A grouping of fishermen in Cornwall, England has just successfully released a massive thresher shark, forgoing an official size tape to encounter the fish return to the sea.

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Image: Dan Watkins/used with permission

Despite decades on the h2o, UK lease helm Dan Hawkins had never seen a thresher shark. The long-tailed fish are rare in these waters, so information technology came as quite a shock when a recent trip landed one of the biggest always caught.

Based on dimensions, the shark was estimated at some368 pounds (167kg). If authentic, that number tops the United kingdom of great britain and northern ireland shark-fishing record of 323 pounds (147 kg), which was set by another thresher shark in 1982.

The International Game Line-fishing Association (IGFA), which governs such records, requires that candidates be weighed at an official land-based weigh station. Just for Hawkins and his guests, transporting the fish (which would take killed information technology) was never an option. For these anglers, the chance encounter was plenty.

"I knew what it was considering information technology jumped twenty anxiety out of the water," Watkins told united states. "I couldn't believe information technology. I was like a kid a Christmas. When the shark was brought aboard I made sure at that place was water passing over information technology."

The team measured and photographed the shark, a process that Watkins limits to almost three minutes. This is the same time goal used by many shark scientists during their workups, and information technology helps to reduce additional stress to the creature afterwards a battle on the line.

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The hook is cut before release. Prototype: Dan Watkins

"So I lower the fish back into the sea," he says. "Head first so water passes through the gills, while still holding the tail until information technology kicks."

While releasing the animal likely means the record application will be rejected, we have to applaud the movement. As we've discussed here in detail, small changes to the IFGA's trophy-fishing policies could have big implications for threatened species.

Because the largest sharks in the sea are often female, world-tape catches tend to exist as well – and that means trophy fishing inadvertently targets the ocean'south baby-makers. For animals that can take 15 years to attain sexual maturity, the loss of even a unmarried significant female can take negative consequences.

Despite some negative public perceptions of the sport (and some sad examples of illegal fishing behaviour), in that location are many conservation-minded anglers out at that place. In fact, many scientists concur that workingwith the line-fishing community is our best chance to make a positive bear on for sharks and rays.

Whether or not sport angling is your loving cup of tea, nosotros're happy to see this stunning animal live on. "The thresher swam away strongly," adds Nick Lane, who made the catch. "A wonderful sight for all on board."

And in example you lot're wondering nearly that impressive tail, you lot're looking at the shark's weapon of pick. When whipped overhead, the structure tin can be used to strike and stun fish:

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