The whale shark was already found dead in the fisherman’s net, and its body was then reported to the relevant authorities.
MIRI: A fisherman got the surprise of his life when he found a 1,200kg whale shark entangled in his nets in the waters off Kuala Baram today.
The shark was found dead by the fisherman when he and his crew were trawling off Kuala Baram waters in the class C zone.
“It is believed to be one of the biggest catch in Miri waters thus far, “ said a spokesman from the Department of Fisheries.
According to the spokesman, the whale shark measured over 15-feet long and weighed some 1.2 tonnes.
The fisherman then towed the shark back to a private jetty in Miri river and later reported the rare protected species to the Department of Fisheries and Sarawak Forestry Corporation (SFC).
The authorities comprised of Department of Fisheries and SFC personnel then conducted physical checks to measure the length and weight of the shark and other details.
The dead whale shark was later buried at an undisclosed location for fear that its fins will be taken away by opportunists looking to make a quick buck.
The whale shark is found in tropical waters and lives for around 70 years. They feed mainly on plankton, microscopic plants and sometimes small fish.
A gentle giant of the seas, it does not pose a significant danger to humans and in the past some have even allowed swimmers to hitch a ride on their fins.
Video by Daud Lamat