A video shows a giant endangered 11ft long shark lying dead on a British beach – sparking fury after speculation it was killed by anglers.
The thresher shark was found washed-up on Par Sands Beach, near St Austell, by a woman walking her dog on New Year’s Day.
It is the second thresher to be found dead on a southwestern beach in recent weeks. Another thresher rescued from an abandoned fishing net in Clovelly, Devon, was found dead there just days later.
The thresher shark is also known as the long-tailed shark due to its distinctive caudal fin, which can be as long as the body of the shark itself.
Experts believe the shark died after being injured by fishing line. Members of Cornwall Wildlife Trust’s Marine Strandings Network attended the scene on Par Sands Beach following the grisly discovery.
Their initial assessments suggest the shark experienced significant trauma likely caused by angling.
A spokesperson said: ‘Initial assessments suggest that the shark had experienced significant trauma, likely caused by line-caught sport fishing.
‘Bycatch remains a major threat to ocean wildlife. Cornwall Wildlife Trust urges water users to follow safe handling and release practices to protect our marine animals.
The giant 11ft thresher shark was found dead on Par Beach in Cornwall by a dog walker on New Year’s Day
The thresher shark is also known as the long-tailed shark due to its distinctive caudal fin, which can be as long as the body of the shark itself
The woman had to pull her dog away from the shark’s body several times, as the video shows
‘Huge thanks to our amazing volunteers and community members who helped move the animal safely and kept people at a safe distance.
‘Post-mortem results are pending, full results will be published in due course. Learn more about responsible fishing on our website.’
Wildlife lovers were furious about the fate of the thresher shark, which have been listed as vulnerable by the World Conservation Union since 2007.
The sharks are found in all the world’s temperate oceans, including the coastal waters of the UK in summer.
Pip Evans said: ‘There’s no excuse for animal abuse. No animals should ever be abused for a human to get an adrenaline kick, or whatever they get out of it. It’s always the animals who are the victims.’
Cherry Berry said: ‘They ban straws to save the fish – but don’t ban fishing to save the fish.’ Sylvia Morley added: ‘How very sad.’
But Kaye Brennan defended the fishing industry saying: ‘Fishers are just supplying. Good ones do their best – in the toughest of circumstances.
‘Industrial fishing is incredibly damaging and should be stopped. But the consumer must surely take some responsibility here.’
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