postcards from alaska ptIII (but really from cali)

since i'm back but, as usual, behind.


this bad boy is a re-creation of the world record halibut that is hanging in the DELTA terminal of the Anchorage airport.

the sign in the corner says "World Record Halibut
9'5", 459 lbs, 31 yrs old
Caught by Jack Tragis
June 11, 1996
Unalaska, Alaska
City of Unalaska
581-1251"

here's the fish at dock


i don't mean to be all girly but oh man what a shame to kill it. THIRTY ONE YEARS OLD. it takes 31 years for a fish to reach that size. on the scientific side, when you consider the population dynamics, a fish species that reaches this size and that age would be very vulnerable to any kind of significant fishing pressure. I am not aware of the status of the fishery for this species in alaska(i guess i could look it up) but i can imagine it wouldn't be too bad if it's just open to sportsfishermen.

i suppose i'm the only weirdo that would be stoked to see this beast underwater. that would rock.