Why do this?

[SoggyFox]

Why do this………..

We were motoring out to Wolf Rock during a couple of days diving out of Lamorna Cornwall, when we came across a large bouy with what appeared to be a shark caught on it some how, further inspection showed that the shark (we believe it was a blue shark) had obviously been caught and then left roped through the gills and mouth to the bouy, while we were looking at the shark and it dawning on us what was going on, a large fishing boat from steamed over to us and hauled the shark on board, where we assume it was quickly despatched.

The fishing boat was large enough to of had freezing capacity, none of us could work out why the shark had been left tethered this way, it really made me angry almost to the point of wanting to release it but after all said and done it was probably worth a lot of money to the fisherman. If that had been a cow or pig or sheep left like that, the RSPCA and all sorts would have been going ape……….

But I guess out of sight 5 miles off shore no one really cares.

[liamm]

If you knew the boats name then i think this would be worth complaining about. There is no reason they couldnt have killed and gutted it and then stored it with their other catch.

I did'nt know blue shark were commercially fished in the uk

[SoggyFox]

Originally Posted by liamm

If you knew the boats name then i think this would be worth complaining about. There is no reason they couldnt have killed and gutted it and then stored it with their other catch.

I did'nt know blue shark were commercially fished in the uk

we know the name of the boat and where it was from.

[liamm]

I'm not sure who you would report it to .....

Maybe the sun newspaper - they could claim it was a great white and lay that story to bed . . .

[David Pye]

RSPCA?

Perhaps ask the Fisheries Protection mob?

[SoggyFox]

I've fired of an email to defra (MAFF), but apperently they are 'out of office' at the moment.

[Lou]

Originally Posted by SoggyFox

The fishing boat was large enough to of had freezing capacity, none of us could work out why the shark had been left tethered this way, it really made me angry almost to the point of wanting to release it but after all said and done it was probably worth a lot of money to the fisherman. If that had been a cow or pig or sheep left like that, the RSPCA and all sorts would have been going ape……….
.

I'll probably take flack for this, but i would have released it. As you say, if it were cattle or something on land it would be perfectly reasonable to release it, and to involve the authorities, so I would have no hesitation on doing it at sea.

Blue sharks need flowing water over their gills to breathe, so tethering was hardly a way to keep it fresh as it would have died and been predated fairly quickly, I would have thought.

Why do it - because they are thoughtless arses, I would say.