Posted on Dec 7, 2022
Rare good news from the Amazon: Gigantic fish are thriving again
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https://www.npr.org/2022/12/07/ [login to see] /brazil-amazon-fish-pirarucu-conservation
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.
Their constant surfacing also makes it easier for poachers. In fact, widespread illegal fishing caused the pirarucu to nearly disappear from some parts of the Amazon. But thanks to sustainable fishing programs that combine education with strict rules and quotas, it's now making a comeback.
"The pirarucu population has recovered," says Ana Claudia Torres, who runs the sustainable fishing program for the Mamirauá Institute, which manages a vast nature reserve covering 4,300 square miles of jungle in northern 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.
Their constant surfacing also makes it easier for poachers. In fact, widespread illegal fishing caused the pirarucu to nearly disappear from some parts of the Amazon. But thanks to sustainable fishing programs that combine education with strict rules and quotas, it's now making a comeback.
"The pirarucu population has recovered," says Ana Claudia Torres, who runs the sustainable fishing program for the Mamirauá Institute, which manages a vast nature reserve covering 4,300 square miles of jungle in northern Brazil.
Rare good news from the Amazon: Gigantic fish are thriving again
Posted from npr.orgPosted in these groups: 
Fishing
Conservation
Fishing Conservation
Posted >1 y ago
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PO1 William "Chip" Nagel Good news!
..."Each pirarucu caught in the Mamirauá reserve sells for about $100. That’s a huge boost for riverside communities that get by during the rest of the year on subsistence farming.
But they have to move fast. They must get the fish out of the tropical heat and ready for shipment within a few hours or the meat will start to spoil.
So, Ailton Bruno and fellow fishermen rush their catch back to a one-room processing plant built on the river, where workers gut the pirarucus, wash them and place them in the cargo hold of boats where they are covered in ice.
Their final destination is Manaus, about three days down river from here. Although some pirarucu meat is exported, nearly all of it ends up on the plates of diners in Brazilian households and restaurants."
..."Each pirarucu caught in the Mamirauá reserve sells for about $100. That’s a huge boost for riverside communities that get by during the rest of the year on subsistence farming.
But they have to move fast. They must get the fish out of the tropical heat and ready for shipment within a few hours or the meat will start to spoil.
So, Ailton Bruno and fellow fishermen rush their catch back to a one-room processing plant built on the river, where workers gut the pirarucus, wash them and place them in the cargo hold of boats where they are covered in ice.
Their final destination is Manaus, about three days down river from here. Although some pirarucu meat is exported, nearly all of it ends up on the plates of diners in Brazilian households and restaurants."
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