SRI LANKA COAST GUARD APPREHENDED A FISHING VESSEL WITH ILLEGALLY HARVESTED SHARKS AND SHARK FINS

Sri Lanka Coast Guard personnel deployed at Dikovta Fishery Harbour for fishery monitoring and regulating duties apprehended a Multiday Fishing Vessel along with eight fishermen in possession of illegally harvested Oceanic ‘Whitetip’ Sharks, Silky sharks, Shark fins and dried Shark fins on 16^th March 2022.

The apprehension was made while unloading fish harvest at harbour and vigilant Sri Lanka Coast Guard personnel conducted onboard inspection in Multiday Fishing Trawler. They found 27 Nos of Oceanic Whitetip Sharks (approx 818Kg), 04 Nos of Sharks which fins have been removed (approx 172Kg), 16 Nos of Shark fins (approx 4.1Kg) and dried Shark fins (approx 7Kg) onboard when they returned after fishing. Retaining, transhipping, or landing the ‘parts of any shark species’ is an offence under the Shark Fisheries Management (High Seas) Regulations, 2015.

The arrested persons with apprehended items were handed over to the Fisheries Inspector, Dickovita for onward legal actions.