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The Giant Arapaima, that's some fish!

Paiche/Giant Arapaima Fish in Peru's Amazon
Weighing a Giant Arapaima
© Gloria Rojas/ProNaturaleza

Imagine drifting along a floodplain lake near the mighty Amazon River when you hear the loud “gulp” of a gigantic fish surfacing. This is what fisherman experience when they first meet the Giant Arapaima (or paiche, as it is known locally). The Giant Arapaima, the largest freshwater fish in the world, is native to the Amazon and has been known to grow up to 9 feet long and weigh nearly 500 pounds.

The Giant Arapaima’s tongue is embedded with a second set of teeth that allow it to crush and chew its prey. It breathes through a swim bladder, surfacing every 10 to 15 minutes making a characteristic coughing sound when catching a breath.

The Giant Arapaima is one of the most important fish for traditional Amazonian fishing and indigenous communities because it provides both food and income.  It is covered in large, bony scales, which when cleaned and shined are used by artisans to make jewelry and handicrafts. Due to overfishing and loss of habitat, this fish is endangered in some countries of the Amazon Basin and is restricted for international trade. 

Protecting the Giant Arapaima
Due to the Giant Arapaima’s delicate status, fishing cooperatives in Pacaya Samiria National Reserve in Peru developed a management plan that establishes fishing quotas and other measures to increase and sustainably manage Giant Arapaima populations for the benefit of local communities while guaranteeing the long-term conservation of the species. This management plan was documented in a book, which also outlines the process of surveying and monitoring local paiche populations as part of the development of the management plan. The Nature Conservancy and partners have begun to distribute the book widely throughout the Amazon to universities, research institutions, NGOs and other communities who also seek to sustainably manage this important aquatic resource.