KARACHI (Kashmir English): The World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) has declared the Amazon sailfin catfish, an invasive species in Pakistani waters, as one of the most dangerous threats to native fish and aquatic life.
According to WWF officials, the list of at least 26 species includes non-native fish that have already been introduced into Pakistan’s natural waters, where they have influenced the ecological balance negatively.
One of the reasons that the Amazon sailfin catfish is particularly troublesome is its voracious appetite. The organization has clarified that the catfish are predators and their feeding habits include diving on other fish and even smaller creatures that live in the water, which thus endangers the locals and leads to decreased diversity.
Environmentalists predict that if such an invasion is not kept in check, it will produce very harmful effects on both marine and freshwater habitats that could last for a long time.
WWF has appealed to the proper authorities dealing with the environment and fisheries to keep a close watch on the sailfin catfish and its spread, take measures that are appropriate and timely to control the population of the catfish, and in this way protect the native aquatic life.
