Whale shark trapped in fishing net freed in Laoag

LAOAG CITY—A whale shark (Rhincodon typus), commonly known as  butanding, was trapped in  a seine (a vertical fishnet) off Calayab beach here about

2 p.m. on Thursday, according to a report from the Ilocos Norte provincial fishery office.

Arthur Valente, Ilocos Norte fishery regulatory officer, said local fishermen spotted the whale shark that was caught in their fishing nets.

Aware that the butanding are endangered animals and are not dangerous, the fishermen released the marine mammal back into the sea, the report said.

“Because it’s the anchovy season, the whale shark may have been looking for food when it was accidentally caught,” Valente said.

A stranded dolphin named Valentina was scheduled to be transferred on Feb. 28 to  Ocean Adventure Park in Subic Bay Freeport for proper care and custody.

Valentina was rescued in Badoc town on Feb. 13 by coastal villagers after it lost its way due to blast fishing in the area.

To complete the dolphin’s rehabilitation, the Ilocos Norte office of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources  and the Ilocos Norte government decided to ship Valentina to the Subic theme park, which operates a fully equipped rehabilitation center for dolphins. Leilanie Adriano, Inquirer Northern Luzon