What is this?

[IAintLying]

What in the heck is this critter? Bonneville Dam Fish Cam.
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[iwantabuggy]

Lamprey eel. Didn't realize we had them in the Columbia river system.
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[IAintLying]

First one i've ever seen on the fish cam. Guess I need to get out more often.
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[TubeDude]

[cool][#0000ff]Lots of lampreys in the Columbia...and they can navigate up almost any wet surface. Hard to keep them out of any place. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Used to get them off the gravel spawning beds, cut them in chunks and use them for sturgeon bait just above Portland.[/#0000ff]
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[AverysAdventure]

Oregon Field Guide did a great story on the eels. Amazing how they can "climb" a vertical wall.

http://ecotrope.opb.org/2011/09/video-ho...t-lamprey/
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[phutch30]

They are doing alot of restoration work to get them back up river. They used to come into the clearwater.
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[StacyR]

They might be an ugly fish, but they are an important one and their population is in big trouble. They don't navigate the fish ladders well, which were built with salmonids in mind. Their young are also an important food source for young salmon and steelhead.

http://www.oregonlive.com/news/index.ssf...edir=false
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