Animal activists upset after news of 10-foot-long pregnant tiger shark caught near Gujarat border by Vasai fishermen spreads. The fish that weighed 300 kg was sold for Rs 22,000
The 10-foot-long tiger shark at the Naigaon-Vasai Koliwada fish market
The 10-foot-long tiger shark at the Naigaon-Vasai Koliwada fish market
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Vasai Koliwada market yesterday became a fish market in the other sense — amused and amazed people and customers flocking to and taking photos of a 10-foot-long shark netted by fishermen from the Vasai-Virar belt and brought there for sale.
The fish that weighed 300 kg was sold for Rs 22,000. Fishermen said that never before "in the history of Mumbai and Vasai fisheries" has such a big shark been hunted. The pregnant fish was caught near the Gujarat border; after failed attempts to escape, it died after giving birth to two pups (baby sharks).
Wasim Khan, who works as a porter in the Naigaon-Vasai Koliwada fish market, said, "I have never seen such a big fish in my life before. It was brought into the market yesterday night and was sold for Rs 22,000."
Activists see red
PAWS Founder Nilesh Bhanage said, "Sharks are protected species. The forest department should take all possible efforts to keep them safe, if found stranded, they should be released back in the sea or ocean with help from experts. They should not be eaten just because they have been found dead." "This looks like a tiger shark, its fin is missing. There is a huge trade of fins carried out all across Asia." he added.
"Sharks are protected under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, in India and even internationally in the IUCN list. They are one of the top predator species facing great threat from humans due to hunting and poaching, mostly for their fin and flesh. The mangrove cell must immediately create a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for dealing with marine wildlife management for better protection and conservation," said Pawan Sharma, Founder and President of RAWW (Resqink Association for Wildlife Welfare).
A number of experts said that they hoped the mangrove cell would wake up to this and start taking corrective measures.
The fish in the sea
A basic SOP for marine wildlife management is not yet in place since the cell was set up. Dr Vinay Deshmukh, retired principal scientist, Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute said, "It is a tiger shark (Galeocerdo cuvier) as confirmed by Dr SG Raje, who authored catalogue of Indian Elasmobranchs, which encompasses sharks, skates and rays.
Tiger sharks are found in tropical seas all over the world. In the Arabian Sea, they are seen along Angria Bank off Ratnagiri coast. It is highly predatory in nature and eats anything from jellyfish to other smaller varieties of sharks. It wanders solitary in oceanic regions, hunting even dolphins. Tiger sharks are hunted for their fins, skin and teeth. In earlier days, its jaws were displayed as trophies."
-Inputs by Ranjeet Jadhav
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