Giant Catfish Caught and Killed

Posted by Douglas DuHamel Jul 26, 2008

Thai fisherman caught a 646-pound giant catfish that was bigger than a grizzly bear and ate it said World Wildlife Federation officials. The giant catfish is believed to one of the biggest freshwater fish ever found.

It was caught in the Mekong River, home to more massive species of fish than any other river in the world. Dr Zeb Hogan of the WWF has confirmed the record and also said it was amazing to find one that large.

Local environmentalists and government officials tried to negotiate the release of the fish so that it could continue its spawning migration in the far north of Thailand. The adult male died and was eaten in a remote village in the north.

The Mekong giant catfish is Southeast Asia's largest and rarest fish. It is the focus of a National Geographic Society project headed by Hogan to study freshwater fish greater than 6.5 feet (2 meters) or 220 pounds (100 kg).

These large catfish are believed to be endangered and are along the lines of the sturgeon family. The biggest thing that is endangering fish is the building of dams on the rivers and over-fishing.

It could be another twenty years before another fish is found to be that big or it may not happen again. Putting objects in the migration path of fish is not the way to keep the species off the endangered list.