360: Caught a weasel shark

When Wang Yan heard Yang Qi offering her a commission, she repeatedly waved her hand in refusal.

"Teacher Wang, listen to me. Setting aside everything else, without the help of you two at the Pratas Island lagoon, our harvest would have been at least one-third less. And what about the seafood we caught while diving?"

After speaking, he looked at Yao Shanshan.

"Beautiful Teacher Wang, my husband is right. Just take it!"

Bai Xue also chimed in to persuade her.

Wang Yan immediately understood Yang Qi's meaning:

"That's right! If I don't take it, how can Yao Shanshan take it?..."

She felt she couldn't make that decision for Yao Shanshan.

At the same time, the face of the famous veteran actor, Li Xuejian, involuntarily appeared in her mind.

Finally, Wang Yan looked at Yao Shanshan and said helplessly:

"Alright then! I really feel I don't deserve this!"

"Wang Beauty, don't say that. Your contribution was quite significant."

Bai Xue winked at her.

The four sat on the deck and fully enjoyed a sunset at sea. As night fell, schools of fish were attracted by the boat's lights.

The group decided not to move that night and just engage in some leisurely fishing right there. If there weren't any good fish, they would go to bed early.

During that time, the catch was only average, consisting of fish that weren't very valuable—just enough to fill the freezer compartment and make up the numbers.

However, around 8:30 PM, Yao Shanshan caught a shark about 1.8 meters long, with a grayish-brown back and a white belly.

Its entire back was covered in irregular spots, which looked quite similar to the patterns on a leopard.

"Is this a shark? The pattern is so strange!"

"Yes, it's a shark. This is a small Tiger Shark. It's not a protected species and is actually edible."

Yang Qi pointed at the shark in the landing net and said.

"This is still considered small? It's almost 1.8 meters long and nearly as thick as my waist!"

Yao Shanshan exclaimed in amazement. Bai Xue and the other also walked over after hearing the commotion.

"This is indeed a small Tiger Shark. Generally speaking, Tiger Sharks are about a meter long at birth, and even the smallest ones are sixty or seventy centimeters."

Bai Xue explained to Yao Shanshan,

"Large Tiger Sharks can grow to four meters long, and some individuals can even reach seven or eight meters. If you really encountered a large Tiger Shark, it would be very difficult to reel it in with manual strength alone!"

"Furthermore, although the name 'Tiger Shark' sounds harmless, it is actually a worthy ocean killer. Its lethality among sharks is probably second only to the Great White Shark."

"In fact, cases of Tiger Sharks attacking humans far exceed those of Great White Sharks. They will basically eat any food they encounter."

"Because of the tiger and leopard patterns on their bodies, Tiger Sharks are also known as 'Tigers of the Sea.'"

Everyone nodded after hearing Bai Xue's explanation.

Since it wasn't a protected species and was edible, that meant it could be sold for money. After bleeding it, they sent it into the freezer compartment.

"Sigh! They say 'no trade, no harm,' and some foreign media even point fingers, saying sharks are on the brink of extinction because we Chinese love eating shark fin. I think that's all bullshit!"

Yao Shanshan said with some indignation. She then asked:

"I've never even seen what cooked shark fin looks like. Have you all eaten shark fin?"

Wang Yan shook her head. Yang Qi thought for a moment; he had eaten with Zhang Jun and the others so many times, but he really hadn't eaten shark fin.

Those people were very careful of their reputations. Even if they knew some sharks were edible, to avoid suspicion, they never ordered shark fin once.

At this point, Bai Xue started laughing:

"I haven't eaten shark fin either, but I read a report saying that someone hosted a dinner and ordered shark fin, and as a result, someone reported them to the Industry and Commerce Office to investigate the restaurant."

Just as she left them in suspense, the Queen of the Foil, Yao Shanshan, hurriedly asked:

"What did the Industry and Commerce Bureau find out?"

"Hehehe, what shark fin? It was all just glass noodles making up the numbers!"

"Hahaha!"

Everyone laughed together upon hearing this.

"Actually, the fact that sharks are on the brink of extinction has nothing to do with our country. The real culprits leading to shark extinction are those large pharmaceutical companies."

"It is the demand from these companies for things like shark liver that is the primary cause of the decline in shark populations."

Everyone came to a realization after hearing Bai Xue's explanation.

In fact, there are 465 known shark species worldwide. 118 species have been discovered in our country.

Originally, three types of sharks were protected in our country: the Basking Shark, the Whale Shark, and the Great White Shark.

Later, five more were added: the Oceanic Whitetip Shark, the Smooth Hammerhead Shark, the Scalloped Hammerhead Shark, the Great Hammerhead Shark, and the Porbeagle Shark, making a total of eight species.

Commercial use of any products made from these eight species, as well as import and export trade, requires a special permit. Besides these eight, the remaining 110 species are basically edible.

However, the only reason the common people in our country don't eat shark is simple: they don't taste good!

In fact, most sharks taste bad. Shark skin is like sandpaper, and shark meat contains ammonia, which emits a strange odor, what we call the smell of urine.

Moreover, shark is not a common ingredient, so there aren't many people who know how to prepare shark meat.

Not everyone knows how to handle those strange odors. Additionally, different sharks require different cooking methods.

The four fished for another two hours before Yang Qi lost interest and packed up his rods early to go to sleep.

The three girls, however, fished for another two hours. It might have been because Wang Yan felt bad and wanted to catch as much as possible, so Bai Xue and Yao Shanshan stayed to keep her company.

Yang Qi woke up early the next morning and started the boat to begin the return trip. This time, they didn't pass by the Pratas Islands; the live fish tanks were full, so there was no need to go over there and look for trouble.

The "setting sail" didn't stop all day, traveling at an economic speed. The group took turns driving, even rotating for meals.

It wasn't until nine o'clock in the evening, as they entered the East China Sea, that Yang Qi called for Yao Shanshan, who was driving, to stop.

Because he had discovered a good Beltfish school; the fish were standing upright in the sea like a collection of upside-down swords.

"Stop the boat. Shanshan, look, these are the Beltfish schools!"

Yang Qi pointed at the fish finder screen and told her.

"Okay, then I'll go call the others out to fish for Beltfish."

Yao Shanshan nodded in agreement and walked out of the cockpit.

When Bai Xue and the others returned to their fishing spots, they saw Yang Qi pulling up three Beltfish, which shimmered with a silvery-white glow under the fishing boat's lights.

"You must wear gloves and be careful of the Beltfish's teeth."

Yang Qi shouted to them.

Sea fish are easy to catch, carnivorous sea fish are even easier, and schools of carnivorous sea fish are the easiest of all!

It just so happened that the "setting sail" had encountered such a school. Over the next three-plus hours, the four of them could catch more than three Beltfish with basically every cast.

During this process, the entire fishing boat was filled with the laughter of Bai Xue and the other two girls.