#BIGGEST FRESHWATER FISH FOR FREE#

“It works because the fish is not a highly prized food fish,” Hogan said. The fisherman who caught the record ray was paid market price for his catch. The group has helped with two other giant freshwater stingray releases in recent months. In this photo provided by Wonders of the Mekong taken on June 14, 2022, a team of Cambodian and American scientists and researchers, along with Fisheries Administration officials prepare to release a giant freshwater stingray back into the Mekong River in the northeastern province of Stung Treng, Cambodia. “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 metres deep,” said Hogan, who is also the host of National Geographic’s Monster Fish television series. Watch: Woman risks life trying to take a photo in Rio de Janeiro.

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. “You have a fish that’s now the record holder for the world’s largest freshwater fish, and we know little about it.” Credit: Chhut Chheana /AP A fisherman in northern Cambodia hooked what researchers say is the world’s largest freshwater fish Credit: NBC A local fisherman caught the 661-pound (300-kilogram) stingray, which set the record for the world's largest known freshwater fish and earned him a $600 reward. The catch “highlights how little we know about a lot of these giant freshwater fish,” said Zeb Hogan, a fish biologist at the University of Nevada.

The tag - which emits an acoustic signal - will allow researchers to track the fish’s movements and, they hope, learn more about its species’ behaviour in the Mekong. The research group believes it was healthy when released and expects it to survive.

#BIGGEST FRESHWATER FISH FOR FREE#

Watch the latest News on Channel 7 or stream for free on 7plus >

Biggest freshwater fish