Fisher may have lost her tuna but witnessed a quirky marine battle

An unlucky angler got more than they bargained for when their catch became dinner for a seal – which then became dinner for a shark, all in a matter of moments. READ THE TALE >>

Leah Emmerton of Primrose Sands, caught a tuna, which got eaten by a seal, then got eaten by a shark. Picture: Zak Simmonds

THERE are many fishing stories about the one that got away but this one is a little different.

A cheeky light-flippered fur seal has learnt the hard way that thieves never prosper.

Keen angler Leah Emmerton, of Primrose Sands, was in her boat down at Eaglehawk Neck recently when she hooked a tuna.

As she was still winding in her catch, a fur seal which had been following the boat hoping for a free feed latched onto the fish and pinched it.

Within seconds a great white shark launched itself out of the water and grabbed the thieving seal.

Leah Emmerton of Primrose Sands, caught a tuna, which got eaten by a seal, then got eaten by a shark. Picture: Zak Simmonds

Ms Emmerton was left with a lure and the jaw of a tuna and a fishing story to tell over the campfire.

“Lots of others lost fish that day as the seals followed us hoping for an easy feed,” she said.

“The seal may have outsmarted me but the ultimate winner was the shark.

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‘We didn’t see the shark again but there was a lot of blood in the water. The seals really converge on us down that way and they do get a lot of free fish.”

But the score this day was Leah and seal: 0. shark: 1.