The Mekong giant catfish is the world's third-largest freshwater fish species, the WWF says.
Any of the 11 hydropower dams planned for the river’s mainstream south of China would prevent the Mekong giant catfish from migrating to its spawning grounds, the WWF said Tuesday in a news release.
The catfish, with a maximum length and weight of nearly 10 feet and about 770 pounds, are too big to swim across such dams, said Dekila Chungyalpa, director of WWF’s Greater Mekong Program.
If the dams prevent the car-sized fish from reaching their spawning grounds, their population will plummet, the WWF said. The portion of the river in question currently is free-flowing, according to the WWF.
“Building [the dams] will lead to the collapse of the wild population of this iconic species,” Chungyalpa said. The catfish already are listed on the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources' Red List as "critically endangered."
The dams are proposed for spots where the river travels through Thailand, Laos and Cambodia. The WWF says one in particular, planned in northern Laos, has entered a critical stage of assessment before members of the Mekong River Commission - made of representatives from Cambodia, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam - make a recommendation on whether to allow its construction.
On its website, the WWF says at least 49 other migratory species, including three other giant freshwater fish species, also are vulnerable to the development of dams on the river’s mainstream.
The WWF says that to meet energy demands, hydropower projects could be built on certain Mekong River tributaries, as opposed to the mainstream.
The dam in northern Laos also would reduce sediment flowing downstream to the Mekong River Delta, reducing the delta’s ability to replenish itself and lead to more coastal erosion, a statement on the WWF’s website said.
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That is just funny, good one old top.
…yes...
lol, too much!
This photo is fairly old...at least 6 yrs. A copy was sent to me via email by someone and I kept the pic. As someone who used to do a lot of catfishing in Missouri, it was difficult to imagine the size of these. I never knew the info surrounding this catfish... didn't even know the name of them. But to find out now that by just buidling one dam, this giant catfish would become extinct.. well, it's quite sad really. Hopefully they will find a way to serve the needs of both the people and these fish. If not, then may the catfish prevail!
haha! Big fan of the old days of WWF. Your comment is too funny and yes I immediately thought about Hulk Hogan, SGT Slaughter, Big Boss Man, Ultimate Warrior, Mr. Perfect, and all those guys that made the WWF!
That's meaning World Wildlife Fish, Son,.That will put on top record not for Eat,Son
haha omg dude yes i did first instinct
Hey Mitch, have you been living in a cave just smelling what the Rock is cooking? Because that's about the time that the World Wrestling Federation lost a court battle to keep the WWF initials after the World Wildlife Fund took them to the mat...
BTW: so the really big catfish dies and the ecosystem figures out another way to make do while humans get electricity with out using oil...hmmm....catfish steak anyone?
Um ya, the WWF was renamed to WWE like over 10 years ago. Welcome to the 1990s.
No, I read it because that would be a lot of deep fried catfish to eat. That fish looks so, good.
@usadolphin
catfish steak? well, no, not if it is extinct. that would be impossible...
No, and I used to watch a lot of WWF. Guess I just managed to pay a little better attention in life.
I was one of them LOL
I read it because I'm alarmed these amazing creatures are at risk. But I thought it was super lame for world wildlife to sue for the initials "WWF". It seemed petty and unbecoming of a non-profit organization whose mission should be protecting lives instead of slogans. So I find myself siding with folks who looked at the picture and said WEEEEEELLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL IT'S THE BIIIIG SHOW!