Giant catfish win reprieve in honor of Thai king

[The Straight Story]

Giant catfish win reprieve in honor of Thai king

BANGKOK, Thailand (AP) - Thai fishermen on Friday came up with an unusual way to celebrate their king's 60th year on the throne. They agreed to stop netting the critically endangered Mekong giant catfish.

In a ceremony honoring King Bhumibol Adulyadej scheduled to take place Friday, nearly 60 fishermen in the northern Thai city of Chiang Khong are expected to commit to a voluntary ban on catching Southeast Asia's largest and rarest fish - and will be given 20,000 baht (US$520; euro410) for each giant catfish net they surrender.

"In honor of the king, the fishermen will agree to stop fishing for catfish and hand the nets over to the monks,'' said Tuenjai Deetes, senator for Chiang Khong, near the Laos border. "This is a great commitment from fishermen. Every fisherman will stop fishing giant catfish forever.''

The World Conservation Union listed the Mekong giant catfish as critically endangered in 2003 after research showed its numbers had fallen by at least 80 percent in the past 13 years. It is also listed as critically endangered under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Flora and Fauna, or CITES.



http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2006/6/9/apworld/20060609185048&sec=apworld

[LeftyMom]

1. Wow.

I hope the fish make it.

[kentuck]

2. Wait'll you see the hushpuppies....

:)

[Hugin]

3. Wow... That is some catfish!

Wonderful and progressive news.

Good for them.

[Vidar]

4. Lovely idea.

[oasis]

5. Just think of how much cornmeal it would take to crispy fry that baby.

:wow:

[HarukaTheTrophyWife]

6. Holy shit! That thing is huge!

I think this is a good step. I'm fine with regulated fishing for non-endangered fish, but I think it's great that the Thai government is trying to save this endangered fish.

[The Straight Story]

8. Nets....Sheesh. If it was me, I would use my zebco, 20lb line, and some

livers.

Using nets ain't fishing, that's hunting. ;)

[HarukaTheTrophyWife]

9. Catfish are decent fighters for freshwater fish.

Imagine trying to land that thing. I once hooked into a big channel cat while panfishing on 2lb test ultralight rod. I was running up and down the shoreline. Damn thing almost stripped my reel. It weighed out to be 12lbs, later on I found out I could have won a Skillful Angler Award. Oh well.

Personally, I prefer saltwater fishing though, usually blues and stripers. Haven't been out yet this year though.

[diamondsndust]

7. big catfish...

http://www.charliesbaitandtackle.com/coppermine/displayimage.php?album=2&pos=7

[oasis]

10. Yummy. And giant skillet sized.

:-)

[Bear down under]

11. That will please His Majesty.

He's a keen conservationist.

[eppur_se_muova]

12. 2003 Nat. Geo. on catfish...(link)

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2003/11/photogalleries/giantcatfish/

Some of the pictures seem to change occasionally; the really impressive ones are not there anymore.