AN OUTSIZE IN SHARKS

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 123, 11 February 1918, Page 6

AN OUTSIZE IN SHARKS

SENSATIONAL SEASIDE SCARE A FISH STORY FROM SYDNEY On a recent visit to Port Stephens Mr. Stead, Director of the New South Wales State Trawling Industry, was told by some of the lobster fishermen what looks like tilt best lish story of the season (states the Sydney "Sun")'. Mr. Stead, however, whoso experience of the coast ranges over many years, is inclined to believe that there is a very solid foundation for the story. While standing l on the Nelson's Bay wharf watching tho packing of some crayfish for the Sydney market the fishermen were asked in view of a recent hard blow from the south-east if they had lost many lobster pots. The fishermen were very excited at this, and spoke, not of the storm, but of what they termed "Wan gr-r-reat beeg shar-r-rk."

It was alleged by tho fishermen that for several days a huge shark of hitherto unknown magnitude had put in an appearance, and was destroying the lobster pots, eating "da pots, do feesh and all," as the Greek fishermen put it. The average crayfish or lobster pot is about 3ft. 6in. across, and frequently holds from two to three dozen fair-sized lobsters. ■ Mr. Stead questioned the men very closely, but they would not budge one bit, being very emphatic about the occurrence of the shark, and as to its size. One of the fishermen, when asked to give the dimensions of the shark, stated that it was about lldft. long. When the idea of this length was openly scouted he still persisted most excitedly about tho immense length of the fish, and said ihat it was as long as the wlwf on which on which the party were standing. He further persisted, and is most emphatic, that the shack's head was "as beeg as da r-roof." "Da r-roof" in this instance was a fairly large one, being the roqf of the shed on the wharf, and this was quite obviously a wild exaggeration. In addition to this great fish taking the lobster-pots, the men reported that one of the launches had had a large piece bitten out of it by tho shark, no that- tbo launch had to he beached for repairs<

Mr. Stead is of opinion; that the sincerity of the men cannot he doubted, although he thinks that they have greatly exaggerated the size of the shark. He thinks, however, that thgy have seen a shark much larger than any .hitherto recorded on this coast, anil makes the suggestion that what they saw was an extraordinary example of the great white shark, "White Death" or "AVliitc- Pointer." This shark is known to occur on the coast. The largest seen by .M>. Stead was about 20 feet in length, but it is known to attain to a length of about 40 feet. It is worthy of mention, however, that the United States exploring steamer Albatross obtained in the Pacific Ocean, apparently rn.ceivtly-sbfd tenth of a huge shark allied to the white pointer. Judging by the size of the teeth the shark from which the teeth came could not have been less than 80 feet in length. It is quite possible that such sharks exist even in \Otir seas, but that they remain usually in verv deep water. Mr. Stead feels that many will bo inclined to scout the whole story, and to think that either he has 'Sllowed .his leo: to be pulled," or that he is trviurr to snrinq "n. fish story" on the puhlic, but he is willing to put up with that.