Two Chinese men were caught trying to catch a stranded 4ft shark after admitting they wanted to turn it into soup
The pair were caught by a coastguard officer in Portland Harbour, Dorset, as they were fishing for the shark in order to use its fin to make the Oriental delicacy.
The 4ft long smooth-hound shark had become trapped in a tidal storm drain and was unable to return to the sea by itself.
Saved by the bell: The heavily pregnant smooth hound shark nearly became a Chinese takeaway after two men were caught trying to fish it out of the storm drain
Passing coastguard Rob Sansom spotted the pair trying to catch it with a fishing line and mackerel bait and they openly admitted that they intended to cut off the shark's dorsal fin and leave its body.
After being informed that fresh fin soup was out of the question, the Chinese men left the scene.
‘The men explained that all they wanted was the fin and I said I wouldn't allow them to chop it off even if they caught it,' Mr Sansom said.
‘They were happy to explain what they wanted and I got the impression it was for eating.
‘Once I told them I wasn't going to let them chop it off they realised it was about time to leave.'
Shark savers: The shark was trapped in a storm drain at high tide and had to be rescued by Anna Russell and Jen-Denis Hibbett of Weymouth Sea Life Centre
Freedom: SeaLife Park aquarists release the shark into open water
Mr Sansom called for coastguard colleagues who arrived along with staff from the nearby SeaLife Park in Weymouth.
SeaLife experts Jean-Denis Hibitt and Anna Russell climbed 10ft down into the culvert, placed the shark, a heavily pregnant female, onto a specialised stretcher and carefully lifted her out of the enclosed area.
They then carried her across a road and waded into the shallows of Portland Harbour and released her.
Luckily the three-year-old shark only suffered minor cuts to her dorsal fin from where the two men had used hooks to catch her.
Chinese men caught trying to catch stranded shark to turn it into soup
by Bart Gibbs (2025-07-29)
Chinese men caught trying to catch stranded shark to turn it into soupBy Sara Malm
Published: 04:48 GMT, 12 June 2013 | Updated: 08:42 GMT, 12 June 2013
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Two Chinese men were caught trying to catch a stranded 4ft shark after admitting they wanted to turn it into soup
The pair were caught by a coastguard officer in Portland Harbour, Dorset, as they were fishing for the shark in order to use its fin to make the Oriental delicacy.
The 4ft long smooth-hound shark had become trapped in a tidal storm drain and was unable to return to the sea by itself.
Saved by the bell: The heavily pregnant smooth hound shark nearly became a Chinese takeaway after two men were caught trying to fish it out of the storm drain
Passing coastguard Rob Sansom spotted the pair trying to catch it with a fishing line and mackerel bait and they openly admitted that they intended to cut off the shark's dorsal fin and leave its body.
After being informed that fresh fin soup was out of the question, the Chinese men left the scene.
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‘The men explained that all they wanted was the fin and I said I wouldn't allow them to chop it off even if they caught it,' Mr Sansom said.
‘They were happy to explain what they wanted and I got the impression it was for eating.
‘Once I told them I wasn't going to let them chop it off they realised it was about time to leave.'
Shark savers: The shark was trapped in a storm drain at high tide and had to be rescued by Anna Russell and Jen-Denis Hibbett of Weymouth Sea Life Centre
Freedom: SeaLife Park aquarists release the shark into open water
Mr Sansom called for coastguard colleagues who arrived along with staff from the nearby SeaLife Park in Weymouth.
SeaLife experts Jean-Denis Hibitt and Anna Russell climbed 10ft down into the culvert, placed the shark, a heavily pregnant female, onto a specialised stretcher and carefully lifted her out of the enclosed area.
They then carried her across a road and waded into the shallows of Portland Harbour and released her.
Luckily the three-year-old shark only suffered minor cuts to her dorsal fin from where the two men had used hooks to catch her.