An angler has caught a record-sized tope shark from a shore in Wales. Mario Asprou hooked the huge fish at Strumble Head in Pembrokeshire.
Weighing 82lb 10oz, the catch was far heavier than the average tope — also known as a school shark — which weighs around 25lb according to the Bad Angling website. Mr Asprou caught the fish on December 18 last year but the British shore-caught record was only verified this month during a meeting of the British Record (Rod-Caught) Fish Committee.
The shark's weight was considerably higher than the previous record, set in 2018 by Ryan Wingfield who hooked a 77lb 3oz tope — also at Strumble Head. Tope, which can grow to nearly two metres long, are listed as critically endangered but they can be found worldwide in temperate seas. Catching one from the shore is a "very difficult undertaking indeed", according to the British Sea Fishing website.
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"Due to the protected nature of this species, anyone lucky enough to a tope should unhook their catch as quickly as possible and return it to the water," the website reads. The British boat-caught record is a tope of 82lb 8oz caught in 1991 by R. Chatfield off the coast of Bradwell-on-Sea, Essex.
The new record was announced following a committee meeting which included two marine specialists and two freshwater specialists. They also verified a new British record for a short-caught ling, after Kevin Griffiths hooked one weighing 21lb 13oz from Penberth Cove rocks in Cornwall — breaking the previous record of 21lb 10oz.
"The committee would like to remind readers that in the event of the capture of a potential record fish, the captor should first contact the British Record (Rod-caught) Fish Committee without delay," said the organisation. "Captors of potential record fish should contact the Secretary, Nick Simmonds, at the Angling Trust, on 01568 620447 or by email at brfc@anglingtrust.net. Nick will record the details of the capture and advise the claimant on progressing the claim." You can read more Pembrokeshire stories here.
