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The Chinese PaddlefishWorld’s Largest River Fish is Facing Extinction
The last adult Chinese Paddlefish was seen in the Yangtze River in 2003 and no young fish have been seen since 1995.
Wei Qiwei who manages the research laboratory at Yangtze River Fisheries Research Institute in Jingzhou has been searching the Yangtze River for the elusive Chinese Paddlefish. The chances of finding this species are looking dimmer as the years go by with no sightings. Characteristics of the Chinese PaddlefishThese are the largest fish in the world and they can grow as long as 23 feet and can weigh up to half a ton. Its belly is white and back and head grey. They are predators that feed on other fish and small amounts of crab and crayfish. Female Chinese Paddlefish do not spawn until they are seven or eight years old. The life span of these fish can be as long as 50 years. The Chinese Paddlefish is also known as the Chinese Swordfish and the elephant fish because its long snout looks like an elephant's trunk. They are a sought-after food fish because their meat is considered a delicacy. During Imperial times, Emperors were presented with Chinese Paddlefish as gifts. Why the Chinese Paddlefish is DisappearingWei Qiwei has discovered the spawning grounds for the Chinese Paddlefish are being destroyed by dams built on the Yangtze River. The Gehzouba hydroelectric dam was completed in 1983 and it divides the Yangtze River into two sections. This dam cuts off the migratory route of the Chinese Paddlefish. The feeding areas of these fish are located in the middle and lower sections of the Yangtze River. When Chinese Paddlefish go to spawn, they swim to the upper part of the Yangtze but now the dam has limited their access. Further up the river from the Gehzouba hydroelectric dam, the Three Gorges Dam is the largest hydroelectric dam in the world. This dam has further reduced the Chinese Paddlefish’s access to its spawning grounds. More dams are planned to be built on the Yangtze. In the early 1970s, hundreds of Chinese Paddlefish were caught every year, but in the 1980s the number dropped dramatically to approximately ten fish a year. There was a 14-foot Paddlefish captured in 2002 and it died 29 days later in captivity. In January 2003, a 12- foot Paddlefish was captured and Wei Qiwei was dispatched to attach a radio transmitter on the fish. The signal is longer being detected but Wei Qiwei believes the fish is still alive. The National Geographic Megafishes ProjectZeb Hogan, who is a fisheries biologist, accompanied Wei Qiwei on a boat trip up the Yangtze River in 2007. Hogan is the team leader for the National Geographic Society's Megafishes Project. This project is a three-year study which assesses the conservation status of the world's largest freshwater fishes. In 2008, Wei Qiwei and Zeb Hogan are conducting a joint expedition to search out the Chinese Paddlefish. Wei speculates that approximately 12 Paddlefish have remained in the upper Yangtze because there are deep areas and underwater caves that provide hiding spaces. Wei vows that he will not retire until he has found a Chinese Paddlefish. Source: World’s Largest River Fish Feared Extinct: Stefan Lovgren, National Geographic News July 2007
The copyright of the article The Chinese Paddlefish in Freshwater Fish is owned by Douglas DuHamel. Permission to republish The Chinese Paddlefish in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
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