Fishing up a shark

Fishermen in the waters off Bali in Rethymno Prefecture were shocked by their unexpected catch. Their nets brought up a rare shark measuring 3.5 metres, 3 nautical miles offshore at a depth of 250 metres.

According to the Hellenic Centre for Marine Research, the fish is a ragged-tooth or smalltooth sand tiger shark which feeds on fish, squid and shrimp. It usually lives at great depths in warm, tropical waters.

It is generally found in the Atlantic, off South Africa and in the Pacific Ocean, as well as the Mediterranean. It can grow to a maximum length of over four metres, while the greatest reported weight is 289 kilos. It is not considered a threat to humans.