Shocking moment man drags shark onto rocks on Australian beach

The Port Jackson sharks are neither a protected species nor illegal to fish in NSW, but some viewers thought the man was being unnecessarily cruel to them, paying little regard to their welfare as they were kept away from the ocean.

Video Transcript

Footage of a fisherman dragging a shark onto rocks has shocked Australians, prompting one expert to remind people to handle the animals safely.

The video shows a man bringing a shark to Maroo Beach and then keeping the animal, which appears to be still alive, out of the water for an unknown length of time.

The man is then seen dragging the shark along the rocks by its tail, scratching its head in the process before apparently returning it to the water through a crevice in the rocks.

Port Jackson sharks are neither a protected species nor illegal to fish in NSW, but some viewers thought the man was being unnecessarily cruel to them, paying little regard to their welfare while they were kept out of the ocean.

Although Port Jackson sharks are a very hardy species and can withstand exposure to air for several minutes, it still stresses the animal, a shark expert told Yahoo News Australia.

Where possible, people should release wanted animals caught in fishing gear as safely and quickly as possible.

The fisherman in the video appears to have done the right thing and returned to Port Jackson safely, although it is impossible to say how long ago he landed it.

As the video was edited, they added, fishing is a responsibility, not a riot, and all anglers should do their best to safely handle and release an unwanted catch, with as little stress as possible on the animal.