Outrage as fishmonger sells endangered shark as catch of the day
A 15ft endangered thresher shark was bought by a fishmonger who sold it in his Devon shop as the catch of the day.
Mat Carter angered animal rights supporters after he posted photos of the shark on display in the Greendale Farm Shop in Farringdon on Facebook.
One post read: "Who's coming to buy our thresher shark steaks tomorrow?
"A 15ft beast landed at Brixham market. Our fishmongers really are very lucky!"
According to the Daily Mail, Carter apologised and said he bought the shark because it would have just been "wasted" and thrown into landfill.
The 250kg fish was caught accidentally by a sprat trawler.
The Common Thresher Shark is a "vulnerable" and declining species on the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources Red List.
Ali Hood, director of conservation at the Shark Trust, told This is Cornwall: "The issue here is not so much that the single Thresher was offered up for sale, but that there are currently no limits for the number of caught Threshers retained.
"Public concern and even outrage surrounding the sale of this animal is not unexpected, seeing a whole shark for sale can be emotive.
"However, the public have the option to make their feelings clear and choose not to buy the product sending a strong message to retailers that there is no market for vulnerable species – but we must appreciate that the sale of a single shark is just the tip of the iceberg."
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