The Port Dickson Ornamental Fish Centre has succeeded in hatching, for the first time, eggs from the Hasselt's bamboo shark species or scientifically known as chiloscyllium hasselti.

Port Dickson Ornamental Fish Centre head, Nawar A. Karim said it was the latest achievement by the centre in ornamental fish breeding technology.

"To date, five shark pups have been hatched, while several other eggs are still in the hatching process and the mating process for the breeding pair is still ongoing.

"It is an encouraging achievement and needs to be improved from time to time, especially in terms of care and growth of the shark," he said.

Nawar said the study on the breeding technique took more than three years.

"We will continue to observe the outcome of the study," he told Bernama here on Friday.

Nawar said the Hasselt's bamboo shark species could be found inhabiting coastal areas of the country, Myanmar, Thailand, Singapore, Indonesia, Vietnam as well as in the Indian Ocean and the Western Pacific Ocean.

He said that there was also a plan to document the breeding technology so that it could be shared with the future generation to further enhance Malaysia's marine ornamental industry. -- Bernama