For over two arduous hours, a band of determined fishermen grappled with the colossal challenge of capturing a majestic white sturgeon surpassing 3 meters in length, believed to be aged at least a century.

A colossal white sturgeon measuring over 3 meters in length, estimated to be at least 100 years old, was recently caught by a group of fishermen in British Columbia, Canada.

The fishing party, consisting of Steve Ecklund and Mark Boise, embarked on a fishing expedition near Lillooet, British Columbia, accompanied by guides from River Monster Adventures, Nick McCabe, and Tyler Speed, on June 19th.

During their excursion, the group encountered the massive creature submerged beneath the water, and it took them more than 2 hours to reel it onto their boat.

To capture the sturgeon, the team utilized sonar devices to scan the river currents.

With the newly captured sturgeon, representatives from River Monster Adventures mentioned that it was not tagged, raising suspicions that it could be the first encounter with this particular specimen. Measuring an astonishing 307 centimeters in length, the creature boasted a girth circumference of 145 centimeters.

After capturing and photographing the sturgeon, the fishermen adhered to the regulations of British Columbia and released it back into the wild. Violation of these regulations carries severe penalties.

Experts state that during each spawning season, sturgeon can produce up to 3 million eggs, but they only reproduce once every few years. Facing the current threats, the natural population of sturgeon cannot quickly replenish itself.

“This is the largest catch in the company’s history. It truly resembles a prehistoric creature,” described Mr. Ecklund, a member of the fishing party.

White sturgeon is known to be the largest freshwater fish in North America, capable of reaching lengths of up to 4.3 meters and weighing 680 kilograms. According to the Lower Fraser River Sturgeon Conservation Society, these creatures can live for over 150 years.

In British Columbia, as well as in other habitats such as California, the sturgeon population is severely declining due to habitat destruction and diminishing food sources.

California has also witnessed a drastic decline in sturgeon numbers in recent years. Poaching remains a significant challenge as sturgeon eggs hold considerable value in the black market.

In 2003, the Canadian Wild Species at Risk Council classified sturgeon as a species at risk, except for the population residing in the Lower Fraser River, which is listed as “threatened.”