In an unusual departure from in its normal duties, Hungary’s National Food Safety Office (NÉBIH) has issued a call to all nature-loving fishers to help locate the country’s most wanted animal: a 30 kilogram carp.
NÉBIH said fishery records show that the carp has already been caught at least twice in two different lakes before being released. While unusual, NÉBIH is fairly certain that the same fish was caught in two different lakes, saying that several individual characteristics confirm that it was the same one.
In one instance, the lucky angler even posted a picture of his catch (seen above).
The reason why NÉBIH has initiated a nationwide hunt for the carp is fears the fish may be caught and sold on the black market.
Such a carp, representing a record weight for a carp in Hungary, can fetch a handsome sum, which the authorities estimating it going for between 750,000 forints to 800,000 forints (€2,200-2,360), or slightly above twice the monthly average wage in Hungary.
The largest carp ever caught was nabbed by British angler Colin Smith, who in 2013 caught one that weighed at 45.59 kilograms (100.5 pounds) at the Etang La Saussaie Fishery in France.
Title image: Wanted: 30-kilogram carp (source: nebih.gov.hu)
