Fishermen caught a giant catfish weighing more than 130kg on the river

The discovery of giant catfish in the Mekong River is a welcome sign that the species is not at risk of extinction in the next few years.

On December 11, three adult giant catfish were discovered in the Mekong River, weighing from 95 kg to 131 kg, two of which were longer than 2 m.

All three fish were measured, tagged, and DNA samples were collected before being released back into the river, according to Reuters . Three other giant catfish were also discovered in the river a few days earlier.

After being measured and tagged, the catfish were released back into their habitat. Photo: Xinhua

The captured fish appear to be migrating from floodplain habitat near Cambodia's Tonle Sap Lake north along the Mekong River, likely to spawning grounds in northern Cambodia, Laos or Thailand.

Wonders of the Mekong - a conservation initiative funded by the US Agency for International Development - described the capture of so many giant catfish in just a few days as a "remarkable and unprecedented event".

“This is a welcome sign that the species is not facing immediate extinction,” said Dr. Zeb Hogan, a biologist at the University of Nevada Reno who leads the Wonders of the Mekong project. “This gives conservation efforts time to be implemented and help the fish move from decline to recovery.”

Much remains unknown about these giant fish. But over the past two decades, a joint conservation program led by Wonders of the Mekong and the Cambodian Department of Fisheries has tagged and released about 100 fish to collect detailed information about the species.

"The information is analyzed by experts to establish migration corridors and protect habitats to help them continue to survive and develop in the future," said Dr. Hogan.

The Mekong giant catfish can weigh up to 300kg and grow to 3m in length. The species is deeply embedded in the region’s culture, depicted in 3,000-year-old cave paintings, revered in folklore and considered a symbol of the river, where fisheries support millions of people and are worth up to $10bn a year.

In addition to the Mekong giant catfish, the river is home to many other large fish species, including the salmon carp, which was thought to be extinct until its discovery earlier this year, and giant stingrays.

Brian Eyler, Southeast Asia program director at the Washington-based Stimson Center, said the sighting confirmed that the annual fish migration is still going strong despite all the environmental pressures facing the Mekong River.

"Hopefully what happens this week will show the Mekong basin countries and the world that the Mekong's giant fish population is special and needs to be preserved," he said.

Minh Hoa (according to Znews, Women of Ho Chi Minh City)

Source: https://giadinh.suckhoedoisong.vn/ngu-dan-cau-duoc-ca-tre-khong-lo-nang-hon-130kg-tren-song-172241216073421616.htm