IRRESPONSIBLE anglers have been blamed for the death of a grey nurse shark found decapitated on a beach at Terrigal Haven on the NSW Central Coast.
According to the Daily Telegraph, swimmers and divers were outraged when the torso of the protected grey nurse washed up on Terrigal Beach on Saturday.
Readers of NewsLocal paper, the Central Coast Express Advocate, pointed to irresponsible fisherman and called for greater penalties for those responsible.
Terrigal Dive Centre manager Scott Deal said he was alerted on Saturday morning by swimmers that a shark carcass was floating off The Haven.
“Another diver and I conducted a spiral search pattern, found the shark and brought it to shore,” Mr Deal said.
“The sharks head had been cut off and the carcass thrown back into the water.
“I am simply disgusted someone would do this, probably for some sort of trophy. These are harmless sharks and are a protected species.”
Offenders caught harming grey nurse sharks are susceptible to fines of up to $220,000.
