BIOLOGISTS from the Washington State Fish
and Wildlife Department have found a crate
of live tropical beakfish inside a bait box of
a boat which had drifted across the Pacific
Ocean from Japan to the United States.
The boat containing the fish, who appeared
unharmed and healthy, washed up on shore
and is believed to be part of a tide of debris
from the devastating 2011 earthquake and
tsunami in Japan which crossed the ocean.
In addition to the beakfish, the boat also
contained several species of Japanese
anemones, scallops, crustaceans and worms.
However, with the exception of one fish
that will soon go on display at the Seaside
Aquarium, the entire “shipment” of animals
were euthanised to avoid the risk of
introducing an invasive species to the state.
Investigations revealed the fish survived the
long trip at sea due to the boat drifting with
its bow up, with the stern (where the fish
were being kept) under the water’s surface,
with enough space for the fish to escape long
enough to go, find food and return home.
