Swimming With The Biggest Fish In The World In Gulf Waters

FWC footage shows whale sharks moving near the surface of Gulf waters with their mouths open as they filter-feed.

Despite their name, whale sharks are not whales. They are the largest fish species in the world and are a prohibited species in Florida waters.

The sharks swim with their mouths open, allowing water to enter and pass through their gill slits. Mesh-like tissue helps capture plankton, fish eggs and other small organisms while allowing water to pass through.

To determine what whale sharks are eating along Florida’s west coast, researchers are using genetic sequencing to identify prey collected from feeding groups this past summer.

The collaborative effort involves the FWRI–UF MERR lab, whale shark researchers from NOAA, BWRI and the University of Southern Mississippi, and geneticists at the University of South Florida.

While adults are often found feeding at the surface, whale sharks can also dive to around 1,000 metres deep.

The nearly one-minute footage was posted ahead of International Whale Shark Day on August 30. FWC is asking the public to report whale shark sightings in Gulf waters.