By: Olivia Harlow
Produced & Edited by: Olivia Harlow
The Mekong Giant Catfish has low-set eyes, a
silvery gray scaleless body and a yellowed white stomach. Endemic to the Mekong
River and one of the world’s largest freshwater fish, the Mekong Giant Catfish lives
a threatened existence, vulnerable to dam construction, overfishing, and
habitat destruction.
Rarely seen, this massive fish–capable of reaching a
record 10 feet in length and 650 pounds—was listed by the International Union
for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) as critically endangered in 2003; and
according to the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) there may be only a few hundred left
in the wild.
On November 9, this giant fish was found and tagged
for the first time this year in the murky brown waters of the Tonle Sap by a
team of biologists, including Nat
Geo Wild’s “Monster Fish” host, Zeb Hogan, who has studied the species
extensively for many years.
Mr. Hogan—who was coincidentally in Cambodia doing
research at the time of this catch— said that adult Mekong Giant Catfish are
only seen during very specific times of the year in equally specific locations.
He added that compared to counting terrestrial animals, tracking fish
populations from large ecosystems like the Mekong is very difficult.
“What we do know is that in the late 1800s,
thousands of Mekong Giant catfish were caught each year. In the early 1900s,
there are reports of hundreds being caught each year. And recently we hear
reports of less than 10 caught per year,” he explained.
Youk Senglong, Executive Director of Fisheries
Action Coalition Team, clarified that these fish used to be eaten for food,
“because those people do not understand.” He added that many people back then
used to care more about their income than the importance of protecting the
species.
Mr. Hogan said that fish catching often serves as a
proxy for abundance, “So, IF catch is related to abundance, then giant catfish
has declined by 90-99 percent in the last century.”
Mr. Hogan explained that
giant freshwater fish in other parts of the world, including the Yangtze River
in China, have completely disappeared. “Unless there is someone monitoring the
populations, the same thing could happen on the Mekong,” he said, adding that
the Mekong Giant Catfish already teeters on the brim of extinction.
Mr. Hogan said though some
people may not care about one species’ potential extinction, this declining
population reveals a much bigger issue.
“The Mekong Giant Catfish
is symbolic of the health and integrity of the Mekong River,” he said, explaining
that this specific body of water is one of the most biodiverse on Earth. “The
extinction of the Mekong Giant Catfish would be an indication of declining
river health and a red flag for the millions of people
who depend on the Mekong for their livelihoods.”
In addition to warnings
of the area’s fragile environment and loss of sustainability exists a
spiritually related problem.
Traditionally revered
among Buddhists, the Mekong Giant Catfish, or “pla buk”, is considered a sacred
creature.
“Cambodian people, in particular fishers, believe
that this kind of species is the king of other fish,” said Mr. Senglong, adding
that Buddhist religion requires that the fish not be killed. “This species also
brings other fish to fish. So, if the fishers catch and eat the catfish, the
fishers will never [have] chance to catch other fish.”
Mr. Senglong added that when he was young,
fishermen would conduct a special ceremony for the fish. “[There was] music and
sprinkling perfume,” he explained. “The
role of Buddhist monks and other religious followers is important to educate
the fishers not to catch and eat.”
Thach Sophanara, Director of Laboratory at the
Fishery Administration Department, said that
this kind of ceremony occurred before the fish was set free on November
9, fishermen sprinkled perfume over it for good luck. “Cambodians believe
they can wish for something or for good luck with these fish,” he explained.
But unfortunately, this “lucky” fish is
experiencing anything but luck.
The Giant Mekong Catfish requires long stretches of
open water in order to migrate and environmentally specific conditions to breed,
but according to Mr. Hogan, human intrusion and the building of dams have
disrupted these patterns.
“The main threats are incidental catch, habitat
fragmentation because of dams, and habitat degradation—primarily dredging,
rapids blasting, and reduction of flooded forest habitat,” he explained.
Additionally, although it’s now illegal to fish
this particular species, enforcement in Southeast Asia’s more secluded areas is
minimal.
“The difficulty of enforcement in remote areas is
because when they fish Giant Mekong Catfish, they transport into Laos,” said Mr.
Sophanara—who was also present at the catch on the Tonle Sap. “Also, we don’t
have budget for patrol or to educate them.”
Mr. Sophanara said that fishermen rarely pay close attention to the types of fish they catch when
they cast nets. “Fishermen never understand when it’s [the fishes’] season and
what kind of fish they are catching,” he said. “They just leave their nets in
the Tonle Sap, but they don’t know that impact.”
He added that many fishermen in other Southeastern
countries continue to catch and sell the species in local markets, which is out
of Cambodian control.
According to the WWF and Mr. Hogan, these social
and economic developments make conservation work in the Greater Mekong region
urgent, yet challenging.
Fortunately, last Monday, scientists found
hope.
On November 9, the Mekong
Giant Catfish— also known as the “royal fish”—was caught and tagged, proving
its doubted presence in Cambodia.
Mr. Hogan then dove ten
feet with the seven-foot long fish, ensuring that it returned safely to deeper
waters.
“[I tried] to direct it
to deeper water where it normally swims and is less likely to be caught again
in a net,” said Mr. Hogan. “The fish seemed strong as I released it, so I hope
that it will recover from being captured and continue its migration.”
(Additional Reporting Sek Odom)
No comments:
Post a Comment