Graphic warning: This story includes an image of the shark
A Mahia man has been fined $600 after he caught, killed, and decapitated a great white shark, and then kept the head.
The Department of Conservation (DoC), which released an image to Hawke’s Bay Today, was alerted to the killing when a local kuia spotted the carcass on the beach near the Mahia Boat Ramp.
The man claimed he did not know it was a great white shark, and brought it ashore, where the jaw and head were removed and taken.
DoC’s Operations manager Tairawhiti Matt Tong, said the compliance team investigated the March 15 incident, and, after several weeks, located the person responsible.