The 300-kilogram (661-pound) female stingray was usurped by a giant 646-pound (293-pound) catfish caught in Thailand in 2005 from its record-breaking position, scientists say. The Mekong River is the twelfth largest river in the world and the third largest in Asia, flowing from the Tibetan Plateau through China, Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam. Its unlimited biodiversity has led the Mekong to one-quarter of the world’s freshwater fish catches, according to the WWF. But overfishing has led to declining fish populations and catches, threatening to cause irreparable damage to its vulnerable ecosystem. A team of Cambodian and American scientists and researchers, along with Fisheries Service officials, measure the length of a giant freshwater warbler from muzzle to tail (AP) Zeb Hogan, a biologist who leads the Wonders of the Mekong, a USAID-funded conservation program, said: “In 20 years of researching giant fish in rivers and lakes on six continents, this is the largest freshwater fish we have ever encountered. or this has been documented anywhere in the world. “ “Finding and documenting this fish is remarkable and a rare positive sign of hope, especially since it happened in the Mekong, a river that is currently facing many challenges,” added Dr. Hogan, who is also a professor at the University of Nevada. , Reno. The Wonders of the Mekong is working with the Cambodian Fisheries Agency to set up a network of fishermen to alert researchers if they catch giants or endangered fish. And on June 13, in the middle of the night, the scientists received a call from a local fisherman in Koh Preah, telling them that he had caught a “very big” miser. He later took home a $ 600 (£ 490) reward for the remarkable find. The fish, 3.98 meters long and 2.2 meters wide, was placed with an acoustic tag to monitor its future movement, before being released back into the river. Giant female miser caught and released on Mekong River in Cambodia’s Stung Treng province (Wonders of the Mekong / AFP via G) The bun disappeared under the Mekong’s muddy waters around dusk when the moon had already risen in the sky, Dr. Hogan said. The fish is called “Boramy”, which means full moon in the local Khmer language. “The discovery of tsipouro is proof that the natural world can still bring new and extraordinary discoveries and that many of the largest aquatic creatures remain sadly under study,” said Dr. Hogan. The giant freshwater miser is an endangered species and this discovery is the second of its kind to be examined by the team since May, with the first weighing 181 kg. “When record fish are found, it means that the aquatic environment is still relatively healthy. “This contrasts with what we have seen in places like the Yantgze River, where scientists have reported the disappearance of the Chinese paddle fish,” said Dr Hogan. “The deep pools of the Mekong sustain life far beyond these impressive giants. “Spawning in this critical habitat produces billions of fish each year, which ensures food security and livelihoods for millions of people in Cambodia and Vietnam.”
