3,000 Dead Sharks Found in Illegal Net

Mexican fishermen suspected

By Greg Wilson
Tuesday, Sep 27, 2011
Updated 9:55 AM CDT

As many as 3,000 dead sharks were found tangled in a three-mile long illegal net off the coast of Texas, officials said.

Game wardens found the fish Sept. 20 off Texas' southern South Padre Island near the border with Mexico, according to Parks and Wildlife Department spokesman Steve Lightfoot.

No arrests have been made, Lightfoot told The Associated Press.

"This is by far the most sharks I have ever gotten in one load," Texas Parks and Wildlife Sgt. James Dunk told local KGBT.

"We have here probably two to three miles of gill net that was placed in our waters about four miles north of the Mexico border right off the beach," Dunk said. "Unbelievable amount of sharks, anywhere between two and three thousand black tips, bonnet heads and sharp nose shark in here right now."

Authorities believe Mexican fishermen set the illegal nets but no arrests have been made.

Dunk told the station Mexican fishermen regularly sneak into the U.S. to lay illegal nets.

"They get over here in a matter of two minutes and be back in Mexico in a matter of two minutes... The guys we have caught in the past have flat told us that there are no more fish over there and that is why they are coming over here," Dunk said.