Five persons held with 94.2kg of Thresher shark

The Navy with the assistance of the Sri Lanka Coast Guard apprehended 05 persons with 94.2kg of Thresher shark at the Valachchanai fisheries harbour on 29^th September 2019.

Accordingly, the Eastern Naval Command in coordination with the Sri Lanka Coast Guard held these suspects who were bringing 94.2kg of Thresher shark by a multiday fishing trawler to the harbour. Thresher sharks are rare species of fish, listed as vulnerable to extinction, found in tropical waters of Sri Lanka. The suspects have been identified as residents of Negombo, from 27 to 49 years of age. The apprehended persons along with the trawler and illegally caught fish were handed over to the Fisheries Inspector of Valachchanai.

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.