15/06/2005 Four adult
Mekong giant catfish were released to the
wild at the junction of the Tonle Sap and
Mekong Rivers, representing an important boost
to catfish numbers in the Mekong Basin.
WWF International Director General Dr Claude
Martin, Director General, and Cambodian Fisheries
Minister Dr Chan Sarun presided over the release
ceremony near the Royal Palace in the Cambodian
capital of Phnom Penh, close to where the
fish were originally captured from the wild
seven years ago.
The catfish, each weighing between 45-50kg
and measuring around 1.5m in length, were
raised in a pond after being havested from
the wild as tiny fry.
"The addition of four adult fish to
the breeding population of a species, where
only around 510 similar-sized individuals
are caught each year in Cambodia, represents
a significant contribution to the continued
survival of this species in the wild, said
Dr Martin.
A century ago, Mekong giant catfish (Pangasianodon
gigas) were found in relative abundance throughout
their range in the Mekong and other major
river tributaries from Vietnam to southern
China. Since then populations have plummeted
due dam consruction on many of the rivers,
which block migration routes and isolate some
populations. Overfishing has destroyed critical
spawning grounds and has led to depleted fish
stocks. Scientists estimate that the total
number of Mekong giant catfish has decreased
by about 90 per cent in just the past two
decades alone.
"The Department of Fisheries has collaborated
with several organizations to release and
tag many catfish to better understand their
migration routes.
"We want to keep the fish alive and
return them to the wild," said Minister
Chan Sarun.
The pond-raised catfish have been fitted
with tags prior to their release to alert
fishermen who catch them accidentally of their
protected status.
After spending so much of their life in captivity,
it is not known if these fish have retained
their natural instincts to migrate and spawn.
There is a chance that they will fail to adapt
to life in the river at all.
"Subsequent capture and release may
demonstrate that the fish have not only been
able to survive, but have also managed to
retain their instinct to migrate and to reproduce,"
Dr Martin added.
Ing Vannath, the fish farmer who caught and
reared the released fish in his ponds, was
onhand at the release ceremony to see them
off.
I wish to repay the favour to these gigantic
fish by returning them to their natural habitat
and to allow them the chance to swim freely
and help maintain the dwindling wild population
of this unique Mekong species.
END NOTES:
The Mekong giant catfish is listed by The
Guinness Book of World Records as the Earth's
largest freshwater fish. Reaching a maximum
size of three metres in length and 300kg,
the species is unique to the Mekong River.
The Mekong is one of the worlds few relatively
free-flowing large rivers with an intact floodplain
and is attributed as the major factor in maintaining
the basins tremendous biodiversity and productive
fisheries, estimated to be worth over US$1.4
billion annually. The consevation of Mekong
giant catfish, a flagship species of the WWF
Living Mekong Programme, will help safeguard
the livelihoods of the millions of people
who depend on healthy productive fisheries
in the river basin.
Until recently, large individuals of the
species were caught in significant numbers
in Thailand, particularly at Chiang Kong in
the vicinity of reported spawning grounds.
Although a few fish have been caught in the
last two seasons, the numbers have dropped
off dramatically with no individuals captured
there in the preceding three years. In Cambodia,
small numbers are still caught in the stationary
bagnet (or dai) fisheries every year.
WWFs Living Mekong Programme works with
governmental and non-governmental partners
across Mekong Basin, and holds maintaining
the large-scale integrity of the basin as
its central long term goal.
