Great white shark caught off Okinawan coast!

[soldave]

Just wanted to let you know that on Wednesday, a great white shark around 6-8m/19-26ft in length and 1100kg/2400lbs in weight was caught, by accident (apparently) by Japanese fishermen near Yomitan off the coast of Okinawa. It was a pregnant female with 7 pups and the pups were alive and have been taken to Churaumi Aquarium. Not sure how many have survived over the weekend though, as they die pretty quickly in captivity from what I've heard.

I would post some pictures up here, but have only got them hosted on my blog at the moment. If you're interested then you can click here. I'll try to get some other hosting up here soon. This thing was big!!!!!

And by chance, another great white was caught near Ishigaki on Tuesday. This one was only 2m/7ft in length and a relatively slim 180kg/400lbs and was caught near the nets to one of the ports. Wish I could provide some more detail about that one, but I can't I'm afraid.

[Diving Diva]

Caught by accident. yeh right!

Hope the little guys survive.

Corinne

[B]

Another creature taken from the sea for no other reason than we can and feel big and strong when we do... and 9 pups as well.. tragic

Thanks for sharing, lets hope they survive..

B x

[soldave]

I think it was caught in fishing nets actually - that's what I've heard from a couple of reports now, rather than it being caught intentionally.

I hope the pups survive but apparently great white pups don't survive for very long at all in captivity for some reason.

[copperband]

I'm not having a go and shooting the messenger here but...

I think it was caught in fishing nets actually - that's what I've heard from a couple of reports now, rather than it being caught intentionally.

Are you suggesting that fishing nets aren't intentionally placed to catch fish? And that a GW would/could see the net and avoid it? If no then it's the GW's fault for actually living in the sea and getting caught in something placed by man?

Paul

[John Gulliver]

Are you suggesting that fishing nets aren't intentionally placed to catch fish? And that a GW would/could see the net and avoid it? If no then it's the GW's fault for actually living in the sea and getting caught in something placed by man?
Paul

And are you suggesting that all fishing should be banned everywhere?
In spite of strenuous efforts in many countries to develop more selective methods of fishing, there is always going to be a certain bycatch, unfortunately, and sharks are occasionally going to be among the victims.

[wilbo]

And are you suggesting that all fishing should be banned everywhere?
In spite of strenuous efforts in many countries to develop more selective methods of fishing, there is always going to be a certain bycatch, unfortunately, and sharks are occasionally going to be among the victims.

John,

I think there will always be suspicion as far as Japanese fishermen go - accident or not - after the recent Dolphin thread and their reputation as whale lovers..

[John Gulliver]

I entirely agree re the Japanese but that does not mean I accept the implications in Paul's question.

[soldave]

I'm not having a go and shooting the messenger here but...



Are you suggesting that fishing nets aren't intentionally placed to catch fish? And that a GW would/could see the net and avoid it? If no then it's the GW's fault for actually living in the sea and getting caught in something placed by man?

Paul

What I was saying was that it got entangled in fishing nets, rather than the fisherman going out to try and catch a great white. Nothing more sinister than that (maybe the use of "apparently" signified I meant more - as an English teacher I should know better).

[Richard Mason]

What I was saying was that it got entangled in fishing nets, rather than the fisherman going out to try and catch a great white. Nothing more sinister than that (maybe the use of "apparently" signified I meant more - as an English teacher I should know better).

I doubt they'd deliberately set out to catch a GWS, especially one of that size, the sale of meat from which would be illegal because of it's high Mercury content.