KAKINADA: A bull shark was netted by fishermen at the Kakinada coast and brought to Mahakumbhabhishekam near the port. The bull shark is almost 10 feet in length and weighs nearly 1,000 kilos.
The fishermen said that the dead shark had got caught in the net, and that they didn’t see it until they reached the shore. However, biologists claim that the fishermen are actively hunting sharks and rays which have a high demand in international markets. Sharks are usually hunted for their fins and liver.
Their fins are used in the preparation of soup, which is a delicacy in several countries including China and Hong Kong. One kilogram of shark fin can fetch up to Rs 10,000.
Biologists also say that the bull shark species is on the verge of extinction, but because it has not been mentioned in the Wildlife Protection schedule, hunting it is not a crime. They plead that steps to conserve the species should be taken at the earliest.
“It should be included in the protected species list, and fishermen should be educated about it,” said K. Thulsirao, State Coordinator of the EGREE Foundation.
Though it is not officially an endangered species, bull sharks are not commonly found along the Kakinada shore, and that they should be protected, he added.
Bull sharks are found in coastal areas where the waters are warm, about 30 meters deep and 50 meters from the shore. They are viviparous; and have a litter size of 1 to 13. At birthy they are about 60 to 80 cm long.
Apart from their fins which are used in soup, their hides are used to make leather, their liver is used to extract oil, and the rest of the carcass is used as fishmeal.
“The increase in demand for shark fins in the international market has affected the shark population. Threatened shark species such as the scalloped hammer head, smooth hammer head, and ray species such as Mobula ray are sold at the fish markets in Kakinada as well,” said a biologist.
