Because Coelacanths are a deep cold water species, they live for only ten or so hours on the surface of the ocean when caught by local fisherman. The cause of death most likely a combination of capture stress and over heating resulting in asphyxiation. There are efforts to protect the few hundred living coelacanths left by educating the fishermen to use a deep release procedure. The deep release will help to get the fish quickly to the cold bottom water because a surface release leaves the fish without the strength to get back down 600ft. This information comes from the website of the Coelacanth Rescue Mission, http://www.dinofish.com/. To learn about the Coelacanth and efforts to assure that it remains a survivor check it out. (Thanks Dave B. for passing this site along to me)

next

Home | Gallery 1 | Gallery 2 | Gallery 3 | BigTime Bait

Copyright © 1998 Two Feet Off the Ground. All rights reserved.