WILLEMSTAD – A pregnant hammerhead shark died last week after becoming entangled in a fishing net near Lagun, resulting in the death of approximately fourteen unborn pups found inside the animal.
According to information from the local fishing sector, fishermen had placed nets to catch masbango, a fish species commonly found in Curaçao’s waters. Larger masbango are sold commercially, while smaller ones are often used as bait due to their low market value.
The hammerhead shark reportedly swam into the net while hunting for fish, became trapped, and eventually suffocated. Video footage circulating locally showed the unborn pups being removed from the shark after its death.
Hammerhead sharks are viviparous animals, meaning their young fully develop inside the womb before birth. A litter of around fourteen pups is considered normal for the species.
Edwin “Makambi” Flameling, spokesperson for Curaçao’s fishing sector, stressed that sharks are not intentionally targeted by fishermen on the island.
“There is no commercial shark fishing here; it is always bycatch,” Flameling said. “Fishermen live from fishing, that is normal.”
Flameling also stated that shark populations around the ABC islands remain healthy. According to him, sharks are commonly present around reefs and areas with high concentrations of fish, although they are not often seen by the public.
“Everywhere there is a concentration of fish, there are sharks,” he explained. “You just do not see them often, but they are there.”
He emphasized the ecological role sharks play in maintaining healthy marine ecosystems by preying on weak and sick fish.
At the same time, Flameling pointed to growing pressure on Curaçao’s fishing sector as tourism continues to expand. Increased demand for fresh fish has encouraged more people, particularly younger fishermen, to enter the industry.
Many of these new fishermen operate near the fifteen fishing buoys installed by the government along Curaçao’s coastline. The buoys attract schools of fish and provide relatively easy and reliable fishing locations.
According to Flameling, many younger fishermen lack the experience traditionally passed down through generations. “The tricks of the trade are taught by fishermen to their children,” he said.
The accidental capture of sharks in fishing nets is a globally recognized problem and also occurs throughout the Caribbean region. Hammerhead sharks are listed on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List, where different hammerhead species are classified as vulnerable or endangered due to declining populations worldwide.