THE ZUIYO-MARU "CATCH"In April of 1977 a Japanese fishing vessel named the Zuiyo-Maru was traveling off the coast of New Zealand, when a large carcass became snarled in its nets. The rotting remains, weighing about 4,000 pounds, were hoisted up above the deck. Several pictures were taken and a fin was preserved before it was cast back to sea so as to not spoil the mackerel catch. The drawing by an observer depicts a plesiosaur, as does a commemorative Japanese stamp that was issued in 1977. A 1978 study led many scientists to conclude that it was merely a decayed basking shark. But questions remain, including the observed large hind fins, the small, hard head with the nares (nostrils) at the front of the head, the existence of the decaying fat, and the presence of red flesh so that many still believe it was a plesiosaur. If plesiosaurs really have survived, then they could be the basis for many of the "sea monster" stories that exist today.