A commercial fishing boat captain who spotted hundreds of the world's largest fish off the Louisiana coast turned his boat into a commercial research vessel for one week this month, taking both scientists and photographers to search for whale sharks. Seven whale sharks were identified from the boat, and three of the spotted sharks were tagged; researchers were then able to swim with a few of them.

They took video footage and still photographs, and skin samples for DNA research work. The tags are designed to pop off and signal information regarding the whale sharks' movements to a satellite after eight or nine months prior, if the sharks dive so deep that water pressure may destroy the tags.

Whale sharks are on the World Conservation Union's "red list" of endangered species. No one has confirmed how many whale sharks exist, however researchers claim the total may be as high as 500,000 – an unfortunate small figure for fish. Captain Russell Underwood offered to host the whale shark research expedition after spotting a group of approximately 44 of the fish just last year.

Those spotted this month were about 55 miles off the coast.