Weighing 646 pounds and measuring 8'10\ in length, a goliath catfish was hauled in off the coasts of Thailand this year.
It was later recorded in the Guinness Book of World Records as the largest freshwater fish.
The locals attempted to keep the fish alive and free it. However, it died and was used for food.
This giant fish was not a freak of nature by any means. The goliath catfish was once up to 99 percent more prevalent in the Mekong River of Indochina. Presently, giant fish-defined as fish six feet in length or longer and 200 pounds or more-are becoming scarce worldwide.
In collaboration with National Geographic, the World Wildlife Fund, the World Conservation Union, also known as IUCN and researchers at UW-Madison, Zeb Hogan, a post doctoral fellow at the center for limnology at UW-Madison, began a global project in November to identify the world's largest freshwater fish.
""The two main objectives of the project are, one, to conduct conservation assessments of all freshwater fish, and two, to identify the world's largest freshwater fish,"" Hogan said. He hopes to raise awareness through education and the publication of project findings.
""Getting people interested is the first step in getting conservation on the ground,"" said Robin Abell of the World Wildlife Fund.
The majority of Hogan's research is in the Mekong River, while the group continues searching for the goliath catfish and the giant freshwater stingray. Hogan said if they find one, a stingray may be larger than the giant catfish.
Because of their rarity, finding large fish is difficult, so Hogan works with fishermen to locate them. In addition, if the fishermen happen to catch any large fish, they inform Hogan.
UW-Madison graduate student David Gilroy and UW-Madison assistant professor of limnology and zoology Jake Vander Zanden have also been conducting research on the Eg and Uur Rivers of Mongolia studying taimen, the world's largest trout.
In order to study the taimen's movements, the team surgically placed transmitters into the body cavities of about 40 fish and tracked them about every two weeks. According to Gilroy, not everything turned out as expected.
""The fish moves differently than we thought. Some fish are still moving and feeding in the winter when the ice is a meter thick,"" Gilroy said.
The team also has more economic reasons for the research.
""We are studying taimen in Mongolia to provide a scientific basis for an effort to establish fly fishing concessions as a form of sustainable ecotourism,"" Hogan said. Under the plan, fishermen can still fish, but must release them. The project works with the businesses so they can still operate and protect the fish at the same time.
Another separate, more religious effort to promote the cause is the reconstruction of a Buddhist temple. Buddhists generally believe in a strong connection to nature and chastise harmful behavior towards it. Therefore ,Zander Vanden said, by supporting Buddhism, the fish population may have a better chance of survival.
""Part of the project is to connect the conservation of fish to other efforts to conserve the ... religious tradition in the area,"" Zander Vanden said.
The results of the expedition are not always encouraging. ""Many of the world's largest fish are very rare and becoming rarer,"" Hogan said.
The decline in giant fish populations may be impossible to stop but Hogan still remains hopeful.
""I hope that this expedition can do something to change that.?? As people become more aware about the plight of the world's largest fish, it may be possible to save them.""
Hogan's project will take him to a multitude of rivers and species around the world. His project will conclude Dec. 2006 when he will report the project findings to the IUCN.
