According to OregonLive.com, the fisherman who hauled in a 12′ (3.6m) great white shark at Depoe Bay, back on August 8, 2009, has been cited with unlawful possession by by Oregon State Police Fish & Wildlife division. Jason W. Robinson found the shark entangled in a crab pot and hauled it into port. An on-duty trooper arrived on the scene after the shark had already been gutted inland in an effort to “prepare it for eating.” According to the director of the Fish & Wildlife division, Capt. Walt Markee, their investigation “indicated there was no obvious self-initiated attempt by Mr. Robinson to contact any authorities after he caught the shark before bringing it to port.” Markee added that had the on-duty trooper not have arrived that the Fish & Wildlife division believes that Robinson would have kept the shark for his own personal interests. Robinson is scheduled to appear in Lincoln County Circuit Court on October 8th.

A video (see below; WARNING: graphic footage of a shark being butchered) of the Depoe Bay incident has been making the rounds on YouTube and stirring up the usual (and often times, unproductive) pro-shark vs. anti-shark sentiment that plagues most online stories involving man vs. shark scenarios. My guess is that this video footage probably isn’t going to help Mr. Robinson’s defense, if it shows up in the courtroom.