The legendary catfish from a Warsaw lake survived after being caught by a Ukrainian
The giant catfish, which was illegally caught by a Ukrainian citizen from Lake Balaton in Warsaw at the end of May, is still alive. The fish, which was considered a local legend and had lived in the lake for about 20 years, is now in another body of water within the Polish capital.
This was reported by Warsaw Police spokeswoman Joanna Węgryniak.
According to her, after the incident, the catfish was released into another lake in Warsaw. That is where it is now. Law enforcement officials are not disclosing the details of the fish’s relocation.
In late May, a 57-year-old Ukrainian citizen caught a catfish measuring 180 centimeters in length and weighing nearly 40 kilograms from Lake Balaton. The catch occurred during the closed season, when fishing is prohibited.
According to eyewitnesses, the man placed the live catfish in the trunk of his car and left the scene. The incident caused a stir among Warsaw residents, as the fish was well-known to locals and considered a symbol of the lake.
Polish law enforcement charged the man with illegally transporting fish caught during the closed season, as well as with cruelty to an animal due to transporting it without access to water.
Following his arrest, the Polish Border Guard deported the Ukrainian man and banned him from entering the Schengen Area for five years.
Source: Fakt.
In Warsaw, police detained a 57-year-old Ukrainian citizen suspected of catching the famous catfish from Lake Balaton. The fish had lived there for about twenty years and had long become a local legend. Now law enforcement is investigating not only the fact of the catch itself, but also possible cruelty to the animal.
In Poland, a decision was made to deport the Ukrainian citizen and ban him from entering the country for five years. The reason was the public outcry that followed after the man caught a huge catfish from Warsaw’s Lake Balaton, violating local fishing regulations.
