John
Site Admin
Joined: 02 Apr 2008
Posts: 1819
Location: Gravesend |
 Posted: Sun Jun 15, 2008 10:53 am |
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A protected species of shark has been found washed ashore after becoming trapped in fishing netting.
The magnificent basking shark was discovered tightly wrapped inside metres of man-made netting by oyster farmer Richard Marsh.
He said the 11ft creature may have fought for hours to stay alive before finally being washed ashore to die at the mouth of the River Avon in Bigbury Bay, South Devon.
Mr Marsh said: "I came down to the oysters in the morning and found it on the sandbank opposite.
"At first I thought it was a whale or a dolphin because it was so large. It wasn't until we cut the netting off that I could see it was a basking shark.
"He was totally wrapped up in the drift netting, which must have stopped its ability to swim and suffocated it.
"It is a beautiful creature and such a shame that it died this way."
It is the latest recorded incident of a sea animal dying from netting, the most recent being two porpoises in May.
Marine experts say incidents such as this involving basking sharks could be on the increase.
Lindy Hingley, of Brixham Seawatch, said: "Basking sharks are a protected species, but the number of sightings seems to be increasing.
"They are slow, lugubrious creatures that are often hit and injured by boats by accident.
"I don't know what type of netting killed this creature or the exact circumstances of its death, but the public, fishermen and the powers-that-be need to be aware that this netting can be lethal to many different species.
"It is a huge problem."
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All the best
John
matsac top flounder fisher
if the milk turns out to be sour, i aint the kind of pussy to drink it ! |
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