State fish and wildlife enforcement agents seized a possible white shark from a 33-foot fishing boat returning to the North Shore Marina at Indian River Inlet, officials said today.
The white shark is a protected species.
The juvenile shark measured 66 inches long and weighed 179 pounds.
The shark was caught about 8 miles offshore, officials said in a news release. It was sent to the National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration for testing to confirm the species.
If confirmed, the owner and captain of the boat may face federal fines. Officials also said the owner didn’t have a valid highly migratory species permit, which is required, when the boat was boarded on Saturday.
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