Whale Sharks - World's Largest Fish - Growing Smaller - BBC

[hatrack]

Whale sharks spotted off the coast of Australia are getting smaller, researchers have said. In a decade the average size has shrunk from seven metres to five metres.

Whale sharks, the world's largest fish, are caught for food in some east Asian countries and Australian researchers suspect this is causing a decline. The fish is listed as "vulnerable", and one of the authors of the new study has described the new finding as "a very worrying sign".

The data comes from ecotourism companies which run expeditions to watch whale sharks and swim with them in Ningaloo Marine Park off the north-west coast. "The eco-tourism industry logs the position and size and sex of every shark it swims with," said Mark Meekan of the Australian Institute of Marine Science (Aims). "We have obtained those datasets and analysed them over time," he told the BBC News website, "and essentially what we have seen in the last decade is a decline in average size of shark from seven metres to five metres. "Now if you consider that the sharks probably aren't sexually reproductive or mature until they're six or seven metres long - that's a very worrying sign."

Whale sharks (Rhincodon typus) are filter feeders, eating small marine organisms such as krill. They can live for up to 150 years, attaining lengths of up to 20m, and are believed to reach sexual maturity around the age of 30.

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http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/4620960.stm

[MuseRider]

1. Elusive

I have hoped to spot one of them for years when diving. I have even gone to places with that in mind. Never saw one.

They are so amazing and supposedly kind but I had no idea people ate them. Like all the other sharks they are most likely in population decline as well. After reading this you know they will be in decline now.

I have given up on most eco tourism. Some of the programs are questionable at best and probably causing more harm than good.

[woodsprite]

2. Sadly, I think you're best bet is the Georgia Aquarium.

They have a pair of young whale sharks there, or so I've heard.

[MuseRider]

3. It is getting that

way with everything these days and I don't see it getting better. Every time I go diving I see terrible things happening. It has now been 3 years since I have been, the longest time gap in 17 years and I almost fear going back.

The fact that people worry about sharks these days is odd since I look for them and can't seem to find many of them these days either. The reef is often bleached and there are still people out there who do not study, do not care and their dive masters don't teach them what not to do. It is almost too sad to go anymore.

Looks like I might have to make a trip to Georgia. Thanks.