Massive great white shark caught in Sea of Cortez

A great white shark measuring nearly 20 feet and weighing 2,000 pounds -- according to a  local report -- was hauled up Sunday by commercial fishermen in the Sea of Cortez near Guaymas.

The massive predator was dead when it was brought to the surface in a net deployed by fishermen named Guadalupe and Baltazar, who were treated to the surprise of a lifetime when they saw what they had captured.

"We were amazed and immediately realized that we had a huge, dead, great white shark, and then we thought what are we going to do?," Guadalupe told Pisces Sportfishing, which is located in the resort city of Cabo San Lucas.

There is some dispute about the size. If, in fact, it measured six meters (19.8 feet), as Milenio News reported, it'd be one of the longest white sharks ever recorded. Also, if it measured 20 feet, it should weigh a lot more than 2,000 pounds.

Regardless, it's a humongous specimen. The fishermen, who were aboard a 22-foot skiff, towed the behemoth two miles to the beach, where dozens of people helped drag it onto dry sand.

"Guadalupe and Baltazar swore they had never seen a fish this big before in their lives," the Pisces blog stated. "Even though on March 13 of this year, some of their fellow fishermen had also caught a great white, which had weighed 990 pounds."

Adult white sharks were once believed to be rare in the Sea of Cortez, or Gulf of California, but scientists now believe parts of the gulf serve as a nursery for the species.

-- For more on this story visit GrindTv.com

-- Related story: Angler lands largest-known yellowfin tuna caught on rod and reel

-- Images are two of one of three that appear on a San Carlos Mexico online forum

Comments

[Andy]

They don't look exactly starving villagers, most of them are truly porky bloaters, shame we keep killing and they won't be around, in fifteen years time...does that frighten you? Because it does me.

[Phil]

OK... FOR ALL YOUR YOU COMPLETELY IDIOTIC, JUDGEMENTAL, I'LL COMPLAIN ABOUT SOMETHING THAT WILL NEVER HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH YOU OR YOUR WAY OF LIVING PEOPLE! Stop bickering.. We know you want attention. JOIN THE CIRCUS! THIS SHARK FED A VILLAGE OF NEARLY STARVING PEOPLE! Stop complaining about stuff that you have NO idea what it is your complaining about! Now, grab a coke and smile!!

[Adam]

This shark isn't significant as a macabre trophy, and it's not just another big great white. It's significant in the sense that there are regular reports of giant sharks in these waters.... huge Megoladon sized sharks thought to be extinct for thousands of years.

A huge shark like this goes some way to proving the possibility of these giant prehistoric 'Black Demons' still being in existence.

[Bill]

I understand about fishing to survive but this isn't something to be excited about. This is a beautiful creature and the fact that someone would parade this around as a trophy is disgusting. I think any shark caught in a fishing net, long line, or a net to protect swimmers is a waste. The ocean is a sharks home not ours so for us to think they we have the right to kill these animals or put up nets to keep them out is beyond me. That's like putting an electrical fence through your front yard. We need to think more about these animals and less about ourselves!

[The Hairy Beast]

The fish was laying on its side in the first shot,then rolled upright in the second. Likely the goo and whatnot seeped out of the mouth due to its weight.

[RIC D T WILSON]

If these sharks are so rare then why do we have so many monster Great Whites off southern Australia? Flake for thought to all those silly bureaucrats that have to keep up the big deception in order to attract funding for dubious research programs that the public rarely ever benefit from. The missing people toll grows but cover it all up to protect tourism and conservation agendas - until your own kid gets bitten in half.

[Mark]

"WHAT IS WITH THE SPIKES NEAR THE GILLS?"

Those are not spikes on the gill, they are folds caused by the animal being slightly twisted while it is on it's side in an environment with gravity that the body is not designed to live in.

[Bill]

I've never shot an animal in my life, so first off, your a horrible judge of character (Dick).

However, I did find a shop in Cabo San Lucas that is selling leather jackets and wallets made of Great White Shark and pre-ordered some. Anyone want one?

[Sean R. Van Sommeran]

That shark is way heavier than 1 ton/2000lbs, it's likely twice that weight. There was a 1000lber caught nearby not long before, the big female carried an ID tag from Monterey Bay and California during late 1990s by Santa Cruz California based Pelagic Shark Research Foundation (PSRF).

