Angler reels in new shark record

Fully grown adult porbeagle sharks can reach about 3m in length

An angler has reeled in a record-breaking catch for Guernsey off the island's waters.

James Allen, 26, caught a porbeagle shark weighing 295lb (134kg) off the island's south coast.

The previous island record of 220lb (100kg) for a porbeagle caught off Guernsey was set about 35 years ago.

The species is listed as vulnerable to extinction through over-fishing, but Mr Allen says he would have put it back if it had been smaller.

He told BBC News: "We weren't planning on keeping any of the fish, but we knew it was probably a record.

"We knew 220lb was the record and we thought this was a little bit bigger, so that's why we brought it in."

We do recognise that the only way a record can be claimed is to weigh the animal Richard Pierce, Shark Trust in the UK

Mr Allen said his battle with the shark lasted for about 45 minutes before he was able to land his record catch.

Richard Pierce, of the Shark Trust in the UK, said due to the weight of the animal it was probably a female.

"I just hope she wasn't pregnant.

"We are extremely supportive of most anglers who put the animals back to live after they have been caught.

"But we do recognise that the only way a record can be claimed is to weigh the animal."

Adult porbeagles can grow up to about 3m and are sometimes mistaken for great white sharks.

In March last year a 190lb (86kg) porbeagle was caught off Guernsey and sold in one of the island's supermarkets.