Dois tubarões-baleia foram capturados em Hualien - Taiwan, e transportado para o Georgia Aquarium. Os dois exemplares possuíam cerca de quatro metros e pesando 470 e 520 kg.

Taiwan News, Staff Reporter / By Shih Hsiu-chuan

Two whale sharks kept in Hualien for months after being caught by local
fisherman were transported by airplane to Georgia Aquarium in the United
States yesterday, the first occasion Taiwan has cooperated on the
international transportation of the enormous fish.

"We took the sharks out of the sea around 3 a.m.-daybreak when they were
asleep so that they wouldn't feel scared because of the long trip,
amounting to 60 hours to get to Georgia Aquarium," said Huang Tung-ping,
who is in charge of the Tung-chang fish farm where the sharks had been
kept.

According to Life Conservationist Association, Taiwan, is about the only
country in the world where whale shark is eaten. The U.S., Australia,
the Philippines and the Maldives list it as an endangered species.
Taiwanese, on the other hand, go as far as the Philippines to catch it
illegally and smuggle it into the country.

The whale shark is the world's largest fish. It has been known to grow
to over 18 meters in length. Because its meat is as white and tender as
tofu, it is often referred to to in Chinese as the "tofu shark." The
demand for shark's fin - used in shark's fin soup - is another major
threat to the species. Not only is Taiwan the main international trader
in shark's fins, it is also one of the major whale shark-fishing
nations, the association said.

Although the Fisheries Administration has been continuing to implement a
"whale shark protection system" by setting a cap on the catch per year,
the limit is meaningless, the association said, because "the restriction
figure is almost the same as Taiwan's annual catch." The cap should,
therefore, be lowered, the association argued.

According to statistics provided by Professor Chen Che-tsung at National
Taiwan Ocean University, Taiwan was catching over 300 whale sharks
annually a few years ago, but due to over-fishing, less than 100 sharks
are now caught a year and they are also getting smaller.

At present, the cap on the catch per year is set at 65, said Lee
Kin-ming, the manager for public relations from Hualien Area Fisherman
Association, noting that yesterday's program might help to improve
Taiwan's negative image.

The two whale sharks were caught in February and April separately when
they swam by mistake into Huang's fish farm in Chishingtan Beach.

The catch of the two fish sparked concern in the international
community, and the Georgia Aquarium started to contact with the farm,
Lee said.

"The Aquarium spent NT$250,000 each for each of the two whales and hired
ups Worldwide Express to take charge of the transportation, and the
transportation fee is about NT$10 million," he noted.

Prior to yesterday's transportation, the Aquarium had already sent more
than ten personnel to help lift and accompany the fish, Lee said, noting
that "It seemed to me that the two whale sharks and the Aquarium's
personnel have already developed their common language after their daily
interaction."

The two whales are both around four meters in length. One of the sharks
is about 470 kilograms and the other one is about 520 kilograms.