Fishing For Arapaima, Brazil’s Living Fossil – Photos

Villagers from the Rumao Island community carry part of their catch of arapaima or pirarucu, the largest freshwater fish species in South America and one of the largest in the world, after fishing in a branch of the Solimoes river, one of the main tributaries of the Amazon, in the Mamiraua nature reserve near Fonte Boa about 600 km (373 miles) west of Manaus, November 25, 2013. (REUTERS/Bruno Kelly)

Fishing for a living fossil?

Reuters reported that a type of fish named arapaima or pirarucu is considered by biologists to be a living fossil.

Arapaima is the largest freshwater fish species in South America and one of the largest in the world,

Catching the arapaima, a fish that is sought after for its meat, is only allowed once a year by Brazil’s environmental protection agency.

The minimum size allowed for a fisherman to keep an arapaima is 1.5 meters. 

Please click the photos for larger images:

<

p>

Villagers from the Sao Raimundo do Jaraua community clean their day’s catch of arapaima or pirarucu, the largest freshwater fish species in South America and one of the largest in the world, after fishing along a branch of the Solimoes river, one of the main tributaries of the Amazon, in the Mamiraua nature reserve near Fonte Boa, about 600 km (373 miles) west of Manaus, November 27, 2013. Catching the arapaima, a fish that is sought after for its meat and is considered by biologists to be a living fossil, is only allowed once a year by Brazil’s environmental protection agency. The minimum size allowed for a fisherman to keep an arapaima is 1.5 meters (4.9 feet). Picture taken November 27, 2013. (REUTERS/Bruno Kelly)

Villagers from the Rumao Island community paddle past a line of arapaima or pirarucu, the largest freshwater fish species in South America and one of the largest in the world, while fishing in a branch of the Solimoes river, one of the main tributaries of the Amazon, in the Mamiraua nature reserve near Fonte Boa, about 600 km (373 miles) west of Manaus, November 24, 2013. Catching the arapaima, a fish that is sought after for its meat and is considered by biologists to be a living fossil, is only allowed once a year by Brazil’s environmental protection agency. The minimum size allowed for a fisherman to keep an arapaima is 1.5 meters (4.9 feet). Picture taken November 24, 2013. (REUTERS/Bruno Kelly)

Villagers from the Rumao Island community paddle their canoes loaded with arapaima or pirarucu, the largest freshwater fish species in South America and one of the largest in the world, while fishing in a branch of the Solimoes river, one of the main tributaries of the Amazon, in the Mamiraua nature reserve near Fonte Boa about 600 km (373 miles) west of Manaus, November 24, 2013. Catching the arapaima, a fish that is sought after for its meat and is considered by biologists to be a living fossil, is only allowed once a year by Brazil’s environmental protection agency. The minimum size allowed for a fisherman to keep an arapaima is 1.5 meters (4.9 feet). Picture taken November 24, 2013. (REUTERS/Bruno Kelly)

Villager Edson de Souza from the Rumao Island community spears an arapaima or pirarucu, the largest freshwater fish species in South America and one of the largest in the world, while fishing in a branch of the Solimoes river, one of the main tributaries of the Amazon, in the Mamiraua nature reserve near Fonte Boa about 600 km (373 miles) west of Manaus, November 24, 2013. (REUTERS/Bruno Kelly)

Villagers from the Porto Novo community load into their canoes arapaima or pirarucu, the largest freshwater fish species in South America and one of the largest in the world, while fishing in Poco Fundo lake along a branch of the Solimoes river, one of the main tributaries of the Amazon, in the Mamiraua nature reserve near Fonte Boa about 600 km (373 miles) west of Manaus, November 26, 2013. (REUTERS/Bruno Kelly)

Villagers from the Rumao Island community carry part of their catch of arapaima or pirarucu, the largest freshwater fish species in South America and one of the largest in the world, after fishing in a branch of the Solimoes river, one of the main tributaries of the Amazon, in the Mamiraua nature reserve near Fonte Boa about 600 km (373 miles) west of Manaus, November 25, 2013. (REUTERS/Bruno Kelly)

Villager Diomesio Coelho Antunes from the Rumao Island community clubs an arapaima or pirarucu, the largest freshwater fish species in South America and one of the largest in the world, while fishing in a branch of the Solimoes river, one of the main tributaries of the Amazon, in the Mamiraua nature reserve near Fonte Boa about 600 km (373 miles) west of Manaus, November 24, 2013. (REUTERS/Bruno Kelly)

A villager from the Rumao Island community holds a young arapaima or pirarucu, the largest freshwater fish species in South America and one of the largest in the world, before releasing it back to the wild while fishing in a branch of the Solimoes river, one of the main tributaries of the Amazon, in the Mamiraua nature reserve near Fonte Boa about 600 km (373 miles) west of Manaus, November 24, 2013.(REUTERS/Bruno Kelly)

Villager Diomesio Coelho Antunes from the Rumao Island community clubs an arapaima or pirarucu, the largest freshwater fish species in South America and one of the largest in the world, while fishing in a branch of the Solimoes river, one of the main tributaries of the Amazon, in the Mamiraua nature reserve near Fonte Boa about 600 km (373 miles) west of Manaus, November 24, 2013. (REUTERS/Bruno Kelly)

Villager Edson de Souza from the Rumao Island community pulls into his canoe an arapaima or pirarucu, the largest freshwater fish species in South America and one of the largest in the world, while fishing in a branch of the Solimoes river, one of the main tributaries of the Amazon, in the Mamiraua nature reserve near Fonte Boa about 600 km (373 miles) west of Manaus, November 24, 2013.(REUTERS/Bruno Kelly)

Villager Diomesio Coelho Antunes (R) from the Rumao Island community drags from his canoe an arapaima or pirarucu, the largest freshwater fish species in South America and one of the largest in the world, while fishing in a branch of the Solimoes river, one of the main tributaries of the Amazon, in the Mamiraua nature reserve near Fonte Boa about 600 km (373 miles) west of Manaus, November 24, 2013. (REUTERS/Bruno Kelly)

Villagers from the Rumao Island community carry part of their catch of arapaima or pirarucu, the largest freshwater fish species in South America and one of the largest in the world, after fishing in a branch of the Solimoes river, one of the main tributaries of the Amazon, in the Mamiraua nature reserve near Fonte Boa, about 600 km (373 miles) west of Manaus, November 25, 2013. (REUTERS/Bruno Kelly)