Giant tambaqui attracts attention at a fair in Amazonas A video showing a giant tambaqui being treated at a fair in the municipality of Coari, in the interior of Amazonas, went viral on social media this week and has already surpassed 1.4 million views. The images drew attention due to the size of the fish, which is considered one of the main symbols of Amazonian cuisine and is usually sold in fairs and markets weighing around 4 to 6 kilos. The record was made by influencer Silvio Junior Rodrigues, who produces content about the culture and daily life of the region. In the video, the fish is treated by fisherman and market vendor Raimundo "Bigode", who has worked in the activity for around 40 years. In the images, Silvio states that the fish weighs 50 kilos. "He's going to treat a 50-kilo tambaqui! He almost can't hug a fish like that," he said. ? Join the g1 AM channel on WhatsApp In an interview with g1, Silvio said that he usually records videos at the Coari Municipal Fair to show interesting facts about the Amazon and said that, although large fish still appear in the region, they are not common in urban centers like Manaus. "Fish of this type is even common here in the region. It's not very common in Manaus, because the value is higher. I always wanted to show people the value of our culture and our region, that's why I always post these curiosities", he stated. Giant tambaquis are rare, says biologist According to biologist Endiberg Oliveira, tambaquis over 30 kilos are considered rare, despite the recent repercussion of videos showing large specimens. "Currently, tambaquis weighing over 30 kilos are not so common, but in the past we have had tambaquis weighing up to 50 kilos. One of these specimens is deposited at the National Institute for Amazonian Research (Inpa) and was captured more than 40 years ago", he explained. According to the expert, the increase in records of large fish may be related to a combination of factors, such as: ? longer lifespan of animals; ? food availability; ?and changes in fishing activity over the last few decades. "What may be causing this increase in the sizes of tambaquis caught recently is a combination of factors, such as age, diet and genetics. They may be living longer due to changes in fishing activities over the last 50 years," he said. Common size tambaquis. Getty Images Changes in fishing favored the species Oliveira explains that the pressure on tambaqui fishing has decreased significantly since the 1970s. At the time, the species represented around 70% of the fish landed in the Amazon region. Currently, it accounts for approximately 5%, while species such as jaraqui, sardines and pacu now represent around 60% of the volume sold. For the researcher, this scenario, combined with the growth of fish farming in tanks or nurseries, may be favoring the recovery of natural stocks. "The consumption of young tambaquis, known as ruelos, produced in fish farms to supply the market, has reduced the pressure on wild specimens. This may be allowing some fish to live longer and reach larger sizes", he stated. The biologist also remembers that, a few decades ago, it was common to find much larger tambaquis in the capital's markets. "In the 1970s, at Mercado Adolpho Lisboa, in Manaus, it was common to find tambaquis so large that they were sold in pieces weighing two to five kilos. Today, the traditional tambaqui band is normally taken from fish weighing up to five kilos", he highlighted. Phenomenon still needs to be studied Despite the hypothesis of recovery of the species, Endiberg Oliveira emphasizes that it is not yet possible to say that tambaquis are getting larger in general. According to him, new studies are needed on the population dynamics of Amazonian fish to confirm whether the appearance of giant specimens represents a trend towards recovery of natural stocks or just specific records that gained greater visibility with the popularization of social networks. "The size of jaraquis consumed in markets has decreased significantly in the last 20 years due to greater fishing pressure. With tambaqui, the opposite may be happening, mainly due to the Defeso Law and the strengthening of fish farming. But we need more research to clearly understand what is really happening", he concluded. Giant Tambaqui was treated by a market vendor in Coari, in the interior of Amazonas. Reproduction/Social Media