'They're adorable': Meet the Pacific lamprey, Oregon's ancient fish

LEABURG, Ore. (KVAL) - Lurking in the waters of Oregon's rivers is a fish that has been around long before dinosaurs: the Pacific lamprey.

"A lot of people's reaction to them," Jeremy Romer said, "is, 'Ew, gross.'"

But for Romer, an Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife fish biologist, these sleek fish don't get the credit they deserve.

The large, fatty fish are an important food source for predator birds.

"They're a really important part of the ecosystem," Romer said. "They're really important to the tribes."

But lamprey are somewhat of a mystery.

Most of what's known about their population size comes from data collected by local tribes.

"This year we initiated a lamprey tagging study," Romer said.

The study focuses on the number of lamprey that pass the Leaburg Dam as they return from the ocean to the fresh water to spawn.

In previous years the number of lamprey passing the dam were counted through a window.

Romer said that count is likely incomplete.

"We don't know how many of those we don't see are going above the dam," he said.

The study started back in May with the team collecting 30 lampreys in traps, tagging and then releasing them below the dam.

The information from the study will give biologists like Emma Garner more exact numbers of lamprey that are passing the dam - and where they are choosing to spawn.

"So we can see where the lamprey are swimming by and hanging out," she said.

The biologists say research is crucial with lamprey populations declining all over the state.

"They are actually listed federally as a species of concern," Romer said.

They hope the information can help them help the lamprey.

"As a fish biologist, they're adorable," Romer said, "and they're very charismatic for us."