Police investigating after video of woman apparently catching sharks in Sentosa surfaces online
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The video shows two sharks, resembling blacktip reef shark pups, placed on the floorboard on Sentosa Pier.
PHOTO: XIAOHONGSHU
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SINGAPORE – A police report has been made after a video of a woman who allegedly caught sharks in Sentosa was uploaded online.
The video, which has since been taken down, was first seen on social media platform Xiaohongshu, according to Chinese media outlet 8world. The incident may have occurred between Sept 21 and Sept 22, it reported.
The video was also posted on Reddit’s r/singaporehappenings forum on Sept 29.
It shows a woman holding a fishing rod against the backdrop of Sentosa island at night before cutting to a snapshot of a shark set on a wooden floorboard with a piece of fishing equipment called a lip gripper seemingly in its mouth.
The video then shows two sharks, resembling blacktip reef shark pups, lying together on the floorboard. The clip ends with a woman seen walking along the pier with a fishing rod in hand.
Investigations are ongoing, said the police on Sept 30, in response to queries.
The Sentosa Development Corporation told The Straits Times that it made a police report about the video of unauthorised fishing so that the authorities can investigate further.
“Fishing, poaching or any act causing disturbance or harm to wildlife in Sentosa is strictly prohibited, to protect the biodiversity and natural environment of the island as well as the safety of our guests,” it added.
It is not known what happened to the two sharks after the video was taken.
In response to queries, the National Parks Board (NParks) said on Oct 1 that numerous fish species, including the locally endangered blacktip reef sharks, can be found in Singapore’s waters.
Blacktip reef sharks can be seen in shallow reef areas, NParks said, adding that they forage close to the shore and feed on smaller fish and invertebrates.
According to government website SG101, blacktip reef sharks, native to Singapore, grow up to 1.6m and can sometimes reach up to 2.9m. They pose little threat to humans.
Blacktip reef sharks are listed as “vulnerable” on the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List. The population has declined because of overfishing, marine pollution and climate change, SG101 says.
This is not the first time sharks have been spotted in Sentosa waters.
On Sept 1, 2024, swimming and water activities were temporarily halted after a shark sighting off Palawan Beach
ST has contacted Nature Society Singapore as well as the Animal Concerns Research and Education Society for more information.
