WHALE SHARK ATTRACTS CROWD TO KUALA MUDA JETTY

KEPALA BATAS (Malaysia), July 16 (Bernama) -- The Kuala Muda fish landing
jetty was Thursday abuzz with curious onlookers trying to get a close look at a
5.36 metre whale shark weighing more than one tonne.

The whale shark (scientific name Rhincodon typus) was brought home by
fishermen who found the fish entangled in their net early Thursday.

Whale sharks which usually inhabit deep waters can grow up to 12 metres and
weigh up to 14 tonnes.

Fisherman Salleh Hussin, 48, said the whale shark got entangled in his net
while fishing 50-60 nautical miles off northern state of Penang at 2.15am.

"I and three friends tried to pull up the net at 2.15am after finding a
whale shark trapped inside. Since we could not release it, we pulled it back to
the beach to save our net from being ruined."

Salleh said he had never seen such a big fish in his 11 years experience as
a fisherman.

Meanwhile, Penang Fisheries Department investigating officer Khairull
Anwar Muhamad said the fish species could be found in Malaysian waters and that
three were found off Penang.

He said fishermen who intentionally caught the fish was committing an
offence under the Fisheries regulations (control of endangered fish species)
1999.

"The fish must be returned dead or alive and the meat can't be sold. Our
study shows that this fish species will die quickly if trapped in fishing nets.

Khairull said the Fisheries Department would take back the carcass to the
research centre at Batu Maung to be studied and later disposed.
-- BERNAMA