Two Aussies who reeled in a 3.5-metre tiger shark have been celebrated for their efforts by fishing enthusiasts. Following a 90-minute battle at one of Victoria’s most popular holiday beaches, the men celebrated by taking a series of celebratory shots with the ocean giant before they released it.
But after reviewing the pictures from Lakes Entrance, a leading marine biologist has singled out a detail that indicates the hardy predator could have been injured on the beach. Lawrence Chlebeck from Humane Society International doesn’t think the catching of the fish alone would have caused the problem. “They’re a robust species,” he told Yahoo News.
Chlebeck explained that even if they’re caught on drumlines used by state government shark control programs, they rarely die, even when hooked for hours. That’s in contrast to hammerhead sharks which frequently die within 12 hours of being caught and released.
“However, when you pull an animal out of the water whose body has evolved to always be buoyant, it can lead to internal injuries – organ crushing. These are the types of things that kill beached whales and dolphins and it’s a very traumatic experience,” Chlebeck added.
The fishermen spent 90 minutes reeling in the shark. Source: MAD Outdoors Sale
What particularly concerns Chlebeck is when fishermen extend the time sharks are kept out of the water so they can take photos with their trophies. While Chlebeck doesn’t condone shark fishing, he believes it’s important to get sharks back in the water as soon as possible when they are hooked.
One of his biggest concerns is when fishermen choose to sit on them and take selfies. Although the practice may seem harmless, he argues there is evidence it can compound the pressure on the shark’s organs. “If you’re adding weight on top of that, you’re just making things worse,” he said.
Similar concerns have been raised about dolphin shows in Asia and the Middle East, where the animals are pulled out of the water for selfies with tourists, or even stood upon by trainers.
MP fights back against criticism of shark catch
The shark was caught at Lakes Entrance during peak holiday season. The fishermen told Channel 9 they had not intended to catch a tiger shark and had instead been hoping to reel in a bronze whaler.
“Over the years we have heard of the odd tiger shark getting caught down here, but it’s definitely not something we were targeting,” one said. A colleague of theirs added, “[We] swam it out to about chest height in the water and once it got its bearings, it was happy enough and just swam out on its own.”
The fishermen have been contacted for comment.
The photo sparked fierce debate online with animal welfare advocates arguing tiger sharks are “not toys” to be played with on the beach. “Imagine the stress the animal is under,” another person wrote.
Federal Nationals MP Darren Chester promoted the catch on his Facebook page, immediately attracting controversy. He described the shark as a “beauty” and spent time on the weekend dismissing criticism of the fishermen’s behaviour.
One man claimed Chester had lost his vote for “promoting… infantile behaviour” that could have harmed the shark or the fishermen. The MP shot back quipping, “Everyone enjoys a good dose of sanctimony to start the New Year”. He then added that he doubted the critic would have voted for him in the first place.
Chester appeared perplexed by the “hate”, claiming the shark was “safely released” and that fishing is a “legitimate and enjoyable pastime”. “Keyboard warriors are a fact of life in 2025. The simple fact that two mates unexpectedly caught a huge shark, took a photo and released it seems lost on some of the ‘haters’,” he claimed.
Chester’s office was contacted for comment by Yahoo, but he was unavailable to speak further on the matter.
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