Three Spotted Sharks Washed Ashore On The South Coast Of Jember and Lumajang

Bangkai hiu tutul dikubur dengan menggunakan alat berat di Pantai Nyamplong Kobong di Desa Kepanjeng, Kecamatan Gumukmas, Kabupaten Jember, Senin (29/8/2022). (ANTARA/HO-Satpolair Jember)

JEMBER - Three spotted sharks (Rhincodon Typus) were stranded dead on the southern coast of Jember Regency and Lumajang Regency, East Java, in the last two days.

"There were indeed three leopard sharks that were stranded in different locations and all of them were dead on Sunday, August 28 and Monday", said Head of the Natural Resources Conservation Division for Region III Jember Purwantono, quoted by ANTARA, Monday, August 29.

On Sunday, August 28, two dead spotted sharks washed up on Cangak'an Beach in Sumberejo Village, Ambulu District, Jember Regency, and Wotgalih Beach, Yosowilangun District, Lumajang Regency.

Then on August 29, 2022, a dead spotted shark was found stranded on Nyamplong Kobong Beach, Kepanjen Village, Gumukmas District, Jember Regency.

"The carcass of the spotted shark must be buried, but officers in the field are a bit difficult because the fish weighs more than 1 ton and the carcass has not yet reached the shore", he said.

According to him, the spotted shark or whale shark is one of the animals that is fully protected based on the Decree of the Minister of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Number 18 of 2013 concerning the Determination of the Full Protection Status of Whale Sharks, so it must be preserved.

"If the shark is stranded alive, it must be returned to its habitat in the sea and if it is stranded on the beach dead, it must be buried", he said.

Purwantono said his party still did not know the cause of the stranding of several spotted sharks on the southern coast of Jember and Lumajang regencies.

Meanwhile, Head of the Jember Polres Satpolair AKP M. Na'i said the dead leopard shark that washed up on Cangak'an Beach was 8 meters long and weighed 1.5 tons.

"Officers have difficulty burying it because of the weight of the spotted shark and the location of the beach far from residential areas, but on Monday it is planned to be buried with the help of fishermen and the Jungle Sea SAR Team", he said.

While the leopard shark that washed up on Nyamplong Kobong Beach in Kepanjen Village has a length of about 6 meters and an estimated weight of 1.5 tons in dead condition.

"We have checked the location of the stranded leopard shark and the stranded leopard shark is indeed dead, so the carcass of the fish will be buried", he said.

Officers asked for help from residents who have heavy equipment to bury shark carcasses at Nyamplong Kobong Beach because the fish weighs up to 1.5 tons, so the spotted shark can be buried.

"We are also educating the public not to eat the carcasses of sharks that have washed ashore because these animals are endangered species that are protected", he said.

Previously, on July 14, 2022, a dead leopard shark carcass was also found on Nyamplong Kobong Beach, Kepanjen Village, Gumukmas District, Jember Regency.