Cambodian catches world’s largest recorded freshwater fish

By JERRY HARMER
Associated Press

BANGKOK (AP) — A giant stingray caught in the Mekong River last week is more than a giant — it is the biggest of them all. Scientists say the stingray that measured 13 feet from snout to tail is the world’s largest recorded freshwater fish. It was documented by Wonders of the Mekong, a joint Cambodian-U.S. research project. The Mekong runs through China, Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam. It is home to several species of giant freshwater fish, but environmental pressures are threatening their survival. Researchers say the fish’s size is important because fish take time to mature. The stingray was implanted with a tracking tag before it was released back into the river.