Video footage has emerged of a porbeagle – a species which can weigh twice as much as two average-sized men – swimming up to a boat off the south-west coast and taking a chunk out of a fish on the end of a line.
It then returns a few seconds later to finish it off.
Don Thompson, president of the Jersey Fishermen’s Association, said the shark had clearly become ‘quite emboldened’ and was probably the same one that robbed several anglers of their catch last year.
Although they grow to about 8ft long and have more than a passing resemblance to a great white, they have rarely attacked humans.
The International Shark Attack File has recorded three incidents globally of porbeagles biting humans – one of which was after being provoked and the other two were on boats.
Describing the recent incident, Mr Thompson said: ‘One of the latest interesting things that has been happening, although it is not rare [in Channel Islands waters] is a big porbeagle – about 350lb – which has become quite emboldened and comes right up to boats and takes fish right off the hook.
‘The video shows someone with a 20lb ling on the end of their line and the porbeagle comes right up to the boat and snaps it in half.
‘You would not want to be hanging your welly off the side – he is not a little one. It is a very big animal.’
He added: ‘There was one last year that was picking mackerel off hooks and I suspect it is the same porbeagle.
‘They are not rare here but it is great to see that sort of thing going on.
‘What is really good is that it is a sign that species like this have a supply of smaller fish that they can predate on.’
