The director-general of the Department Of Marine And Coastal Resources (DMCR) has confirmed that they will continue to search for another five days for the whale shark seen on video strung up on a fishing boat between Koh Hei and Koh Racha, south of Phuket, last Friday.
However, it is still unclear whether the whale shark, which are listed as endangered, actually classed as ‘vulnerable to extinction’ and protected in Thai waters with a ban on fishing all whale sharks, was dead or alive when it was put back into the sea.
Speaking to The Phuket News yesterday (May 20), DMCR director-general Jatuporn Buruspat said, “We are very concerned about Thailand’s marine life after finding out about the whale shark caught off Phuket on May 18. This is disgusting behaviour.PN – EP
Dead or alive, search for whale shark continues off Phuket
