Local knowledge of the Mekong giant catfish at the Sirikit Dam Reservoir, Northern Thailand

Abstract

Some 103, 276 hatchery-reared Mekong giant catfish have been released into the Sirikid dam reservoir from 1984 to 2006. Local knowledge of the catfish was assessed from two fishermen at the reservoir in December 2006 and March 2007. Both fishermen used a gill net to capture the Mekong giant catfish. The experience of one fisherman suggests that the catfish might move around the old channel in the reservoir. The Mekong giant catfish captured in this reservoir by the other fisherman varied from 40 to more than 100 kg in weight. This suggests that the Mekong giant catfish might have grown greatly in the Sirikit dam reservoir and have been a fishery resource around the Sirikid dam reservoir basin.