There are other, larger recorded catches of fish that spend time in both fresh and saltwater, such as the beluga sturgeon. The former world record holding fish - a 646-pound Mekong giant catfish - was also caught on the Mekong River in 2005, in Thailand. “We need to do more to protect these freshwater habitats.” The Chinese paddlefish was declared extinct in 2020,” Hogan said. Worldwide, “most of these species of big fish are in trouble, their populations are declining. The upper Mekong is also habitat for Mekong giant catfish and other species of large freshwater fish. Hogan said the Cambodian government has expressed interest in developing a conservation plan for the giant freshwater stingrays. “We want to understand the importance of this area before there’s development, potentially in an unsustainable way.” “There’s potential for hydropower development right where these stingrays were caught,” Hogan said. The research group plans to tag and track a few hundred big fish in the Mekong River to better understand fish migrations and local habitat in the upper Cambodian Mekong. The scientists suspect the site could be an important seasonal gathering site for giant freshwater stingrays, and might serve as a pupping ground for young. (Chhut Chheana / Wonders of the Mekong)įishermen have reported three catches of female stingrays in the area during the past two months, Hogan said. Wonders of the Mekong team members, Cambodian fisheries officials, and villagers took photos with the giant freshwater stingray. The fisherman who caught the record ray was paid market price for his catch. The group has helped with two other large giant freshwater stingray releases in recent months. “We started focusing on this area as a stretch of river that’s particularly important for biodiversity and fisheries, and as a last refuge for these big species.”įor several months, the research group has been in contact with local fishermen, asking them to get in touch if they landed a significant catch. “It’s a particularly healthy stretch of the river with a lot of deep pools - pools up to 90 meters deep,” said Hogan, who is also the host of National Geographic’s “Monster Fish” television series. Researchers with the Wonders of Mekong were already in northern Cambodia to install underwater receivers as part of a project to track migratory fish in the river. The fisherman, Moul Thun, caught the giant stingray with a hook and line on the evening of June 13, and then contacted researchers the next morning. It was accidentally hooked by a 42-year-old fisherman named Moul Thun. The giant freshwater stingray was captured the night of Jnear Koh Preah island in the Mekong River in northern Cambodia.
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