A Gaza shark tale
Something fishy's about: Seventy Hammerheads are caught near power plant on Israeli coast; Sharks will be sold to Gaza fishery
ASHKELON - Israeli fishermen caught about 70 Hammerhead sharks on Wednesday that posed a danger to swimmers, and plan to sell them to fish merchants in Gaza for NIS 10 shekels (USD 2.29) a kilogram (2.2 lbs).
They caught the sharks in a patch of warm water off the shore of a power plant in the southern town of Ashkelon and moved them to Jaffa port, where they plan to sell them to traders.
Hammerheads are often caught and sold for their oil, meat and skin.
'It's a delicacy'
“These are sharks who are dangerous to swimmers,” Jaffa fish restaurant owner, Rani said.
“The sharks strike after they activate a defense mechanism, out of fear of being attacked," he said. "Shark meat is unknown to many restaurants in Israel, even though I sell it in mine. It’s a delicacy.”
Hundreds of Palestinian fisherman in Gaza export seafood and provide a variety of seafood to the area’s fish market, making the fishing industry one of the more prosperous ones in the largely impoverished coastal strip.
Fishermen first spotted a group of Hammerheads last week near the Ashkelon coast, near the turbines of the Rotenberg power plant.
Earlier this month, a three-meter (9.8 feet) shark was caught in the same area, although no danger was reported to bathers at the time.
