Catfish eaten before being verified can’t qualify for record

COVENTRY, Conn. (AP) — Uncertainty about the species of a massive catfish that was eaten before it could be vetted by authorities in August has led a Connecticut agency to withdraw its awarding of a new state record. Connecticut Fish and Wildlife wrote in a Facebook post on Monday that because it was not able to examine the actual fish, authorities cannot confirm it was a white catfish. Ben Tomkunas of Coventry caught the 21.3-pound fish on Aug. 21. He expressed disbelief at the record being withdrawn. He had given the fish to his grandfather the morning after he caught it and it was eaten.