Giant Whale Shark caught in the fishing net in the Bay of Bengal, Bangladesh

The whale shark inhabits all tropical and warm-temperate seas. The fish is primarily pelagic, living in the open sea but not in the greater depths of the ocean. We have found the dead Whale Shark discarded at the mouth of town’s main canal. Fishermen castoff a giant Whale Shark in the coastal Patharghata town on 16 November 2016 after it was throttled to death in fishing net off-shore Barguna. The shark was caught about 18 kilometers off-shore and dragged back to the fish landing center. It is weight about 300kg. Local administrators rushed to the scene at Patharghata when the news broke.

Whale sharks are the largest fish on the planet. These gentle giants are filterfeeders and are harmless to humans. The enormous whale shark, which can reach lengths of 40 feet or more, feeds on the tiniest of ocean organisms, plankton. The globally endangered migratory fish oftentimes get caught in the fishing net in marine areas of Bangladesh in the Bay of Bengal. 

IUCN Status is Vulnerable and this shark population day by day is decreasing. Global trade of this shark species is highly limited by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) to which Bangladesh is a party. Threats to the whale shark include habitat loss which results in loss of prey species, coastal development resulting in marine pollution, collision with boats, and disturbance or harassment by boats and divers engaged in irresponsible tourism activities and fishing net. There is currently no research and no estimate of the whale shark population due to research program. Though local officers of Department of Fisheries encourage fishermen to release endangered shark and ray species, but there is no clear legal provision barring shark fishing.