Fish Air Bladder Worth Its Weight in Gold

That ugly fish has an air bladder (swim bladder or fish maw) worth its weight in gold (because it is used in Chinese medicine.)

Meet the Chinese Bahaba fish (Bahaba flavolabiata), which hasn’t been seen in the coast of Zhejiang province for 50 years:

"It is dark brown all over, 1.2-meter long and 15-kg in weight," said the veteran fisherman Li who has already frozen the fish. "It’s my first time to see this kind of fish."

A fellow 60-year-old fisherman who came with others to Li to get a glance of the fish told him in great surprise that it is Bahaba flavolabiata (Chinese bahaba) which have disappeared from the site for at least 50 years.

Due to its extreme scarcity, the air bladder of Chinese bahaba is said to be as expensive as gold in weight. More than a decade ago, another fisherman of the same county caught a Chinese bahaba of less than 3.5 kg but fetched for more than 100,000. Therefore, fishermen on the scene urged Li to ask for at least 1 million for his.

Link – Thanks Rob!