AUTHORITIES investigating the gutless shooting deaths of two protected grey nurse sharks have warned those responsible could face jail time and hundreds of thousands of dollars in fines. A spearfisherman and his son discovered the carcasses of two juvenile sharks on the southern end of Box beach, Shoal Bay, on Sunday. Rob Stewart also posted on social media a photograph of one of the sharks with what appeared to be a bullet hole in the top of its head, saying both appeared to have suffered the same injury. Yesterday Department of Primary Industries officers recovered the sharks, a 1.9-metre male and a two-metre female, and took them for testing. A spokeswoman later confirmed both sharks had been shot, although it was too early to determine whether it was from a conventional firearm or a powerhead, a defence mechanism against attacks used by spearfishermen where a bullet or shotgun cartridge is placed on a long stick or the end of the speargun. The spokeswoman described the actions as ‘‘totally unacceptable’’. ‘‘Both will be subject to necropsy to obtain biological samples, morphometric data and recover bullets if possible,’’ she said. The grey nurse shark became the first protected shark in the world when the NSW government declared it a protected species in 1984, and it is now protected under Commonwealth legislation and in other states. It is on the critically endangered species list and there are thought to only be about 1500 individuals in NSW waters. Life sciences manager at Manly Sea Life Sanctuary, Rob Townsend, said it beggared belief that someone would attack grey nurse sharks. ‘‘They are incredibly docile creatures, you can swim right up next to them without any concern,’’ Mr Townsend said. ‘‘To deliberately go out and kill them, someone has made a conscious decision to kill these animals, it’s just wrong.’’ Experienced Port Stephens diver Mark McElhone said he had seen one grey nurse shark at the southern end of Box beach on several dives, and another at nearby Fingal Island. The department spokesman said it was illegal to catch and keep, buy, sell, possess or harm grey nurse sharks without a specific permit. Penalties can include fines of up to $220,000 and up to two years’ jail.
A grey nurse shark with an apparent bullet wound to its head pictured at the southern end of Box beach on Sunday. Photo: Department of Primary Industries
A grey nurse shark with an apparent bullet wound to its head pictured at the southern end of Box beach on Sunday. Photo: Department of Primary Industries
A grey nurse shark with an apparent bullet wound to its head pictured at the southern end of Box beach on Sunday. Photo: Department of Primary Industries
A grey nurse shark with an apparent bullet wound to its head pictured at the southern end of Box beach on Sunday. Photo: Department of Primary Industries
A grey nurse shark with an apparent bullet wound to its head pictured at the southern end of Box beach on Sunday.
AUTHORITIES investigating the gutless shooting deaths of two protected grey nurse sharks have warned those responsible could face jail time and hundreds of thousands of dollars in fines.
A spearfisherman and his son discovered the carcasses of two juvenile sharks on the southern end of Box beach, Shoal Bay, on Sunday.
Rob Stewart also posted on social media a photograph of one of the sharks with what appeared to be a bullet hole in the top of its head, saying both appeared to have suffered the same injury.
Yesterday Department of Primary Industries officers recovered the sharks, a 1.9-metre male and a two-metre female, and took them for testing.
A spokeswoman later confirmed both sharks had been shot, although it was too early to determine whether it was from a conventional firearm or a powerhead, a defence mechanism against attacks used by spearfishermen where a bullet or shotgun cartridge is placed on a long stick or the end of the speargun.
The spokeswoman described the actions as ‘‘totally unacceptable’’.
‘‘Both will be subject to necropsy to obtain biological samples, morphometric data and recover bullets if possible,’’ she said.
The grey nurse shark became the first protected shark in the world when the NSW government declared it a protected species in 1984, and it is now protected under Commonwealth legislation and in other states.
It is on the critically endangered species list and there are thought to only be about 1500 individuals in NSW waters.
Life sciences manager at Manly Sea Life Sanctuary, Rob Townsend, said it beggared belief that someone would attack grey nurse sharks.
‘‘They are incredibly docile creatures, you can swim right up next to them without any concern,’’ Mr Townsend said.
‘‘To deliberately go out and kill them, someone has made a conscious decision to kill these animals, it’s just wrong.’’
Experienced Port Stephens diver Mark McElhone said he had seen one grey nurse shark at the southern end of Box beach on several dives, and another at nearby Fingal Island.
The department spokesman said it was illegal to catch and keep, buy, sell, possess or harm grey nurse sharks without a specific permit.
Penalties can include fines of up to $220,000 and up to two years’ jail.
