Huge whale shark washes ashore in Pakistan

[highdesert]

Majestic animal, even dead. Wonder what the actual cause of death was, and why it was purchased for $18,750? What was done with it to justify such a sum? I'm my understanding dead sharks don't 'keep' well, and it wouldn't be easy to toss a grown whale shark in the freezer!

Richard.

Any single fin off of this shark will probably net more than the purchase price for the whole animal. Whoever "owned" it made a killing, no pun intended. That's why the shark fin trade must be stopped, by virtue of removing the market. It's actually happening in Taiwan, Hong Kong, and mainland China. But I'm not going to get roped into a marathon thread again with forum posters who believe nothing can be done save for blowing the fishing boats out of the water and leveling SE Asia.

 

[DandyDon]

I wouldn't have thought it was legal to sell protected animals, no matter how they were captured.

In Pakistan...??

I've read that it was 35 to 47 ft long, sold for over $2,000 to over $18,000 USD, etc. Hard to know what the real story is.

They'll still sell the fins for a profit, feed the rest to chickens. I don't think it's illegal to hunt them in Pakistani waters.

 

[nimoh]

In Pakistan...??

I've read that it was 35 to 47 ft long, sold for over $2,000 to over $18,000 USD, etc. Hard to know what the real story is.

They'll still sell the fins for a profit, feed the rest to chickens. I don't think it's illegal to hunt them in Pakistani waters.

I was sort of inferring from the original post that there was some degree of backtracking saying it was dead when they found it to avoid prosecution. Looking back at it, I probably misinterpreted a joke

 

[ccx2]

Sad, i would think that "anything goes"in PAKISTAN waters is their way of thinking. Take note of the pristine muck they are lifting the shark from,Eyeeew Peeyeew.

 

[WoodyLompoc]

I was sort of inferring from the original post that there was some degree of backtracking saying it was dead when they found it to avoid prosecution. Looking back at it, I probably misinterpreted a joke

Yes, I was making reference to the changes in the story of how it was "found" dead.

 

[LowDrag]

I hope that my wife and I get to swim with one some day. That would be on the top of my things to do at least once list. What a majestic creature.

 

[DevonDiver]

Looking at the photos, this 'weeks dead' shark doesn't seem to have particular signs of rigor mortis, decay or scavenging/predation. Looks freshly killed to me.

 

[Searcaigh]

The laws regarding fishing in Pakistan are probably as well adhered to as to other laws in that country.

Not sure if Pakistan has signed up to the international laws for protection of wildlife, but what do the locals care

As for the legality of selling such a creature, well one fisherman did just that here in Dubai several years ago to Sol Kershner's Atlantis hotel which they kept in their aquarium for a couple of years until it mysteriously disappeared ....... sushi anyone?

 

[Garrobo]

Uh-huh. What Devon Diver said. It's really apparent that that shark was KILLED shortly before it was brought to the dock.

 

[starrlamia]

Uh-huh. What Devon Diver said. It's really apparent that that shark was KILLED shortly before it was brought to the dock.

it definately looks that way

If you dont know the specific laws of Pakistan then it's pretty disgusting to make blanket statements about their fishing practices.