A dead shark was spotted in the waters of the River Erne earlier this month by a member of the public. The shark – which is one metre in length – may have been dumped in the river at Belturbet.
In a statement, Inland Fisheries Ireland said: "On Friday, September 17, 2021, our officers in Cavan were alerted by a member of the public that a small, dead shark was floating in the River Erne at Belturbet.
"Officers immediately attended the scene and removed the carcass for analysis and identification.
“We believe that it was a small spurdog shark, measuring approximately one metre in length, and as spurdog sharks are a marine species, early indications are that the spurdog shark was caught at sea, with a rod and line, and possibly dumped at Foalies Bridge in Belturbet.
"The incident is a cause for concern for Inland Fisheries Ireland, as we advocate a ‘catch and release’ approach with shark species, whereby any shark caught when angling should be safely released back into the same waters.
"We also strongly condemn the act of dumping any shark or fish species, dead or alive, which can lead to severe biodiversity or pollution issues within rivers or lakes.
"Anyone with any information regarding this incident in Belturbet is encouraged to contact us at (00353) 01 884 2600, or in our Contact section at www.fisheriesireland.ie,” Inland Fisheries Ireland said.