SHARK CAUGHT IN NET

Dominion, Volume 28, Issue 93, 14 January 1935, Page 10

SHARK CAUGHT IN NET

* Invercargill Fishermen Alarmed While fishing with a net at Oreti Beach, near Invercargill, two fishermen, Messrs. T. VI Hagerty and W. Brown, had an alarming experience. While wading waist-deep in water, Mr. Hagerty felt something brush against his leg and a second later was pulled off his feet by a terrific tug on the net Realising that there was a fish of very large proportions in tlie net, he called to his companion, and began to drag the net toward the shore. Mr. A. Wachner, who had his car handy, switched his headlight on to the net to assist the fishermen. The shark could be clearly seen cruising round in the net. As the water grew shallower the shark, realising that it was cornered, swam straight at the men, who were by'this time quite close together. The net offered practically no resistance, but the shallowness of the water enabled Mr. Hagerty to attack the monster with a heavy piece of wood shod with lead. The shark was eventually killed and dragged to shore by a number of people who had gathered. Tlie monster was found to be a female “ground shark.” 9ft. 4in. in length and weighing 4cwt. It was mounted on a lorry and taken to Invercargill for display in a shop window. Three weeks previously, while fishing in the same locality, Mr. Hagerty had his leg gripped by a smaller shark. It was eventually killed and when taken to shore was found to be a shark sft. klOin. in length. An Auckland visitor to Invercargill who examined the shark said- it was a ground shark of a kind often seen around Auckland, where, he said, no notice is taken of them. This specimen, he said, must have beet' sick, or it would not have come in past the breakers. , ;