Long Voyage For Exotic Fish Gets Longer

February 6, 2005

Release from: Pete McCarthy
Gloucester County Times (New Jersey)

CAMDEN -- From halfway across the world come two green sawfish to join Adventure Aquarium's family once it opens in May.

The fish had a long journey. They were supposed to fly from Australia to Los Angeles International Airport, to Newark International Airport, before being driven down to Camden Saturday morning.

However, fog forced the plane to land in Kansas City from L.A., where crews had trouble finding another plane big enough to fly the enormous tanks holding the fish the rest of the way, according to Aquarium Spokeswoman Liz Kennedy Walsh.

By 7 p.m., they finally landed on the East Coast.

"They're swimming around, it looks like they're fine," she said.

Getting the fish from one place to another is a task to begin with -- fog or no fog.

"This is a pretty tricky transfer," Walsh said. "The tanks are huge, so there is a forklift that will lift them off the trailer."

Roughly 200 bolts keep the tops of the tanks sealed during the trip -- each of them having to be removed before releasing the fish.

The sawfish, roughly six feet in length, will live in quarantine tanks until they adjust to their new environment.

This is a first-time visit for green sawfish in New Jersey.

Sawfish are known for their toothy, saw-like snouts, which encompass nearly one quarter of their total length and allow them to feel the movements of their prey on the ocean bottom.

At one time, there were over 40 species of sawfish, but now there only about 10.

The nearly 200,000-square-foot aquarium remains on schedule and within budget for a May opening.

The aquarium, which has been closed since September, is expected to cost $43 million to renovate.