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TEMPORAL DISTRIBUTION OF SHARK SPECIES LANDED AT PULAU
KAMBING, KUALA TERENGGANU
NUR ALIAH AMIRA BINTI AFFANDI
Supervisor: Dr. Abdulmaula Abdulmagid Hamza
Bachelor of Sciences (Marine Biology)
School of Marine and Environmental Sciences
Sharks are under increasing pressure of being fished or bycaught in Southeast Asia,
as it is widely exploited for their fins and meat as alternative to depleting fish stocks.
A survey was conducted between May 2017 and February 2018 to study temporal
distribution and species diversity of sharks at Pulau Kambing fishing port. A total of
231 shark specimens belong to seven species were identified, weighed (kg) and
measured for their total length (cm). Six species were Near Threatened and one was
Endangered (Scalloped Hammerhead Shark) according to IUCN Red list. Several
landed specimens included specimens of juvenile-sized individuals, such as Grey
Carpet Shark Chiloscyllium punctatum, White Cheeked Shark Carcharhinus dussumieri,
Spot-tail Shark Carcharhinus sorrah and Scalloped Hammerhead Shark Sphyrna lewini.
Majority of landed Sharks were by-caught in trawling nets according to local fishermen,
this coincide with a noticeable increase in customer demand for Shark meat. The
present situation requires more regulatory monitoring to protect shark population from
further decline and potential local extinction on the long term.
1806 | UMT UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH DAY 2018