Regardless of how you feel about catch-and-release shark fishing, you have to respect this angler's commitment to the latter part of the sport.
After reeling in a 300-pound bull shark, fishermen with Gasparilla Big Game, a charter service in Gasparilla, Fla., removed the hook from the shark's mouth and released it back to the ocean. When it failed to swim away immediately, a courageous fisherman jumped into the water to help revive it. Meanwhile, a less-brave soul captured it all on video and uploaded it to YouTube.
"He could just turn around and destroy you," cautions an onlooker behind the camera as the man goes about his risky work.
After a gentle push forward, however, the shark regains its composure and swims off. Another bystander exclaims, "Now THAT'S catch-and-release!"
Gently moving fish forward through the water helps push oxygen-rich water over their gills, reports the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, which helps revive them and ensure their survival in a catch-and-release environment.
Bull sharks are considered one of the world's most likely to attack humans, in addition to great whites and tiger sharks, notes National Geographic. While they are not considered a threatened or endangered species, shark fishing for fins, meat, hides and oils are believed to have greatly reduced bull shark numbers.
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