A 17-year-old reeled in a monster catch, a 20-foot “prehistoric” sturgeon while fishing a Canadian river.

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Jacob Bergen, who is part of a group that studies the fish, caught it in the Fraser River in British Columbia, Canada, before releasing it, Newsweek reported.

“We don’t raise the fish; we catch, tag (collect data), and release them,” he said. “There is a group of people who collect data to watch the white sturgeon population grow. They learn more about the fish, what areas they are in certain times of the year, how much they grow a year, and if they are healthy or injured.”

The sturgeon is considered a prehistoric fish because it has been in existence since the early Cretaceous period.

“Unlike most fish, sturgeons have no bones,” Bergen said. “Their strong, unique shape is made up of cartilage and tough meat. On top of that is a thick skin that is hard to penetrate. These scutes, along with a super-thick skin, serve as the sturgeon’s armor.”

The Fraser River is a well-known habitat for them. Bergen is there often.

“I was introduced to fishing at a very young age by my dad,” he said. “I grew up fishing and then turned my hobby into a lifestyle. My favorite place to fish is on the Fraser River. It’s my home.”

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