Endangered Catfish Tagged and Released
A Mekong giant catfish 157cm long and weighing 46kg has been caught and released back to the Mekong river. Photo: Ministry of Agriculture
- By Phoung Vantha
- December 27, 2022 4:35 PM
PHNOM PENH – A Mekong giant catfish 157cm long and weighing 46kg has been caught and released back to the Mekong river.
Ministry of Environment spokesman Neth Pheaktra said fisheries administration officers released the fish after it was tagged.
The critically endangered species was caught by fishermen on Dec 26 in Svay Ath Leu village of Kandal province.
Pheaktra said the species prefers to live in the Tonle Sap river, Tonle Sap lake, and upper Mekong region, especially along the deep pools of the Mekong in Kratie and Stung Treng provinces and travels over long distances.
It is often caught by fishermen while migrating from the Tonle Sap lake in October to spawn and hide in deep pools along the upper Mekong river, he added.
The Mekong giant catfish has been listed on the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List of Threatened Endangered Species, and it is listed as an appendix to the CITES Convention which strictly prohibits fishing, buying, selling and transporting.
