Fisherman Catches and Releases Great White Shark off Nantucket

On June 7, experienced surf fisherman Elliot Sudal was fishing on the south shore of Nantucket Island, Massachusetts, when he unexpectedly hooked a great white shark estimated at roughly seven to nine feet in length and approximately 300 pounds. Video footage, captured by bystander Bryner Oliveira and later shared widely online, shows Sudal and his companions hauling the shark onto the beach, where Sudal can be seen kneeling on top of the animal in the surf to remove the fishing hook before dragging it back into deeper water by its tail. Sudal said the entire process took about 15 seconds, and he emphasized that speed was critical given that great white sharks are a protected and prohibited species under NOAA Fisheries rules, which require immediate release if caught as bycatch. The angler, who described himself as having caught over a thousand sandbar sharks and hundreds of dusky sharks during his 13 years on Nantucket, said this was his first-ever great white encounter. He posted the video publicly because he believed he had handled the situation responsibly, and used the moment to urge other shark fishermen to take proper training courses and respect the animals. NOAA classifies great white sharks as prohibited in most U.S. waters, with no commercial fishery permitted and only incidental bycatch encounters allowed, provided the shark is released immediately.