Photo: Ocean Mysteries with Jeff Corwin / Litton Entertainment
Largest Freshwater Fish Ever Caught
To date, the largest freshwater fish ever caught and recorded is a Giant Freshwater Stingray coming in at 14 feet long, 8 feet wide and weighing 600-800 pounds. So what makes this catch so significant? Quite a few things in fact…
Very little is known about the giant freshwater stingray including its dietary needs, habitat requirements, maximum size and life span. The significance of this catch comes from the fact that the same stingray was captured and tagged five years prior, allowing scientists to take blood and tissue samples from the stingray and compare them with the previous specimens. This is a huge step towards learning more about the life cycle of this fascinating fish that has eluded scientific studies ever since its discovery in 1990 although it is likely one of the ancient species, millions of years old.
Haling from southeast Asia, the giant freshwater stingray has been subject to water pollution, river damming and over-fishing which has earned it an unfortunate place on the endangered species list. These stingrays are generally caught by fishermen as juveniles, before they reach full adult size due to the difficulty of netting them once full grown. To learn more about the giant freshwater stingray and watch a video of the 5-hour struggle to capture it, look up “Ocean Mysteries with Jeff Corwin” which aired a special on this elusive fish.
