Fishermen encounter great white shark off of Florida coast

A fishing trip turned into a once in a lifetime experience when fishermen, off the coast of Amelia Island, received a visit from a 14-foot great white shark.

The shark came within a few feet of the boat, clearly delighting the five people on board. In video showing the encounter, one of the boaters are heard saying, “Man, you don’t see that every day!”

Captain Tony Peeples said the shark ate half of a 50-pound drum in one bite, and when it went to eat the other half, it got hooked on one of their lines, but ultimately swam away. 

According to National Geographic, great white sharks can be found in cool, coastal waters throughout the planet, but there is no reliable data on how many are left. Scientists agree their population is decreasing due to overfishing and accidentally catching them in gill nets. The great white shark is considered to be a vulnerable species.