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Sunderban sharks at poachers' mercy

Marcus Dam

Belong to the highly endangered species listed in Schedule I of Wildlife Protection Act

CAUGHT IN THE NET: Sharks seized by wildlife officials from a fishing trawler near Namkhana in West Bengal on Wednesday. — Photo: Sushanta Patronobish

KOLKATA: : Forty-one Ganges sharks, a highly endangered species, were seized from a fishing trawler in the Namkhana area of the Sunderbans in West Bengal on Wednesday night.

Fourteen fishermen were arrested.

Acting on a tip-off that some local fishermen were planning to smuggle out the sharks, forest officials chased the trawler after spotting it near Dia Island and caught up with it.

Among the sharks that were seized included one weighing about 120 kg, A.K Raha, Director, Sunderbans Bio-sphere Reserve, told The Hindu on Thursday.

The sharks belong to the highly endangered species listed in Schedule I of the Wildlife Protection Act.

Illegal trading carries a sentence of a minimum 10 years and a fine of Rs. 20,000, said Mr. Raha.

Describing the seizure as one of the biggest in recent times, he said that shark flesh and shark-fins were in great demand in the international market. Shark-fin soup is considered a delicacy.

Awareness campaign

The Wildlife Department, with the help of non-governmental organisations, is conducting an awareness campaign for fishermen on the importance of the sharks.

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Sunderban sharks at poachers' mercy

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