Chinese Province Takes WA's Advice On Whale Shark

September 9, 2007

Release from: ABC News (Australia)

A Chinese Governor is moving to protect whale sharks in response to a request from the Western Australian Government.

WA Premier Alan Carpenter wrote to the Governor of Zhejiang province earlier this year after hearing that a six-metre whale shark had been caught off the province's coast by local fishermen.

Mr Carpenter says the Governor has agreed to an immediate investigation into the death of the whale shark.

The Governor has also advised local fishermen to release any whale sharks caught in future, and may include the animal on the province's list of protected species.

WA and Zhejiang province have been sister states since 1987.