Posted on 04/23/2005 8:05:13 PM PDT by Mongeaux
Shark escaped from Okinawa fishermen Thursday night TORII STATION, Okinawa — A mammoth great white shark escaped from a net Friday off Torii Beach, prompting warnings on Okinawa beaches.
The 18-foot, pregnant shark was trapped by fishermen in a fixed shore net located about 530 yards off Torii Beach around 7:30 a.m. Thursday, according to Yomitan Fishermen’s Association spokesman Akira Maeda.
“We made an arrangement with Ocean Expo Park so that they could transport the shark to the aquarium [Friday],” Maeda said.
The shark was unharmed and was observed “swimming leisurely” within the cylinder-shaped, 65-feet-deep net Thursday by aquarium staff from Ocean Expo Park, located about an hour north of Torii Beach.
“But [Friday] morning, when the fishermen went back to the stationary net at about 8:30 a.m., they found an empty net with a huge hole,” Maeda said.
Shark warnings in English and Japanese were being placed at Okinawa beaches Friday afternoon, said Nirai Fire Station spokesman Masanori Chibana.
No warnings were posted at Torii Beach, said Torii Scuba Locker staff instructor Gary Hagland. An approximately 200-yard shallow shelf jutting out from shore makes a great white attack highly unlikely, Hagland said.
“We’re concerned and we don’t want to see anyone hurt, but we don’t think there is much of a threat,” Hagland said.
Although most beachgoers were unaware of the shark at Torii Beach Friday, those who were notified were not overly alarmed.
“We’ll just stay closer to the shore, probably not past those rocks,” said Air Force Major Derek Paulk, pointing about 15 feet from shore while his daughter Lauren, 8, snorkeled.
The shark still may be close to the area where it escaped, said Ocean Expo Park senior staff member Hideshi Teruya.
(Excerpt) Read more at estripes.com ...
We'd only have to eliminate three or four species of sharks and there'd never be another shark attack on a human. We'd still have 300 or so species of sharks left.
Yeah but I like great whites - they eat Surfers and College Professors.
Watch out, it's a mechanical shark. It's a ChiCom sub.
That "dandan dandan dandan desu" sign is great!
Ranks right up there with "Bush suru."
OOOo OOO...Look out Tokyo, Go Go Go Godzilla!
Where in America but Free Republic could you makes a joke in Japanese and have somebody get it within three minutes? I love this place.
[niko]
 
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Thanks for the ping!
They should have killed this one while they had the chance.One fish that shouldn't be taken for granted is the Great White.
Such foolishness! - The Great White Shark is one of God's glorious creations - There is no reason to kill it - That is utterly ridiculous - If we venture into the ocean then it is our responsibility to be aware of the dangers (not to simply kill all animals within it) - (and I regularly dive in the Ocean).
No it isn't. It's a leftover monster dinosaur whose sole purpose in life is to cause pain, suffering, and death to creatures more advanced than it is. Simple logic says that an allpowerful and loving God did not create biting flies, mosquitos, fleas, ticks, chiggers, disease vectors, or any of the other creatures of Pandora's box, and he didn't create the white shark either. The creatures of Pandora's box represent either the handiwork of ill-intentioned denizons of the spirit world or microevolutionary changes from creatures which originally served some useful purpose. Most of the species which ever lived on the planet are now gone and the creatures of Pandora's box need to join the ranks of the missing.
Somebody needs to check out that Pandora chick..
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