Save the Taimen

The Taimen is the largest fish of the Salmonid family. The largest specimen ever caught weighed 231 pounds and was 83 inches long. Historically, their range was all over northern Europe and Asia. Their ranges have been severely contracted due to over harvesting and development and are currently at risk of becoming endangered.

The federal conservation status according to the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species is vulnerable.

In 2008 a Taimen-awareness campaign was launched by organizations working together with a message that roughly translated to, “Brothers, if we catch taimen, let us release them” . In the meantime, 8 soums (similar to U.S. counties) signed long-term agreements to preserve more than 400 river miles of wild-taimen habitat.

Then the 2013 and 2014 seasons saw a successful launch for “The National Mongolia Taimen Awareness Campaign” as people and organizations came together all over the world. The two messages with this campaign are simple, “Taimen are unique freshwater fish and the pride of Mongolia. If you catch taimen, please release them!”

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