Kuala Sibuti fisherman discovers 250kg giant stingray caught in nets

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Villagers posing with the 250kg giant stingray that is lifted using a forklift.

MIRI: A fisherman Ramlee Jinal, 65, from Kuala Sibuti was surprised when he found a 250-kilogramme giant stingray entangled in his eight-inch fishing nets in the waters off Kuala Niah yesterday afternoon.

“The stingray was found entangled in the fishing nets when we arrived to check on the nets and we had to bring the fish back with the nets back to the shore, ” Ramlee told The Borneo Post today.

As the giant stingray was too heavy for Ramlee and his two friends to upload it into the boat, they decided to tie it to the side of the boat to tow their catch to the river mouth of Kampung Kuala Sibuti.

According to Ramlee, this was not the only first time he had caught a giant stingray, as he had also caught one in 1970s.

Back then, he said the giant stingrays were not in demand, as people did not want to consume it and fishermen who had caught it had to release the fish back to the sea.

Nowadays, giant stingrays are in high demand by restaurants and seafood outlets here, he added.

Upon reaching the river mouth of Kampung Kuala Sibuti, Ramlee said they had to use few plain woods to lift the giant stingray into a double cabin vehicle.

The fish was transported to Miri and it was sold to a buyer at a price of RM1,000.