The Pelagic Shark Research Foundation has been conducting long term monitoring study in California since 1990, in 2001 the PSRF tracked white shark movements from California to the Hawaiian Islands and open ocean, deep sea of central and eastern pacific and beyond; in 2003 a shark tagged by PSRF with a satellite transmitter was tracked to Isla Guadalupe. An expedition to Isla Guadalupe from Monterey Bay was conducted in 2003 and tissue samples were provided to researchers at Nova Southeastern University and US Fish and Wildlife Service.

http://www.pelagic.org/overview/sent_1103.html

The white shark captured off of Baja was an accidental catch by local artisanal fisherman and should not be perceived as same thing as huge open ocean factory fleets and coastal poaching ship that do much harm. The return of the ID tag and info related to such landings are greatly appreciated by researchers and conservationists who need the fisheries and biological information in order to affect effective protections or certain species (like white sharks) at certain sites and regions critical to these species.

We used ID tags to track blue shark movements from Monterey bay, clear across the pacific to within several hundred miles of Japan in West pacific; these simple number and coded ID tags function in same way as leg tags on hawks or seabirds or ear-tags on bears or wolves. These lightweight markers are a low impact compliment to the high tech transmitters the PSRF attaches to large species of sharks such as white sharks and basking sharks etc. ID tags are small perminent markers that stay in shark for many decades.

http://www.pelagic.org/overview/sfchron_aug032002.html

We have additional images and info on our Pelagic Shark Research Foundation's Facebook Page.
Thanks

[Crystal]

Thats why you wont catch me in the ocean, I am too afraid of sharks...I will watch them on TV but that is it..sorry

[Richard Freman]

Dave Thrush and Bill, you right wing nut jobs make me want to puke. The great white is endangered, this was a tragedy. There are very few of this size left.I bet you are the kind of inadequate mummy's boys who love guns and killing animals for fun.

[MA Sewell]

If it's only 2000 lbs. then it's not 20 feet.

[RedRover]

I wish they were all dead. Should have died out a million years ago. Wonder how many people have been killed by this monster.

[Nuniyer Bizznasty]

This actually sickens me...this was probably a mother who after breeding was trying to stock up on food resources...just following prey and became entangled in the most inhumane net ever created! It's moments like this that it makes me ashamed to part of the human race. I have nothing but respect for the ocean and its inhabitants and have no patience for those who abuse it. My dream come true would be the prevention of any top predator worldwide from being killed unless it was sick and science could benefit/help the species. A horrific death for such a majestic magnificent animal!

[Dave Thrush]

The Shark fed the entire village another article stated...those pontificating about hurting the eco system might stop and think about using a catch like this helps the poor, but no...your too busy on your liberal soap boxes.

[Nathan McBride]

Shark steak time! I LOVE a good sea steak! Might as well not let it go to waste, unless you are a whiny weasel, that is.

[Ian]

ONCE AGAIN

WHAT IS WITH THE SPIKES NEAR THE GILLS?????

[AMTunnell]

First of all it looks like 2 different sharks. 2nd..why the blood around the mouth..3rd..Just another example of why netting is killing our eco system. 2 THUMBS DOWN!!

[mashall franks]

jaws is real.. weighing in at 2000 pounds....if theres that one than theres more......

[Jennie]

That is a waste. Fish that size has been around a while only to get netted by some idiots. I'm guessing Mexico doesn't have anyone regulating endangered species.

[bluemoki]

These 2 photos do not look like they are of the same animal - very different sizes and shapes.

[allan tulli]

The gills look funny, are you sure this is a great white. Maybe a baby megladon

[Rachel Thornley]

This is disgusting!! Are these people and this country living in the 21st Century? What kind of advert is this for tourism and trade?
Savages

[Bill]

Great catch guys!

Tree (fish) huggers need to take the perverbial stick out, get off there 99% attitude and GET A JOB!

Sincerely,

The Democratic Party :D

[Ian]

"I highly doubt this shark was found dead if so why is there blood around the mouth".... Well, the shark was killed by immobility... IE, IT GOT NETTED and could not breath. I am sure once it was caught it struggled to get out of the net and breath and such movement would inevitable cause trauma.

But seriously WHAT IS WITH THE SPIKES NEAR THE GILLS? Never seen that before in a shark.