6 officials injured trying to capture 200kg arapaima

 

Officers of the fisheries department trying to capture three giant arapaima fish. (JPM pic)

PETALING JAYA: 

Six fisheries department staff were injured after being struck by arapaima during an operation to capture the invasive species in Masjid Tanah today.

Fisheries director-general Adnan Hussain said three men sustained minor injuries to their knees and chests while the others experienced shortness of breath and swelling in their knees after being struck by the arapaima’s head.

They were all sent to Alor Gajah Hospital, reported Sinar Harian.

The officers were among those who took part in an operation to capture three mega-sized arapaima, each weighing 200kg and measuring approximately 2.7m.

Adnan said the operation, which took more than seven hours, was wrought with difficulties due to the aggressive behaviour of the fish.

He said the Melaka fisheries department captured the arapaima in response to concerns by members of the public about the impact the fish would have on local biodiversity.

Adnan said the fish had been kept by their owners in a reservoir under an abandoned building, where they were fed by local residents and visitors to a nearby restaurant.

He said the arapaima were voluntarily surrendered by the owners upon realising that keeping them is illegal. They have been transferred to Zoo Negara.

The arapaima is one of the largest freshwater fishes in the world. While its natural distribution is the Amazon basin, it has been found in countries such as the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand. - FMT