Charles Gaddy, an 18-year-old, was tuna fishing with his dad on Sunday when he spotted a whale shark, the world’s largest fish, in the waters off the North Carolina coast. The sighting took place more than 40 miles northeast of Oregon Inlet.
Whale Shark Sighting Details
Gaddy recognized the whale shark from reading books and watching movies as a kid. He grabbed his GoPro camera and started recording the encounter. According to Eric Hoffmayer, a research fishing biologist with the National Marine Fisheries Service, whale sharks are primarily found in the Gulf and the Caribbean but have been known to make their way up the Gulf Stream, ending up in the New England area in late summer and early fall.
Hoffmayer noted that while it’s not unheard of for whale sharks to be spotted in the area, it’s not a common occurrence. Gaddy felt fortunate to have experienced the sighting, describing it as ‘truly amazing’ and a ‘once-in-a-lifetime experience.’ If you encounter a whale shark in the wild, Hoffmayer advises being careful, especially if you’re in a boat, and keeping a safe distance if you’re in the water.
Whale shark sightings can be reported to the University of Southern Mississippi’s Center for Fisheries Research and Development. If you capture a good picture of a whale shark, you can upload the photo and information about the sighting online to see if it matches one already in the database.
Original reporting: WRAL Raleigh — read the source article.
