A fisher caught a great white shark off the south shore of Nantucket Island, Massachusetts, on June 7, according to video footage and the person who recorded it. The shark was unhooked and released back into the ocean in about 15 seconds.
Bryner Oliveira, who captured the footage, told The Guardian he had been “at the beach enjoying the weekend” when the fisher reeled in the shark on his line. Oliveira said he unhooked and released the protected shark in about 15 seconds.
Great white sharks are protected under state and federal law in U.S. waters. The species is listed as vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. Encounters between anglers and great whites are relatively rare in the waters off southern New England, though the region has seen an increase in white shark sightings in recent years, particularly around Cape Cod and the islands.
The video, published by The Guardian on June 11, shows the shark alongside the boat before being freed. The incident occurred on a weekend when beachgoers were present, though no injuries or further interactions were reported.