Sea creatures usually found in tropical waters show up off Washington coast

SEATTLE -- Cucumber-shaped sea creatures called pyrosomes have arrived off Washington's coast -- and they could mean trouble for the fishing industry.

Their arrive is surprising scientists who are used to seeing them in tropical waters.

"I'm familiar with them, but I've never seen them up here in the Pacific Northwest. I'm surprised," one scientist said.

Each one on its own is pretty small. But they can come together to create giant organisms that are more than 20 feet long. Fishermen are already complaining the pryrosome population is getting so large, they're now gumming up their fishing lines, hooks and cages.