Authorities fail to locate whale shark

PHUKET, May 21 (TNA) -- The Marine and Coastal Resources Department has ordered active tracking of a whale shark with drones and binoculars after it was caught and then released by a fishing trawler close to Racha Island. Jatuporn Buruspat, the director-general of the Marine and Coastal Resources, led a search team that departed from the Andaman Marine and Coastal Research and Development Centre (Phuket) facility yesterday afternoon to search for the unfortunate whale shark to determine if it was still alive. The whale shark was caught by a trawler and was subsequently released after a passing tourist boat saw the animal onboard on May 18. Attempts to locate the animal employed drones and long range telescopes and so far no traces of the animal has been found making its fate uncertain. Mr Jatuporn said that the incident had caused concern for Prime Minister and the Minister for Natural Resources and Environment who has ordered the Marine and Coastal Resources Department to locate and determine the welfare of the animal following its release The authorities are ordered to coordinate with local authorities to take legal action against the trawler's captain and owner. Mr Jatuporn stated that if the animal is not located in the next five days there was a strong likelihood that the animal was alive as the carcass of a large marine animal as the whale shark would float to the surface if it was dead. If that was the case then the remains would have to be examined to determine the cause of death. The director-general confirmed that the department will be filing a complaint with the police so that legal action can be taken against the trawler's captain and owner. (TNA)