Irish Wildlife Trust has moved to reassure the public that most sharks are “not aggressive” and there have been no documented unprovoked attacks on humans in Irish waters.
The trust was speaking following an incident on Tuesday in which an angler was bitten by a blue shark on the deck of a boat off the coast of Co Waterford.
Experienced angler Sebastian Achim was fishing with four others about 6.5km from Ram Head, Ardmore, when a shark he had caught lunged for him on the deck and bit his calf, causing significant injuries.
Speaking to The Irish Times, Achim said no one was at fault for the incident, especially not the shark, and hoped the incident raised awareness.
“It could happen to anyone,” he said. “Myself, I will stop fishing for [blue shark], because I got my lesson. I got my shark anyway ... but I’m not telling anyone to stop, just to be more careful.”
