It was an unforgettable day for a team of recreational scuba divers off the coast of Cenderawasih Bay, West Papau, Indonesia. They were on their way out to one of their favorite diving spots, when they spotted four whale sharks stuck in a fishing net. There was no mistaking them because they were the size of a car and had a thin veil of mesh netting around them; of which is typically used to catch large groups of shrimp or other small fish.
Whale sharks are slow-moving and are the largest fish on Earth weighing in at about 21.5 tons. While the sharks that were trapped happened to be juveniles, their adult counterparts can grow to be the size of a school bus. Sadly, due to the impacts of fisheries, bycatch losses (which refers to the incidental capture of marine species during commercial fishing), and vessel strikes, combined with its long life span and late maturation, Whale sharks make the endangered species list.
The video that the divers got while underwater shows the sharks struggling to find a way to get free, so they all worked slowly and methodically, lowering the net from the top and pulling it to the side so that the sharks could swim free. There were two sharks that weren’t able to swim free, so the divers ended up giving them a little extra help and eventually also guided them to the opening. The sharks were so thankful that they ended up sticking around for a little swim with the divers once they were free
When interviewed by the news later, the divers commented on how complex the situation was. They wanted to help the trapped marine life while also making sure local fishers didn’t lose their livelihood. If the nets were simply opened, the day’s catch would be lost and if they don’t open them at all, the sharks could easily die. They were lucky to do help both in this situation, which they were thankful about.
Watch and share the video below!