Navy arrest fisherman with rare shark

The Navy arrested a person with approximately 660kg of Thresher Shark (without fins) during a sudden raid carried out at Lellama fish market in Negombo, yesterday.

Thresher shark is a rare species of fish, listed as vulnerable to extinction, found in tropical waters of Sri Lanka and Navy conducts patrols to protect these marine creatures.

Accordingly, Naval personnel attached to the Western Naval Command held this suspect with approximately 660kg of illegally caught Thresher Shark (without fins),  during a sudden raid carried out at Lellama fish market in Negombo, on Monday, the Navy said.

The suspect has been identified as residents of Negombo, aged 46. The apprehended person along with the  illegally caught shark fish were handed over to the Fisheries Inspector- Negombo through the Department of Sri Lanka coast Guard.

Thresher shark that belongs to the Alopiidae family is a species banned to be fished as traditional or recreational fishing, under the Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Act. Further, any boat owner is not permitted to keep a dead Thresher shark in the vessel and transfer, unload, store or sell body parts of this fish by any means.