A video capturing the rescue of a great white shark from a herring weir in Back Bay, N.B., has caught on in the online world.
The rescue took place Sunday morning just off shore in the Charlotte Country community, about 80 kilometres west of Saint John.
“What a massive beast,” said one of the men involved in the rescue.
WATCH: A video capturing the rescue of a great white shark from a herring weir in Back Bay, N.B., has caught on in the online world. Andrew Cromwell brings us the story.
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William Hanley was the main participant in the rescue and estimates the size of the shark at between 14 and 18 feet.
This was the first great white he’s seen in a herring weir.
“I’d say it’s been in there for about a week,” said Hanley, “just chasing fish in there. (That’s the) only reason it would be in there is chasing fish to eat.”
Getting the shark in a position to be carried back out to open water proved no easy task. Usually the fishing twine is the main thing used to lift an entangled fish.
“Her teeth were so sharp we pulled the twine and we’d pull the twine and it would just … the twine would just part like a hot butter knife going through butter,” explained Hanley
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Hanley says great whites have always been around Bay of Fundy waters and seeing one shouldn’t come as a shock, although a nearby resident showed some alarm.
“It does get pretty shallow here when the tide goes out,” said Renate Roske-Shelton. “I guess I won’t go swimming any time soon”
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Some would argue to kill the shark, but for Hanley, that was never in his mind.
“I’ve had a lot of people ask me why didn’t you do that,” Hanley said. “It’s not bothering me. We stop little baby flounders … we pick it all out and let it go. I’m not trying to kill anything.”
In late August, a great white shark was seen attacking a seal in waters near Saint Andrews.
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