A 12-foot-long great hammerhead shark was found on March 15 washed ashore near Juno Beach Pier with its dorsal fin and tail removed.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) is investigating this unlawful killing. A reward for information has grown to $5,000. Including $1,000 from the agency and an additional $4,000 from the Center for Biological Diversity.
“We are hoping that someone comes forward with information not only because of how brutal the killing of this animal was, but also because it has a real effect on the species’ conservation,” said Elise Bennett, Florida and Caribbean director for Center of Biological Diversity. “When you have a species already struggling to survive, every individual helps and serves a role in the ecosystem. This is not just a loss for the shark, but for the ecological community.”
The great hammerhead is a prohibited species in Florida, meaning it cannot be harvested from state waters. If one is caught, it must be immediately and carefully released without being removed from the water.
Removing a shark fin is also a federal crime.
“Once every few years in Florida we see stories about people inhumanly treating sharks, often when they’re fishing from the shoreline. This situation stands out because of how brutal it was. There’s room for more reform to make sure we’re addressing the threat,” Bennett said.
Bennett said the center petitioned in 2022 to list the great hammerhead shark as endangered or threatened under the Endangered Species Act, but the effort was unsuccessful. Research from that year shows the population has declined by more than 80% over the past seven years.
“Every creature serves an important role. Our hammerheads are apex predators. They’re eating other fish and they’re helping to maintain balance in our ecosystems,” Bennett said. “When you have fewer of those predators you can have an imbalance that not only impacts the direct prey, but the prey of their prey,” Bennett said.
Bennett said Floridians need to look beyond this one shark killing and recognize how horrific it is and how it has cascading effects not just on shark populations, but on all creatures that live here
At this time officials have not identified a motive in the killing. The FWC is asking anyone with information to call its Wildlife Alert Hotline at (888) 404-3922. Tips can be submitted anonymously.
