In the past two weeks the Division of Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police officers have issued 16 citations for violation of state shark fishing regulations in Delaware. Officials said they issued more than one citation a day.

Sgt. Troy Trimmer and Cpl. Nate Evans were out in the Atlantic not far from shore Tuesday afternoon patrolling for prohibited shark fishing.

Sgt. Trimmer said in a statement that he is particularly concerned about three shark species naming sandbar, dusky and sand tiger. These three species are listed as protected due to low reproductive rates and overfishing.

Trimmer affirmed that the major problem which they face is that people do not always know that they've hooked a prohibited species. And even if they are aware, they do not know that bringing the shark to land or into a boat can cause serious damage to its internal organs.

People have a big misconception about sharks; they think that the sharks would be able to survive after they release it. But this is actually not true; the majority of those sharks end up dying in couple of days.

Trimmer said technically it is not illegal to hook a prohibited shark of the coast of Delaware. People can fish for them, but then they have to release it in the whitewater or in water. They cannot land or possess the shark.

Sgt. Trimmer and Cpl. Evans made a routine stop during their afternoon patrol and saw no illegal shark fishing this time round. But Trimmer said there have been more arrests for it this year than ever before, and that is the main reason they have to remain vigilant.