Monster (4.6m) Great White Caught In Sydney Shark Nets

Fuck, I’m glad I didn’t surf this morning. 

At midday today, a friend called claiming “Maroubra was pumping this morning” he also told me he saw a “15-foot shark get dragged in near the surf by a boat”. At the time I was skeptical of publishing a story based on a hazy recount, but just now, a photo and report have emerged and confirmed that this hazy recount was true. 

A 4.6 metre great white was caught in the shark nets a few hundred metres off Maroubra Beach. “It was less than 100 metres away from everyone in the lineup, we weren’t sure at first, it almost looked like a whale.” 

After being released from the nets, the shark was dragged towards shore and other surfers saw the crew snap a few selfies with “something” which they were unsure of what it was at the time. As surfers comprehended what the crew were taking photos with, the boat travelled back out to sea and released the dead shark.

“DPI shark scientists have completed a full necropsy on the white shark.” a spokesperson from the NSW Department of Industry said afterwards.

The image posted by Trapman Bermagui on Facebook quickly garnered attention (and subseuqent hatred), where he claimed that it weighed over one tonne with a tail heigh of over two metres. 

“One down, thousands to go!” read one post from a cull enthusiast in the comments, whereas others defended the dead and defenceless fish, “It’s probably been up and down that same stretch of coast for its whole life and not attacked one human, yet most of you seem to be celebrating its death! What the fuck is wrong with us bloody humans?! We just want to fuck everything up so the generations down the track, like my beautiful daughter, don’t get to see this place we call home for the way its meant to be, unspoilt.” 

This is just another addition to the pile of increasing shark sightings and attacks over the past few weeks, and as the number of beachgoers increase, it appears the number of sharks follow suit.  

Bondi Beach was closed last Thursday after a 3-metre great white was spotted, and rumours of shark sightings at Tamarama the following day were also abound. Add this to multiple attacks in the Whitsunday’s, one at Ballina, and one in the Northern Territory this morning, and it’s hard not to reconsider that early or arvo surf. 

Maybe sitting out on ‘bombie patrol’ isn’t the best approach this summer.