Close encounter with a pregnant hammerhead shark killed in illegal net

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Over at Scuttlefish (ocean-themed blog, side project of Gizmodo's Brian Lam), contributor Aaron Philips shares the story (with photos) of how he encountered a female hammerhead shark who died in an illegally placed seine fishing net off the island of Oahu.

Now, Kaneohe Bay is home to one of the highest mating populations of Scalloped Hammerhead Sharks of anywhere on the planet. Every year around 10,000 sharks are born in the bay, so when we found a dead newborn shark on the bottom, I was excited, but not surprised. As we swam around the islet we began to find more and more deceased infant hammerheads, until we stumbled upon a long seine twisted up and floating in the water.

Illegal fishing isn't common in Hawaii, but it definitely happens. Especially in the more rural areas. Sometimes you find nets that have been set illegally or abandoned, and they do a ton of damage to whatever marine life may encounter them.

Not knowing what was up with this net, my friend Ben decided to swim the length of the net and investigate. Visibility wasn't great. About 5-8 feet and less in the sandy areas, which made the 8-foot pregnant female hammerhead caught in the net all the more surprising, and we nearly shat our pants upon finding it.

Obligate Ram Ventilator? I hardly know 'er!
(Scuttlefish, thanks Brian Lam; photo courtesy Aaron Philips)