GRAND MANAN: Tuna, sharks and whales ... fishing in 1934

Southern Weirs Hold the Record

Ten tuna fish were taken from the "Dock" weir at Flagg's Cove one day recently, and several more on other occasions, it is said. The first tuna caught were shipped to Portland but the venture did not prove remunerative enough to the shippers due to excessive transportation charges. The tuna more recently taken were given away to neighbors of the weir owners, and those who liked the flesh enjoyed a feast indeed. North Head weirs are noted for their catching of big fish, and recently another large shark was taken in the same weir which produced a monstrous shark some time ago, the liver from which filled a dory. These weirs, however, are just a whit behind those of the southern part of the parish. A good sized whale was taken in the "Big Weir'' located at Inner Wood Island not long ago. The mammal was killed and towed from the weir by Captain Harry Harvey and crew of the Wood Island Life Saving Station. Whales or sharks, however, it's all in the day's work for the weir fishermen who rarely express surprise at anything they find inside the enclosures. (St. Croix Courier 1934)

SHARKS: Great white shark caught in Bay of Fundy

CBC News
Posted: Aug 17, 2011 6:51 AM AT
Last Updated: Aug 17, 2011 6:51 AM AT Read 2comments2

Related LinksShark sighting not uncommon, says researcher

This great white shark was caught in a fishing weir near Economy, N.S. submitted

A great white shark was caught this week in the Bay of Fundy, the first confirmed great white shark sighting in Atlantic Canada in more than six years.

The three-metre, 272-kilogram shark was caught in a fishing weir by fisherman Wayne Linkletter, near Economy, N.S.

Steve Campana, head of the Canadian Shark Research Laboratory, said the shark was likely looking for fish when it got trapped.

"They're interested in fish and perhaps small seals and dolphins. It's very unusual for a great white to attack a person and usually when they do, it's because they look up and see a surfer on a surfboard and it resembles a seal, which is one of their favourite prey," said Campana.

Campana added that great white sharks are often more threatened by humans, rather than the other way around.

"Canada is within the range of great white habitat, so they've undoubtedly been coming up here since time immemorial," he said. "It's just that the population of great whites used to be much larger, at least 10 times larger, just 30 years ago than it is now."

Campana said the sharks are sometimes seen around Sable Island.

"The great whites will go up there and have a buffet meal of tasty young seal," he said.

The shark was caught alive but later died.

The head was sent to Halifax's Museum of Natural History for further study.

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