Bubba's in the Deep Freeze (posted-6/3/03)
The only known Alabama sturgeon died in captivity last summer. Bubba was the last fish of his kind to be seen in the Alabama river since 1999. However, his legacy lives on.

Bubba's body has been frozen, and transported to the University of Alabama's ichthyology collection. Collection manager Dr. Bernie Kuhada says Bubba will help add to a growing database on the Alabama sturgeon.

"Eventually what will happen is I will remove tissue from him, which will be permanently stored here for future DNA analysis. I'll preserve his body in phermaldahyde and later transfer it over to alcohol," said Kuhada. "Then, I'll be able to make a bunch of measurements on fin rates and scales to fit him in the larger database with other Alabama sturgeon."

Bubba's data is very important for the survival of the endangered fish since very little is known about the fish. Sturgeon once thrived in the Alabama river before their numbers were decimated by commercial fishing, unnatural water flows created by damming, and destruction of habitat by dredging and industrial pollution. But Kuhada believes there are still sturgeon in the Alabama river. Other researchers say they hope around 200 of the fish have survived. Kuhada says that's why they continue efforts to catch fish for a propogation program.

"They were able to get some sperm (milt) out of Bubba before he died. It is frozen in liquid nitrogen at Warm Springs Fish Hatchery in Georgia. If a female is ever captured and eggs taken from her, artificial fertilization will produce some little Bubbas," he said.

Bubba is now one of 15 Alabama sturgeon to be stored at the University of Alabama's ichthyology collection. The collection holds more than a million specimens and is the third largest in the Southeast. Other Alabama sturgeon specimens are stored at Auburn University, Tulane University and the University of Florida. Bubba was the fifth fish caught by Alabama's collecting program since the search began in 1997. Fishing crews will continue weekly searches through the Spring. Private fishers who may happen to catch the federally protected fish should leave it in the water and contact the Marion Fish Hatchery at (334) 683-6550.

read previous reports about the endangered Alabama sturgeon

go sturgeon hunting with the Alabama sturgeon research team

read about the Death of Bubba

read about Bubba in the Deep Freeze

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