A South African fisherman poses with a protected great white shark at Beacon Point, Mossel Bay.
(photo courtesy of Oceans Research)

According to a press release from the South African Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (DAFF), fisherman Leon Bekker has been found guilty of illegally catching and landing a great white shark (Carcharodon carcharias) by the Mossel Bay Magistrate’s Court. Bekker was reporteddly sentenced to either a fine of R120,000 (approximately $13,500 or 10,000€) or twelve month prison sentence (suspended for five years).

Bekker was found guilty of having “caught, landed, and disturbed” the protected shark species in March of 2011. The verdict marks the first time in the history of South Africa’s courts that someone has been convicted of violating the protection legislation of the great white shark.

According to the press release, The DAFF “welcomes the verdict and stiff sentence” and hopes it will serve to deter others who might be contemplating catching or disturbing South Africa’s protected species.

In October of 2011, Bekker was identified by the Cape Times as the fisherman seen posing with a great white shark, which had been landed on the rocks at Beacon Point, Mossel Bay. Oceans Research issued a press release on the catch, which included photos taken by researchers Enrico Gennari and Ryan Johnson that documented the shark being caught and dragged onto the rocks. Bekker was also photographed posing with the shark after it was landed.

Female white shark caught and killed in Mozambique. (photo used with permission from Adam Baugh)

Adam Baugh encountered group of local fishermen hauling in a catch from their fishing nets on Monday (12/28/2012) in Jangamo, Mozambique (35km south of Inhambane). When Baugh, a dive instructor at the Guinjata Resort Dive Centre, saw that the fishermen had caught a large shark, he headed down to the water with his camera. As he got closer to the shark he realized that the fishermen had netted a female great white (Carcharodon carcharias), which he estimated to be approximately 3m in length. According to Baugh’s account the shark was already dead when she was pulled into the beach.
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An article from the UK-based tabloid The Sun suggests that a shark might have been responsible for killing a crocodile whose severed head washed ashore on a beach in St. Lucia, South Africa. While The Sun reports that “local experts” believe a “massive shark” killed the crocodile, the report does not give any other details supporting the claim.

According to The Sun, Neale and Brigitte Cary-Smith discovered the head while walking their dogs on the beach and believe that a shark was responsible.

The article does go on to say that other locals believe the crocodile might have been killed by poachers.

Tracking data from SPOT tags reports the whereabouts of tagged white sharks.

According to the OCEARCH Global Shark Tracker, two SPOT tagged female great white sharks (Carcharodon carcharias) have recently reported in from the waters off of Jacksonville, FL. Pings from the sharks named “Mary Lee” and “Genie” have been transmitted from near Jacksonville within the past 48 hours. However, it is “Mary Lee” who has been making headlines, due to the fact that she entered the surf zone of Jacksonville Beach yesterday morning.

According to CNN, OCEARCH alerted Jacksonville police that the 16′ (4.8m), 3,456 lbs (1,568kg) great white shark had come within about 200m of the beach yesterday. The alert prompted police to issue a warning for potential beach goers to avoid the area.

According to the OCEARCH Global Shark Tracker data, “Mary Lee” headed back further offshore within a few hours of entering the surf zone.