Local

Strange fish found on Revere Beach likely an endangered Sturgeon

The man who found it said it was at least 5 feet long.

This fish, which appears to be a sturgeon, washed up on Revere Beach Tuesday. Erik Haigh

February 17, 2022

A Revere man may have rescued an endangered fish that washed up on Revere Beach on Tuesday.

The Boston Globe reported that Erik Haigh was walking on the beach when he saw the 5-foot fish moving its gills despite being completely out of the water.

“It was huge,” Haigh told the Globe. “It had a strange snout…It looked like a dinosaur.”

Haigh said the fish had a rope around its tail. It was alive, so he dragged it back out to sea, but said the fish did not look healthy.

Experts from MassWildlife and the New England Aquarium told the Globe that the fish looked like it was some type of sturgeon, most likely an Atlantic Sturgeon, based on the photo.

If they’re correct, Haigh wasn’t far off with his description. According to the WWF, sturgeons have been around since the dinosaurs, but are now the most endangered species type in the world due to overfishing, a flourishing illegal caviar trade, and habitat loss.

But organizations like WWF are still working to save sturgeons, so if you think you see one, be sure to contact MassWildlife.