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Monster cat-ch caught on canal

Two monster invasive catfish more commonly associated with the rivers in Northern Europe, have been hauled out of the Grand Union Canal at leafy Soulbury Locks in Buckinghamshire.

Catfish

The unusual catch was made by the Trust, as we carried out a fish population survey along this part of the waterway.

The non-native catfish are so called because of their prominent barbels which resemble a cat's whiskers. The two monsters are believed to be around 15 to 20 years old and the biggest of the pair was around one metre long and weighed nearly 20kgs.

John Ellis, national fisheries and angling manager, from the Trust, said: "It is not certain how the two catfish came to be in the canal although it is likely that someone has illegally dumped them after finding that a small pet catfish has simply outgrown its tank.

"Catfish are powerful fish and are hard to catch and have been known to occasionally eat birds, small animals and non-native crayfish. Being bottom feeders most people would never see one whilst visiting the canal but, if you see a big fish swimming in the canal, it could be this monster of the waterways."

Once removed from the canal the cat fish were rehomed to a much more suitable location. To find out more about what fish live in the nations canal please visit our fishing pages.

Last Edited: 05 August 2016

photo of a location on the canals
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