Rare good news from the Amazon: Gigantic fish are thriving again
Conservationists say a sustainable fishing program has helped the recovery of the local pirarucu — which can be up to 10-feet long and weigh 450 pounds.
MAMIRAUÁ RESERVE, Brazil — On this stretch of the Amazon River, you don't need a fish finder to locate the pirarucu, one of the world's largest freshwater fish. The splashing gives them away.
Like the saltwater tarpon, the pirarucu is an air-breathing fish that must rise to the surface every 15 minutes or so to gulp oxygen. That makes it easier to locate and catch pirarucu — also known as arapaima or paiche — that can grow to be 10-feet long, weigh up to 450 pounds and are prized for their meat.
