An over-500kg ocean sunfish, an endangered species, was trapped in the net of a fisherman while he was fishing off central Vietnam’s Ha Tinh Province on Thursday.

Nguyen Minh Vuong, the owner of a fishing boat from central Nghe An Province, spotted an unfamiliar fish stuck in his net when he was hunting for fish in the Ha Tinh waters.

After three hours struggling, Vuong and the other fishermen on board managed to pull the huge fish out of the water.

The fish, which measures 2.5m in dimensions and weighs over 500kg, was identified by locals as an ocean sunfish, or “Mola mola,” the heaviest known bony fish in the world.

The dead fish was taken by the fishermen to Lach Quen Port in Nghe An on Saturday.

Vuong then donated the fish to the Vietnam National Museum of Nature for scientific research.

An adult ocean sunfish can reach the weight of 1,000kg.

The species, which is native to tropical and temperate waters around the world, resembles a fish head with a tail, with its main body being flattened laterally.

Sunfish can be as tall as they are long when their dorsal and ventral fins are extended.

They are considered a delicacy in some parts of the world, including Japan and Taiwan.

Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam!