Some Aspects of Biology and Fishery of Scallop Hammerhead Shark (Sphyrna lewini) in the West Coast of Sri Lanka

Abstract

Four species of hammerhead sharks are caught in Sri Lanka. They formed about I O-159'c ofthe total shark catch. The most dominant of the four species in Sphyrna lewini. It's size in the commercial catch ranged from 80 em to 210 cm. The size at maturity is 130 cm. The fecundity of S. levini ranged from 20 to 32 and the size of the new born of springs ranged from 16 to 35cm. The peak spawning period is from June to October. About 23.5% of the females caught by the fishermen are immature. Fishermen in the west coast of Sri Lanka caught hammerhead sharks even from Arabic Sea.