NEAR JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (WSVN) — A Florida fisherman is sharing details of his unforgettable day when he made an amazing catch-and-release on a Florida beach.
Veteran shark fisherman Alberto Banegas was fishing off the coast of Amelia Island near Jacksonville when he made the catch of a lifetime.
The sound of something biting the bait was a welcome sound to him, and he began reeling it in.
After a 30-minute fight, Vanegas noticed a great white over 9 feet long at the end of his line. He pulled the marine predator onto the beach to confirm the catch.
Banegas said he never dreamed in his 15 years of shark fishing that he would land the elusive great white shark.
“I feel really honored and really blessed to have this opportunity. It’s the right place, the right time,” he said.
He took several photos of the shark, now known as “Jaws,” as evidence.
Knowing that the great white shark is a protected species, he immediately returned it to the ocean.
Vanegas now hopes his thrilling experience will help the scientific community protect endangered species.
Scientists said they did everything perfectly when catching the great white shark, praising them for following state regulations.
Dr. Bob Hueter is a senior scientific advisor at OCEARCH. He said it’s not unusual for great white sharks to live off the east coast of Florida in the winter.
Another great white shark tagged by the research group was in the area when Banegas captured it.
Hueter said the fact that the shark Vanegas reeled in was not tagged suggests to researchers that the great white shark population may be healthier than they thought.
“We have tagged 92 great white sharks so far in our research in this part of the world, but the fact that this was an untagged shark shows there are a lot of these animals. “We’ve probably only scratched the surface,” he said.
Hueter added that he was glad the fishermen released the shark quickly.
“And kudos to the fishermen for their quick catch and release,” he said.
Vanegas said he contacted Florida Fish and Wildlife officials immediately after the capture and release to make sure everything was by the book. The agency confirmed he did so.
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