Overturned Truck Spills 100,000 Salmon: Circumstances of Accident Fishy

Sometimes you read about a mishap that just seems a little fishy. One such involves an incident from last Friday, where a semi-trailer truck overturned while negotiating a sharp turn on an Oregon mountain highway. The result of that truck kraken up was that 100,000 Chinook salmon were spilled.

A tanker truck overturned in Northeast Oregon on Friday and spilled over 100,000 live salmon — most of which landed in a nearby creek and lived to swim another day, officials said.
The 53-foot truck carrying the fish from the state's Lookingglass Hatchery tumbled over while navigating a sharp corner, according to a release from the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife on Tuesday.
The driver managed to escape the accident with minor injuries, and cleanup efforts were aided by members of a local hatchery, Nez Perce tribe members and the Union County Sheriff's Office, the ODFW said.

First, let us just say that we're glad that the truck driver was not seriously injured, although he may have come away with a bad haddock. He must be a dab hand at managing a big rig, especially since he was, apparently, the sole operator of the truck and trailer.

Harpooned! Dispute Over Biggest Fish Grows... Pointed

The hatchery where the fish originated raises salmon for tribal and public waters harvest, intended to supplement native populations in the Imnaha River. The fish spilled represents 20% of the fish intended, so the accident, while concerning, does not represent a turtle disaster for the Imnaha River population. The hatchery staff have reportedly asked for some time to determine if the loss can be made up, stating that they needed to mullet over.

Of the approximately 102,000 spring Chinook smolts — or young salmon— that spilled from the truck, more than 25,000 did not survive. But about 77,000 safely made it into Lookingglass Creek, a tributary of the Grande Ronde River.

There may be some sporting opportunities arising as a consequence of this, and when it comes to serendipity in fishing, it just doesn't get any betta than this. Sure, one cod forgo this bounty in favor of more traditional sport; after all, taking advantage risks invoking the wrasse of more hardcore anglers. However, as of this writing the Oregon Department of Fish and Game has not announced whether any increased take limits will be in place in the Grande Ronde River, to take advantage of the spill.

It's unlikely that this spill could result in any augmented breeding population of Chinook salmon in the Grande Ronde River, as the freshwater-saltwater-freshwater cycle of salmon begins with their hatching in suitable waters and relying on specific water chemistry to find their way back when it's time for them to breed; fish released as smolts probably won't have that instinct triggered.

Tuna in later for any updates to this breaking story.

For more fishy tales and fintastic writing on almost every other matter of interest, consider upgrading to a VIP account! VIP status will open a plethora of stories and podcasts here at RedState as well as all of our sister sites in Townhall Media: PJ Media, Twitchy, Hot Air, Bearing Arms, and Townhall.com. Use promo code SAVEAMERICA for a 50% discount.