Suwannee River’s first jumping-sturgeon injury confirmed
The Gainesville Sun
By Karen Voyles
Staff writer
Suwannee River’s first jumping-sturgeon injury confirmed
By Karen Voyles
Staff writer
Published: Thursday, May 12, 2011 at 3:40 p.m.
Last Modified: Thursday, May 12, 2011 at 3:40 p.m.
( Excerpt - page 1 of 2 )
"State wildlife officials have confirmed the first sturgeon-related injury of 2011 on the Suwannee River.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission said this week that a woman’s injury in late April was the result of sturgeon leaping out of the river water.
Erica Stevens, 27, of Safety Harbor received minor injuries April 27 while boating with her husband, Scott Stevens, around 5 p.m. north of the U.S. 19 Bridge in Gilchrist County, according to investigators.
The boat was traveling at about 15 mph when an approximately five-foot-long sturgeon jumped up in front of the boat and crashed through its windshield. Investigators said Erica Stevens was sitting behind the windshield and received minor injuries when she was showered with glass that cut her arms and legs.
“It’s not certain that the sturgeon ever made contact with her during the incident,” FWC spokeswoman Karen Parker said.
The sturgeon also hit a support for the bimini-top on the boat, as well as the motor cowling, before landing inside the couple’s 15-foot-long 1973 Lightning boat.
Erica Stevens was treated at Shands at the University of Florida, Parker said. The incident caused about $2,300 worth of damage to the boat.
While describing the events to investigators, Scott Stevens said he threw the sturgeon back into the river but suspected it was dead.
“This is the first sturgeon strike in 2011,” said Maj. Lee Beach, law enforcement commander of FWC’s North Central Region in a news release. “And that’s one too many.”
Beach said he did not want to scare anyone off the river."
http://www.gainesville.com/article/2...9813?p=1&tc=pg
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