Shrewsbury River Cownose Ray Invasion +[VIDEO]

[Arbutis]

This happened about 7 years ago - the cownose rays came into the Shrewsbury River and stayed for several weeks. It's happening again this year for whatever reason. All I remember from that last time was that the crabbing was terrible to end of that year and for several years following. They are like crab vacuum cleaners. Thousands of them are in one relatively small ecosystem.

I made the interesting comparrison last time that when they sun on the surface and curl up their wings they look exactly like a shark fin gliding along. If you see what looks like a shark or maybe two small sharks swimming along side each other - that's a cownose ray.

Video on FB
https://www.facebook.com/dougpeterson.fb/posts/10222540211644785

[Jigman13]

Makes sense. They love crustaceans; but will also slurp up peanuts...

They've been way back by the Morgan Creek inlet a few years ago. "Seiners" were catching them in their nets, whacking them into pieces with a machete and tossing them into a deep cast iron skillet full of oil set over a drift wood and plastic bottle fire.

I know guys down south bow fish them. I highly doubt that dents the population.

[torchee]

and even more out front

[Rocky]

That sucks! Hopefully all this fresh water we just got pushes them out sooner than later.

[Adrenalinerush]

They are part of the ecosystem just like everything else that swims. And they fight really good!

[Capt. Debbie]

They also ruin the crabbing. And this year is already off to a sucky start.


Aren't they poor man's scallops?

[emcjim]

Are these rays really safe to handle? On partyboats, it is usually cut the line, or point the rod at the ray and break off. I have heard the sting is terribly painful at best and possibly fatal at worst. Stories of victims being removed from boats by helicopter and flown to the nearest ER.

[shrimpman steve]

Evidently yes. They are https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cownose_ray

[tunajoe]

we were hooking them on plugs 2-3 weeks ago in leo - there were some sizable blue claws around....bet they were feeding on those.

[Capt. Debbie]

People on a NJ beach with Machettes and skillets setting fires? Sounds more like a 3rd world country? Geez! Did they climb back into their hollowed-out-tree canoes and paddle back to Sayreville? LMAO

Makes sense. ...

They've been way back by the Morgan Creek inlet a few years ago. "Seiners" were catching them in their nets, whacking them into pieces with a machete and tossing them into a deep cast iron skillet full of oil set over a drift wood and plastic bottle fire. . . . .

[Jigman13]

People on a NJ beach with Machettes and skillets setting fires? Sounds more like a 3rd world country? Geez! Did they climb back into their hollowed-out-tree canoes and paddle back to Sayreville? LMAO

More like WalMart inflatables with the short plastic oars--but yea, you're not far off!

[torchee]

A sting from a cownose ray can cause a very painful wound that requires medical attention once stung. While the sting is not usually fatal, it can be fatal if stung in the abdomen.

as per wikipedia...
Watch that barb

[torchee]

I was netting peanuts down off exit 68

They were surface feeding making long runs through the schools top speed with both wings up.

It was an impressive site at 4 am.