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Don't blame fish for West Seattle hum

Don't blame a fish mating call for the humming noise that annoyed West Seattle residents over the Labor Day weekend.

A University of Washington associate professor who studies the Midshipman fish says he placed a hydrophone in Puget Sound, Elliott Bay and the Duwamish River Thursday night and heard no fish calls.

Joseph Sisneros says it's more likely that the hum was man-made, possibly from some activity at the port or harbor or the industrial area of West Seattle.

Noise abatement inspectors for the Seattle's Department of Planning and Development have been unable to track down the source.

The hum was first reported in the West Seattle Blog, and KING-TV suggested it could have been the male Midshipman fish, which hums to attract females.

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