Ansbach: The catfish saga that has captivated the German public in recent weeks took a new turn on Tuesday, as authorities confirmed they are investigating whether the police shooting of a fish broke animal protection laws.
According to Ghana News Agency, two incidents involving aggressive catfish attacking swimmers have been recorded since late June at the Brombach lake in the southern state of Bavaria. The spokesman for the prosecutor's office in nearby Ansbach, Jonas Heinzlmeier, confirmed that the state criminal police office is investigating the first incident, following a complaint by animal protection organization PETA.
The case relates to the first incident on June 20, when a catfish attacked several people at a bathing site on the lake, leaving five injured. Police officers decided to kill the animal, citing the risk to swimmers and the audience at a music festival taking place on the weekend. A policeman attempted to shoot the fish three times but failed to kill it. Fishermen then managed to hook the animal and pull it to shore, where it was ultimately shot.
Fishing experts believe the animals, known as the wels catfish, are likely to have attacked swimmers due to their proximity to spawning grounds. Heinzlmeier stated that authorities are investigating whether there was a reasonable motive to kill the fish. If not, the shooting may have been illegal under the Animal Welfare Act. The investigation is expected to take a few weeks.
