plenty of fish in the sea.


3 posted on 02/27/2006 11:09:07 AM PST by ClearCase_guy (E)
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To: NormsRevenge

Yeah, pick up dead fish on beach for dinner..........


4 posted on 02/27/2006 11:09:41 AM PST by Red Badger (And he will be a wild man; his hand will be against every man, and every man's hand against him...)
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To: NormsRevenge

Has anyone blamed BUSH yet ?????


5 posted on 02/27/2006 11:09:45 AM PST by IrishMike (Dry Powder is a plus)
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To: NormsRevenge
Port security is "floundering"!!

Call Senator Schumer immediately!

6 posted on 02/27/2006 11:13:09 AM PST by CROSSHIGHWAYMAN (Toon Town, Iran...........where reality is the real fantasy.)
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A red snapper snappy salute and Semper Fi to the Marines and folks at the New River air station. NR MAG-29 1974-75
7 posted on 02/27/2006 11:14:27 AM PST by NormsRevenge (Semper Fi ... Monthly Donor spoken Here. Go to ... https://secure.freerepublic.com/donate/)
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To: NormsRevenge
We had a Jubilee on the Pamlico River in NC in about 1969 when I was 14. We stocked the freezer. I got about a 20 incher with my gig.

Garde la Foi, mes amis! Nous nous sommes les sauveurs de la République! Maintenant et Toujours!
(Keep the Faith, my friends! We are the saviors of the Republic! Now and Forever!)

LonePalm, le Républicain du verre cassé (The Broken Glass Republican)

8 posted on 02/27/2006 11:15:08 AM PST by LonePalm (Commander and Chef)
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To: NormsRevenge

Maybe they got that Darwinian urge to walk on land before the grew the legs.


9 posted on 02/27/2006 11:21:46 AM PST by GingisK
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To: GingisK
Maybe they got that Darwinian urge to walk on land before the grew the legs.

Holy Mackerel! If they thought that then what a bunch of suckers! Then again, maybe they did it just for the halibut!

10 posted on 02/27/2006 11:26:30 AM PST by OB1kNOb ("All you get from our media is controversy, crap and confusion.")
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To: IrishMike
Karl Rove must have turned his mind control device to the 'kill' position so that the Jubilee would distract voters from whatever story the MSM is using to take a pound of flesh out of the President this week.
11 posted on 02/27/2006 11:26:41 AM PST by cchandler
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To: NormsRevenge

Seems like easy fishing. All you need is a net and a big beer cooler. And rubber boots. And solid carbon dioxide. And get your lovely wife or GF to gut them and prepare them for dinner.


12 posted on 02/27/2006 11:26:51 AM PST by BobS
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To: Red Badger

Were I a N.C. resident, I'd go for the 'halibut'. Get it?


13 posted on 02/27/2006 11:37:41 AM PST by ExcursionGuy84 ("Jesus, Your Love takes my breath away.")
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To: ExcursionGuy84

You'd flounder around with your sole?........


14 posted on 02/27/2006 11:38:37 AM PST by Red Badger (And he will be a wild man; his hand will be against every man, and every man's hand against him...)
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To: Red Badger
You'd flounder around with your sole?........

I don't get it.

15 posted on 02/27/2006 11:40:33 AM PST by ExcursionGuy84 ("Jesus, Your Love takes my breath away.")
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To: ExcursionGuy84

Just put your brain on turbot.......


16 posted on 02/27/2006 11:42:49 AM PST by Red Badger (And he will be a wild man; his hand will be against every man, and every man's hand against him...)
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To: NormsRevenge

Pfiesteria outbreak in the winter?


17 posted on 02/27/2006 11:44:51 AM PST by CollegeRepublican
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To: blam; Carry_Okie; Chanticleer; ClearCase_guy; cogitator; CollegeRepublican; ...
ECO-PING

FReepmail me to be added or removed to the ECO-PING list!

18 posted on 02/27/2006 11:45:13 AM PST by GreenFreeper (Not blind opposition to progress, but opposition to blind progress)
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To: NormsRevenge

How can this be... 1000s of flounders??

19 posted on 02/27/2006 11:48:55 AM PST by sit-rep (If you acquire, hit it again to verify...)
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To: NormsRevenge

These stupid fish don't dare try this in Louisiana! Can you say "courtbouillon"? Bien sur, mes chers!


20 posted on 02/27/2006 11:49:32 AM PST by rogue yam
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