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The giant Mekong catfish (Pangasianodon gigas) is an important species and a Mekong endemic. It is one of the largest freshwater fish in the world, measuring up to three meters in length and weighing in excess of 300 kilograms. Recently, the giant Mekong catfish has gained recognition because of the increasing threat posed by human activity. Even though the species is listed as endangered, the fish are still caught and sold for meat in Cambodia, Lao PDR and Thailand. In order to promote the conservation of freshwater habitats in Asia, it has been proposed that P. gigas be used as a flagship species. As a flagship species, the giant catfish symbolizes the ecological integrity of the Mekong River and other freshwater ecosystem in Asia. Until more is known about the migration patterns of the species, it is difficult to determine the status of the population. Despite the fact that the wild giant Mekong catfish may become extinct in the near future, fishing for P. gigas continues. Last October, the Cambodian Department of Fisheries gave the order to buy endangered species (P. gigas and Catlocarpio siamensis) captured in the bag net fishery. The project for the Management of the Freshwater Capture Fisheries of Cambodia monitored the bag net fishery to record the capture of the giant catfish and giant bard. Capture fish were photographed, weighed and measured. P. gigas were tagged with an external Floy Spaghetti tag and released. In the short term, the purchase and subsequent release of captured wild fish afford the giant Mekong catfish the greatest chance of survival. In the long term, the tagging of P. gigas may resolve questions about the migratory behaviour of the species. Between 31 October and 6 December 2000, five Mekong Giant Catfish caught in Dai Fisheries were bought from the fishermen.. They were measured, tagged and released to the River. All were over two meters in length and weighted approximately 160 to 270 kilograms. The price paid by the Government to the fishermen for the purchase of each specimen varies from US$70 to US$120. To confirm whether or not fish tagged in Cambodia are recaptured in northern
Thailand, the Thai Department of Fisheries will check for tagged fish in Chiang
Khong, Thailand. The Thai Department of Fisheries grants permission to catch the
giant catfish in northern Thailand, and in return, the fishermen allow officials
from the Fisheries Department to extract eggs and sperm from some specimens. In
this way, the Thai Department of Fisheries examines each fish caught at Chiang
Khong. Source: The Purchase and Release of Two Endangered Species by Hogan, et al. |
