Brazil: Fine imposed for mistreatment of hammerhead shark

Helmut Nickel (mail), Shark Year Magazine,
10. October 2014

The Environmental Institute of Paraná ( Instituto Ambiental do Paraná, IAP ) has fined a ‘fisherman’ for dragging a live hammerhead shark through the streets of Guaratuba last sunday, 05. October ( other source: 05. September ).

The shark had been found washed up on the beach of Guaratuba which is a city in the state of Paraná, Brazil. According to local media reports, the large fish was dragged to the market where it was killed and its meat divided among the people in the community.

But a couple of videos (see below) showing the hammerhead shark still alive while being tied to a small tractor, created a debate as soon as the images circulated on social networks and led to a complaint of animal cruelty filed by the local conservation group ‘Sociedade Protetora dos Animais de Curitib’.

Today, the Brazilian news site ‘Gazeta do Povo’ is reporting that the alleged offence has been confirmed by IAP which imposed a fine of over 1.240 US Dollar ( R$ 3 mil. ).

Source: Gazeta do Povo, YouTube: jeeff bueno, Aguia Delta

hammerhead brazil 10oct14

 

10 Comments

  1. rusty bennett

    How cruel. The fine was the correct thing to do, and I hope it will stop them from doing this again. The animal might have survived if they had at least tried to save it. Poor, poor creature. I am very sad to see this awful video.

  2. Frankie

    This is so terrible. It made me cry. As an apex predator sharks are incredibly vulnerable as a species and our mistreatment of them is having effects throughout the entire ocean. I can’t believe such cruel acts like this occur so frequently to this day. 

  3. Nigel Haines

    These half-wit surface skimmers (fishermen), think they’re so macho, dragging this magnificent creature still alive behind their tractor! Their kind have already killed off so many hammerheads in the waters around central America to supply the insane Chinese demand for shark fin soup that the sharks’ natural prey, the Humboldt squid, is spreading north along the U.S. coastline and pose a far greater threat to divers with their aggressive behaviour than do hammerheads. I know, I’ve dived with these sharks many times with no problems, but with this squid you need a chain-mail diving suit for protection! God help any fishermen who accidentally fall overboard when night fishing if Humboldts are around as they’d likely be attacked and torn to pieces. Serves them right!  

  4. well done, the meat being put to good use and not wasted was a good thing. But the treatment of the shark was not in any way right, the fine was right and I hope it will make others think befor committing such an act. And thanks to the use of Facebook and others maybe out outcry at this sort of thing can help put a stop to itThank you all for putting in your posts.

  5. Angel

    It”s just another day in paradise…
    This is how you convert paradise to hell…

  6. Henning Pommer

    A shame to watch that! What an asshole!

  7. Trae

    God wtf is wrong with that little bastard how could u be so cruel to such an amazing creature that has just the right to live as we all do!!!!! Son of a bitch

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