Third shark in two weeks caught off popular beach
A shark has been caught off a beach north of Brisbane, making it the third one captured at the site within two weeks.
Facebook user Samuel Kelly posted an image of the shark on the shore at Margate Beach about 40 kilometres north of Brisbane’s CBD on Monday.
Mr Kelly said the creature was released quickly after the hook was removed.
“We catch, tag and release them for the DPI game fish tagging program,” Mr Kelly wrote.
Facebook user Andrew Waller confirmed the creature was caught at Margate beach and said it was a baby bull shark.
“Soon going to be a crazy shark catching spot with all this social media attention!” Mr Waller posted on Facebook.
This is the third shark caught at Margate within two weeks, after a fisherman reeled in two large sharks on the same beach on January 13, according to local woman Trish Sheahan.
“This is the third one I have seen posted on Facebook from Margate,” one social media user commented.
Mr Kelly explained how he tags sharks as part of the NSW Department of Primary Industries’ fish tagging program.
“It’s a small yellow tag with a number on it and when another fisherman catches a tagged shark, marlin or tuna they measure it and then can determine how far it has travelled since it was last caught and how much it has grown.”
The DPI Game Fish Tagging Program has been in operation since 1973 and tagging data is used by scientists to study the lives and habits of fish species.
