So far this year, the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries has released 12 Mekong giant catfish (Pangasianodon gigas), seven giant barb (Catlocarpio siamensis), 70 marine turtles and 22 royal turtles (Batagur affinis) into their natural habitats.

The Kingdom is home to 58 endangered species of fisheries resources, 29 of them freshwater species and 29 of them saltwater animals.

Khim Finan, spokesman for the fisheries ministry, explained that the giant catfish was classified as endangered by sub-decree No. 123 dated August 12, 2009. The ruling means it is prohibited from killing or trafficking the fish. The huge creatures do not reproduce until the age of seven years, and the population has been in decline for many years.

“Any time a fisherman catches one of these unique fish, they must release it immediately or notify the authorities, who will intervene,” he said.

He noted that in December, the ministry has already released three Mekong giant catfish caught by fishermen.

The most recent example was a female weighing 163kg, with a body length of 2.25m. It was released on December 16 by the Tbong Khmum Provincial Fisheries Administration, in collaboration with a team from the Inland Fisheries Research and Development Institute of Cambodia, and the Wonders of the Mekong project.

The huge fish was discovered by fisherman Sen Yak Kob in Tbong Khmum province. She was named Neary Roth Tbong Khmum, or “Precious Woman of Tbong Khmum”, by authorities.

Two days earlier, a 115kg example was caught in Kampong Luong commune’s Peam Chumneak village of Kandal province’s Ponhea Leu district. Caught by 51-year-old fisherman Moth Savoeun, the 2.2m long fish was released back into the waters by authorities.

The first Mekong giant catfish which was caught and released in December was accidentally pulled up by 46-year-old Fa Ly in Kampong Chhnang province. A juvenile, the fish weighed just 75kg and was 1.6m long.

The twelve examples rescued and released this year represented a significant jump on the previous two years’ figures, with six being released in 2022 and eight in 2021.