A catfish measuring a remarkable 3 meters has been spotted in the Lower Garda, marking a record sighting never before recorded in Italy. Marco Brognoli, a 54-year-old fisherman, reported that he identified the enormous specimen using his boat’s scanner and later during a dive. Along with two other freedivers, Armano Abrami and Tarik Nadir, he confirmed that the sizes of catfish in the lake seem to be significantly increasing. While the previous record was set at 2.58 meters, the capture of fish exceeding 2 meters is becoming increasingly common.
The three fishermen also caught specimens weighing over 80 kg, highlighting a concerning growth in the population of these predators. Just a few years ago, sightings of such sizes were considered exceptional; now they have become the norm, thanks to a healthy aquatic environment that allows catfish to thrive even during the winter. This phenomenon raises interest among wildlife enthusiasts and concerns about the balance of the ecosystem in Lake Garda.
