VietNamNet Bridge – A whale shark of 4.2 m long, weighing 780kg, was caught in the net of fishermen from Quynh Luu district, Nghe An province on August 15, about 145 nautical miles from the shore of the Tonkin Gulf.

Fisherman Vu Ngoc Dien, who caught the whale shark, said the fish was dead when it was found. This is the largest ever whale shark to be captured by Nghe An fishermen.

"I and other sailors on this boat have not seen any fish that is big and weird like this for many years. When we found it, the fish died. We had a hard time to get it on board, freeze it and take it to the mainland. "

Dien reported to local authorities and contacted the Vietnam Museum of Nature to donate the fish to serve the research and display.

This is the first whale shark discovered in the waters of Nghe An. The whale shark (Rhincodon typus) is a slow-moving filter feeding shark and the largest known extant fish species.

The whale shark is found in tropical and warm oceans and lives in the open sea with a lifespan of about 70 years. Although whale sharks have very large mouths, as filter feeders they feed mainly, though not exclusively, on plankton, which are microscopic plants and animals.

Hai Ha