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First published online: 13 August 2026
The IWT is disappointed to see the number of newspaper articles reporting on this accident without giving the details of what happened or any information about Ireland’s sensitive shark species.
Some of the headlines and articles on 12 August 2026 following the incident
The boat involved had several anglers on board who were shark fishing for recreation. A 1.4m Blue shark was caught and brought on board. As the man was taking the hook out of the shark’s mouth, the shark bit his leg. Shark bites are a rare and unusual occurrence, but a perfectly natural response from an animal that has been captured and is in a stressful situation. We are very glad that the emergency services reacted quickly and the man is recovering well in hospital.
Unfortunately, many articles have sensationalised this incident. The writing has failed to accurately describe what happened and gives the impression that someone was attacked by a shark unprovoked. Sharks are wild animals and like any wild animal, the utmost care must be taken if you are planning to have any interactions with them. People should undergo the appropriate training and have the experience and knowledge needed if they plan to interact with any wild animal.
Globally sharks have gained a bad reputation for being ‘man eaters’ due to the media not accurately reporting on situations and writing for dramatic effect. This has resulted in the deliberate culling of sharks across the globe. Sharks are a vital part of many marine ecosystems but unfortunately pelagic shark populations around the world have declined by over 70% since 1970. Blue sharks are a migratory fish and they are common in Irish offshore waters. Although they are common, their populations have drastically declined due to being one of the species most frequently caught as bycatch by commercial fisheries. Bycatch is a term used when a species is caught accidentally by fishing boats targeting another species and blue sharks are regularly caught by boats targeting species of tuna. The global decline in shark numbers is due to many factors, including animals being caught as bycatch as well as being targeted for the fin and meat trade. Europe is one of the largest exporters of shark fins to the Asian market and there is currently ongoing campaigns such as stop finning EU to ban the import, export and transit of fins throughout the EU. Unfortunately many people don’t realise or care how devastating the decline of shark populations is for the entire health of the marine environment as for many people, sharks are just seen as ‘man eaters’. It is the responsibility of journalists to ensure that they report accurately on any incidents involving wildlife to prevent the negative consequences that could arise from this.
Media Contact: grace@iwt.ie
IWT in the European Parliament advocating for the end of the shark fin trade with Stop Finning EU
Blue Shark photo by Diego Delso CC BY-SA delso.photo
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