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Is this the world's biggest shark steak?
Last updated at 16:22pm on 22.03.07It's no longer a secret how five loaves and two fish managed to feed the five thousand - especially if the sea-dwelling delicacies in question were as big as this mammoth fish.
A crowd watches as the fishermen cut the giant whale shark into pieces
More likely to eat than be eaten, this giant whale shark was caught off the coast of China by hardcore fishermen who managed to harness the ten-metre, eight-tonne whopper.
Whale sharks are the world's largest living fish
Whale sharks are the world's largest living fish, it is estimated that they can reach an 18 metre length. They live in warm water along the coast and open seas and spend most of their time near the surface.
The prize whale shark's hefty load took over an hour to be hoisted in an industrial crane back on to dry land, where it was sliced into relatively smaller pieces for fish-lovers everywhere to enjoy.
Reader views (18)
I must say I see both sides of the argument that this article has brought to my attention.
The whale shark is a beautiful, gentle giant. It would take MANY years for it to grow to the size that people now see. I will say this, I DO NOT CONDONE HUNTING OF THIS BEAUTIFUL CREATURE.
Yes I believe that creatures were placed on this earth to feed humans, BUT to go and say ya lets kill this animal to feed our village, y stop there?! lets kill the beautiful tigers and pandas and lions while we r at it!?
I see both sides, however, like someone else stated, they couldve fed on other types of fishes. The reality is this, ppl actually go and HUNT these endagered species to show off how great their skills are FIRST, to save their village due to poverty SECOND! Now the whale shark found today ALREADY DEAD, if they were to feed that village for a year, I could understand, but to hunt them down like a meaningless lifeform?? Not OK!
Yes I eat meat, I eat fish, but I will NOT eat anything exotic mostly cuz I am scared to.. It is NOT ok to eat endangered species or things put on this earth to be wondered at and amazed at, THAT is just animal cruelty.
- Skysong88, West Covina, CA, 08/02/2012 06:33
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I couldn't stop crying when I saw this because I never knew whale sharks are being killed.
Maybe I can't say this loudly because we Japanese had been killing whales for eating, and most of us felt as quite normal because it is something like our cultural norm from the ancient.
I know it is hard for most of us to live without eating other animals, but seeing animals being killed like this is too sad.
I can't stand that whale sharks are being killed,and of course same thing can be said to those who oppose to whale hunting.
What is the best thing to do? Whale sharks are too kind ,too gentle to be killed and eaten!!!
- Tomomi, Aichi,Japan, 16/01/2012 18:00
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COOL ! Look at the size of that steak ! I see absolutely NOTHING WRONG with eating these fish .. loads of good, healthy omega fish oils makes one in excellent health . . the size of the fish are amazing and fascinating and once killed make an excellent healthful dinner for a long time . . .I LOVE the way the Chinese and Japanese do fish and they KNOW what is good for you . . all these atheistic, DENIERS of the CLAIM of HUMANS TO DOMINATE THE EARTH AND GOD PUT THESE ANIMALS HERE FOR THE BENEFIT OF HUMANITY . . NOT TO KILL THEM ALL BUT IN MODERATION . . THERE IS NO WRONG DONE . . .SLAY, KILL AND EAT THE NEW TESTAMENT SAYS . .ALL THESE WEIRD PEOPLE HUMANIZING ANIMALS . . YUMMY LOVE FISH AND ON MY WAY TO GO BUY SOME FRESH SALMON RIGHT NOW !
- Silence Dogood, Brooksville, USA, 16/03/2010 03:17
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It looks delicious!
- Body Pierced By: Rev. Aaron, Lakeland, FL, 14/01/2010 20:41
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Untill more is learned about this rare fish,we best study them before we harvest them to eat them. Regards this particular fish,I hope the biologists were invited to study it as it was being cut up for food.
- Joe Hughes, Birmingham,Al.--USA, 20/06/2009 23:04
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You can walk to the store to get anything you like. You think these people eat like you do? These are not the rich businessmen who eat shark fin soup, let alone that even being the same type of shark, so that point is irrelevant, and these people did not kill the shark to remove a threat or get a trophy. These are fishermen in poor villages. What is more important? Feeding your entire village for a month or more or killing one fish? Yes, it is endangered, I would like to see more of these magnificent fish in the wild, but the fact is, the life of an animal should not be placed over a person. Try to see this event from the eyes of someone who does not have it as easy as you do.
Professional Culinarian and Anthropologist
- Br, WA, USA, 08/04/2009 09:25
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Absolutely horrendous! I bet these men were proud of this terrible crime. A peaceful endangered creature that feeds on plankton. Horrific!
- Scott Fischer, Chicago, IL, 10/07/2008 07:07
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Unbelievable! Those people and the fishermen should be arrested for killing this gentle giant. They are an endangered species. How long did it take for this whale shark to grow to this size? They should catch smaller fish that will replace themselves in a couple of years. There should be a world-wide ban on killing whale sharks, as well as banning shark finning.
- Suz, California, USA, 28/03/2007 20:25
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The shark fin trade that feeds the Oriental market results in some 75,000,000 sharks being killed annually. This can only destabilise marine ecosystems.
Celebrating the ignorance and myopia of fishermen who slaughter an animal listed on the IUCN Red List as Vulnerable to Extinction is hardly - if the pun be allowed - cutting edge journalism.
- Jsd, London, UK, 23/03/2007 09:05
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This is disgusting. These gentle creatures harm no one because they feed on plankton. They are rare, endangered, and may soon be extinct.
- Al Thompson, Mason, Texas, 22/03/2007 22:20
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Awesome! I'd love to know how they cooked such a huge piece of meat.
- Paul, London, 22/03/2007 20:39
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Please everybody reading this article don't just let it be another sad story. Without everybodies voice being heard, without action nothing will change.
- Julie Page, Utila, Honduras, 22/03/2007 18:58
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Yet another example of how sophisticated and evolved we are.
- Trevor Roll, London, 22/03/2007 17:34
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This is a shameful event - whale sharks are very rare and as plankton eaters are not going to eat anyone. They were the first shark species to be protected by CITES back in 2002 due to a huge population decline.
- John, London, 22/03/2007 17:22
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This is such a sad sight. It makes me sick to think of such an amazing creature, of which there are so few, being caught and cut-up like this. Need a greater call to action for banning shark + whale fishing worldwide.
- Jimmy, Glasgow, Scotland, 22/03/2007 17:12
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The picture of the fish being cut up turned my stomach. What a predatory species we are who have no thought for creatures living in the sea other than how they can be used and eaten by us. What a sad sight!
- Paul Wilson, London, UK, 22/03/2007 16:38
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This event should not be celebrated - it's prized as a gastronomic treat because there are so few of these creatures left alive today (whale shark global population status is listed as vulnerable by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature) so to see this incredible creator end up on somebody's plate is wrong.
- Fly, London, 22/03/2007 15:23
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It is a disgrace that such a magnificent and gentle creature was killed.
- Naomi, Manchester, 22/03/2007 14:33
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