Are sharks being killed for fish and chips?

The government has urged restaurants and other food businesses to buy their fish from reputable sources after around 60 slaughtered sharks were found on the Isle of Wight.

A mound of severed heads and fins was discovered by resident Kevin Parker, who told MailOnline: "I was disgusted to see them all just discarded like that and everyone around here is really angry about it.

"It was especially sad to see that many of those killed were just young pups. How are they supposed to breed if even the young ones are being killed?"

The sharks were identified as smooth-hounds which are a vulnerable species. They are harmless to humans and grow up to 1.5 metres in length.

Richard Peirce, chairman of the Shark Trust, told the Daily Mirror: "What makes for outrage is these large animals having their fins and heads hacked off.

"You look at the picture and it looks horrific but this is going on all the time and fish that are unwanted are just dumped."

A Food Standards Agency spokesman said: "Fish must be what it claims to be on the label or the menu and food businesses must make sure they buy their fish from reputable sources."

Meanwhile in South Wales, visitors were shocked to find 55 shark-type fish stranded or discarded by fishermen at Pwll Du beach.

Beachgoer Jamie Rowlands told South Wales Evening Post that most were more than 2ft long and haemorrhaging blood from their bellies.

"It was a horrendous sight," he said. "One of them was definitely still breathing."

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