Beachgoers attempt to rescue stranded great white shark at Orewa Beach, Auckland

Thursday, 2 January 2020

Orewa beachgoers help to get a stranded shark back into the water.

A great white shark stranded at a beach in north Auckland has been returned to the ocean by lifeguards and concerned beachgoers – but it was not enough to save the fish.

Almost 100 people crowded around the shark, which appeared to measure over 2 metres in length, after it became stuck in the shallow water at Orewa Beach, on Auckland's Hibiscus Coast.

The same beach was shut on Christmas Day after reports of a 2 metre-long shark 500 metres off shore, and again two days later after the police helicopter spotted a 2-3 metre-long beast lurking around 200-300 metres out, with another further out.

Police placed a cordon around the dead great white shark.

Video captured by a concerned onlooker shortly after 4pm on Thursday showed a lifeguard and one other man grab the shark by its tail and pull it into deeper water.

**READ MORE:

Department of Conservation confirmed it was a 2.75 metre female great white shark.

* Reports of shark sighting near Orewa beach

* Orewa beach sharks: Two spotted by police helicopter, one 2-3m beast lurking close to shore

At 2.75 metres the great white is considered a juvenile.

* Shark sighting closes Auckland's Orewa beach, with more sightings possible this summer**

The sight of the shark swimming in deeper water drew a cheer from the crowd.

Beachgoers tried to save the great white shark but it returned and died on the beach.

'It was a good moment when the crowed cheered as they managed to refloat the shark,' one onlooker told Stuff.

'They were all keen to see the animal back in the water.'

The beach has been shut twice during the Christmas break because of shark sightings.

However, the success was shortlived, as the shark returned to the shore and became stranded again – this time running out of fight.

'It looked pretty sick and unwell, it wasn't lashing or thrashing about and it had a bit of blood coming from its mouth.'

A short time later the police had cordoned the area of the beach where the shark lay dead, he said.

Shark expert and Department of Conservation marine scientist Clinton Duffy confirmed it was a 2.75 metre female.

'At that size it's still a juvenile, but it's on the cusp of becoming big enough to prey on marine mammals,' he said.

'The general rule of thumb is from 2.8 - 3 metres is when they become the most danger to humans because they feed on marine mammals then.'

Duffy said the shark had been caught in a gill net and 'basically drowned', the fishermen who caught it tired to revive it but were unsuccessful.

A gill net is a single wall of netting anchored on the seabed to catch fish that swim into it.

'Great whites are a protected species, this one was caught by accident but you are required to release them immediately if you catch one,' Duffy said.

'All fisherman are required to report a great white catch to the Department of Conservation, even if they are successfully returned to the water.'

Rangers were currently recovering the carcass, he said.

Duffy said several great white sharks live in the Hauraki Gulf, most are juveniles feeding on fish like snapper, kahawai and sting rays.