Latest news with #Sphyrnamokarran
Barnama
6 days ago
- General
- Barnama
Shark Landings Nationwide Record Over 5,600 Tonnes In 2024
PUTRAJAYA, July 16 (Bernama) -- A total of 5,610.55 tonnes of sharks have been recorded landing in Malaysian waters throughout 2024, based on the current statistics from the Department of Fisheries (DOF). DOF director-general Datuk Adnan Hussain said Sarawak recorded the highest landings at 2,208.90 tonnes, followed by Perak (994.04 tonnes), Kelantan (783.99 tonnes), Sabah (545.77 tonnes), Pahang (471.35 tonnes) and Selangor (204.11 tonnes). In a statement today, Adnan said that the statistics show the need to strengthen the monitoring and management of fishery resources in an integrated manner, particularly in ensuring the sustainability of increasingly endangered marine species. "As a step towards sustainable resource management, five species of sharks have been declared as protected species under the Fisheries (Control of Endangered Species of Fish) (Amendment) Regulations 2019. "Any activities of capturing, possessing, selling, or exporting these species are prohibited and may be subject to legal action," he said. The species listed are Sphyrna mokarran (Great Hammerhead), Sphyrna zygaena (Smooth Hammerhead), Eusphyra blochii (Hammerhead -- variant), Carcharhinus longimanus (Oceanic Whitetip shark) and Rhincodon typus (Whale shark). According to Adnan, all these species play an important role in maintaining the balance of the marine ecosystem due to their nature as apex predators in the ecological chain. The loss of these species not only disrupts the stability of biodiversity but can also have a direct impact on the well-being of the country's fishery resources. Therefore, he urged all parties including fishermen, industry players, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), and the public to adhere to the established regulations and support the conservation efforts being carried out by the government.
12-06-2025
- Entertainment
Hammerhead shark falls from sky onto disc golf course in South Carolina
It's a bird! It's a plane! It's a hammerhead shark. A group of disc golfers witnessed a baby hammerhead shark fall from the sky while in the middle of a game in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, resident Jonathan Marlowe, 44, told ABC News. Marlowe and three of his friends were at Hole 11 at the Splinter City Disc Golf Course in Myrtle Beach on the morning of May 18 when they saw an osprey carrying its latest catch in its mouth, he said. The group watched as two crows chased the osprey into some trees. When the osprey then dropped its breakfast, the group went to investigate. They assumed it was a fish at first, but the closer they got, they realized it was something more extraordinary: a baby hammerhead shark measuring about 1 foot long. "I've never even seen a hammerhead in real life, and here's a baby one on the ground that literally fell out of the sky," Marlowe said. The group was shocked to see the hammerhead on the golf course and alerted the only other people nearby -- disc golf players who were right behind them. No one else was on the course at the time, Marlowe said. It is unclear whether the shark was still alive when it was dropped from the sky, Marlowe said. The disc golf course is adjacent to Myrtle Beach State Park and is about half a mile from the ocean, so the group considered taking life-saving measures to return the shark to the water. But ultimately, they decided against it due to the unlikelihood that the shark would survive the journey, Marlowe said. The course is the perfect place to be out in nature, Marlowe said, adding that they often see wildlife during their time spent recreating there. Wildlife such as snakes, raccoons and alligators are common sights on local courses, and Marlowe has seen owls perched on trees within the course as well, he said. Several species of hammerhead sharks have been recorded off the coasts of South Carolina and Georgia, including bonnethead (Sphyrna tiburo), scalloped hammerhead (Sphyrna lewini), and great hammerhead (Sphyrna mokarran), according to a survey by the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources. 2013.
