"The whale shark was caught in trawler nets. Some fishermen attempted to free it and succeeded, but during the night, it returned to shore and eventually died," said the head of BPSPL Denpasar Permana Yudiarso on Monday.
The whale shark was found dead by a local fisherman on June 17, 2023, after being released back into the water.
Yudiarso said that whale sharks often become trapped in trawler nets while feeding on small fish.
So far, there have been no signs of violence found on the shark's carcass.
"There were no signs of violence. The area where it was entangled in the net was relatively shallow. Since it is a fish, not a mammal, if it remains out of the water for an extended period, it will quickly perish," he explained.
On June 18, a team from the Indonesian Wildlife Network conducted a necropsy to determine the cause of death. However, BPSPL has not yet received the results of the necropsy.
Yudiarso noted that the majority of whale shark populations inhabit the waters off southern and eastern Bali.
He said that although whale sharks are not commonly found in Bali's waters, they have been sighted in Jembrana, the Bali Strait, south of Nusa Penida, and the Gerogak area in Buleleng.
He urged people to promptly report similar incidents to authorities for swift action, especially during the current Sardinella lemuru fish season when many fishermen employ trawling techniques.
Yudiarso also requested that fishermen release whale sharks immediately if they become entangled in their nets.
Whale sharks are protected animals under Law No. 31 of 2004 concerning Fisheries.
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Translator: Rolandus N, Kenzu
Editor: Anton Santoso
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