WHILE James Connelly was in swimming with the shark, another youngster caught his escapades from the shoreline.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Teenager Chris Wakeling was on hand and caught some of the action on his phone.
The footage was posted on Facebook and has incited some debate as to whether the fisherman had performed an illegal act catching an endangered species.
Port News contacted the Fisheries Department to get some clarification.
They were unable to view the footage at the time but said if in fact the shark was a grey nurse the fisherman responsible must attempt to release it as soon as possible.
“On becoming aware that they have hooked a grey nurse shark, fishers are required to take immediate steps to return the fish to its natural environment with the least possible injury,” Port Stephens District Fisheries officer Wayne Bennett said.
The incident comes after a number of recent shark sightings and even an attack at Diamond Head in late December.
A large crowd was gathered two watch the interesting spectacle along the Breakwall on Tuesday.
In another sighting before Christmas, Camden Haven resident James Kennedy was skating along the North Haven Breakwall when he spotted a shark in the shallows. He managed to take a photo of it on his phone and posted it on his Facebook page.
The 15-year-old said he was almost certain it was a grey nurse shark.
“There are two of them that have been spotted a bit by people around there” he said.
The avid surfer said he wasn’t going to let the sighting deter him from catching some waves.
“They’re always there, it’s just that they’ve been spotted more this year,” he said.
