BID TO CATCH CARNIVOROUS FISH |
| Conservationists will today try to catch a giant 5ft-long catfish which has been illegally introduced to a British river to provide a challenge for anglers. It is feared the alien predator will decimate other wildlife in the River Darent in Kent and if it grows large enough will become a threat to young children and family pets. Officers from the Environment Agency's fisheries team will try to net the monster 40lb fish, nicknamed Darren, at Eynsford, starting at 10am. Agency team leader Adrian Saunders said: "This exotic species should not be in British waters. It is usually seen in the warmer parts of Europe where it can grow up to 300lb and has been known to attack humans and dogs. "The catfish has no natural predators in this country and gorges itself on huge quantities of fish stocks, water fowl and small mammals." His fisheries team is concerned that the illegally imported fish could be carrying diseases or parasites to which British fish have no immunity. Mr Saunders added: "With the water temperature rising due to climate change, it is thought that if Darren is not captured he could grow as big as 100lb by the time he is 20 years old." Catfish have an ugly appearance, looking like a giant tadpole with a huge bulbous head and a wide slash of a mouth lined with hundreds of razor sharp teeth. More than three-quarters of its length consists of a strap-like tail. Mr Saunders said: "These are very strong, muscular fish that put up a huge fight. It is likely that Darren has been put in the river for someone's angling fun. "Unfortunately some people see it as a challenge to land them and then just throw them back. "However, the presence of a huge, carnivorous fish like this can be a threat to the environment. "We are seriously concerned that there are other catfish in the River Darent catchment area. If they begin to breed successfully we are looking at the tip of the iceberg." Anyone catching a catfish should ring an agency hotline on 0800 807060 for advice. |
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