MONSTER SHARK

Hokitika Guardian, 28 January 1931, Page 5

MONSTER SHARK

CATCH OFF CAPE BRETT.

MAKO WEIGHING 798 LB

AUCKLAND, January 24

Considerable interest was shown this morning in n strange cargo which arrived in Auckland by the s.s, Clansman from Bussoll, Lying under rover of a tarpaulin on the deck was a huge mako shark, weighing 7081 b—a world’s record catch,

The shark was caught yesterday by Mr JET, White-Wiekham off Piercy Islet, Cape Brett. Weighing 7981 b, the fish was 1681 b heavier than the record shark caught by Lord Grimthorpe in January, 1928. It measured lift 6 in in length, and had a girth of 6ft '2in. Lord Grimthorpe's fish was 10ft Bin long, and sft 6fin in girth. The noted London angler was fishing from the launch Ozone, which was drifting gently off Piercy Islet, when the huge mako took the bait-. The fish put up a strong fight for freedom, and provided thrilling sport before it was landed after an hour's struggle. It was placed aboard the Clansman at Russell last evening and consigned to the Auckland Museum authorities. A plaster cast will be made of the huce fish for exhibition purposes. “It is an unusually fine specimen of a female mako,” said Air L. T. Giiffen, of the Auckland Museum this morning, “and Air White-Wiekham is to be congratulated on his catch.” The fish was placed in a freezer this morning, and the big job of taking a mould will be commenced early next week. It will be a long task, and it will be some, time before the cast is ready for exhibition. Air White-AYickbam, who has visited the deep-sea fishing grounds at the Buy of Islands regularly during the past five or six years, has several other good catches to hie credit. Previous to the. world’s record thresher shark, weighing 9151 b, caught by Mr Stanley Ellis, of Hamilton, in March, 1929, Mr AVhite-Wickham held the world’s record for a thresher with a fish of 8321 b. In January of 1928 lie secured a record broadbill swordfish weighing 6731 b, which exceeded by 91b the record formerly held by Mr Zane Grey: and during the 1929 season he secured a record hammerhead shark weighing 4001 b.