Australian shore fishermen aiming to catch something for the freezer instead landed an 11.5-foot tiger shark, then cheerfully posed for photos before releasing it.
They probably weren’t expecting the fallout from the catch and release, but they got an earful as their actions prompted online outrage and a rebuke from a marine biologist. It also got a politician in hot water.
Zach Hanning, Luke Williamson and Natalie Schutte were fishing on the beach at Lakes Entrance in Gippsland, Victoria, on Friday when something big took a bait, as reported by Today on 9Now.
“Pretty much from the get-go, I knew it was a shark,” Hanning told Today.
Hanning put on a harness, grabbed the rod and began a tug-of-war that went on for 90 minutes before landing the tiger shark on the beach.
“Over the years we have heard of the odd tiger shark getting caught down here, but it’s definitely not something we were targeting,” Hanning said. “We were just down there to have a fish and enjoy the beach on a warm day, maybe catch a bronze whaler or something for the freezer.”
Photos of the shark with one of the fishermen sitting on it were posted on Facebook by MAD Outdoors Sale.
Darren Chester, who is a member of the Australian House of Representatives for Gippsland in Victoria, called the catch “a beauty” in his Facebook post.
Chester’s post did not go over well.
“Shame on the MP for promoting this infantile behavior,” Mark Sewell wrote. “No benefit to anyone to catch and release a tiger s