White Shark Caught Illegally Off Hermosa

A six-foot, 200-pound shark caught May 31 off Hermosa Beach Pier on Monday was positively identified as a white shark, a species protected against fishing in state waters.

Misdemeanor charges, therefore, will be filed “in the next week or so” against Abraham Ulloa, who faces a $1,000 fine and up to a year in jail for killing a protected species, said Rebecca Hartman, a Department of Fish and Game warden.

“Our laws are set up for the protection of the animals, not for us,” Hartman said Tuesday, explaining that anglers are responsible for knowing the regulations. “If he wasn’t sure what it was he shouldn’t have kept it.”

There had been speculation that the shark was a mako, which can be legally targeted by anglers. Ulloa, a Los Angeles general contractor who battled the shark on rod and reel for two hours, could not be reached for comment.

Chris Lowe, a shark researcher and professor at Long Beach State, said Southland coastal waters are a nursery grounds for great white pups and juveniles, which feed predominantly on halibut and other bottom fish and pose no serious threat to swimmers.

It is not known how close to the coast adult great whites travel to give birth, but few are seen in coastal waters, Lowe added.

As adults measuring 10 feet or more, they typically remain well offshore and feed largely on marine mammals such as seals and sea lions. The shark Ulloa caught was believed to be between 1 and 2 years old.

-- Pete Thomas