Azernews.Az

By Amina Nazarli

Fishermen in Iran made the catch of a lifetime when they hauled this monster weighing nearly a ton from the deep.

The fish - which weighed in 850 kg - was pulled from the Iranian sector of the Caspian Sea. The Iranian fishermen caught this big beluga or European sturgeon on April 14

Beluga is the largest freshwater fish in the world. This massive fish can reach over 15 feet long and weigh upwards of 2,500 pounds. The largest recorded beluga sturgeon was almost 20 feet long and over 7,000 pounds. These fish also have a long lifespan, living to 100 years and older.

Beluga sturgeon is euryhaline, meaning they can swim freely between salt and fresh water. It is found primarily in the Caspian and Black Sea basins, and occasionally in the Adriatic Sea. Heavily fished for the female’s valuable roe – known as beluga caviar – the beluga is a huge and late-maturing fish that can live for 118 years.

The species’ numbers have been greatly reduced by overfishing and poaching, prompting many governments to enact restrictions on its trade.

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Amina Nazarli is AzerNews’ staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @amina_nazarli

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