Home / Environment / Fisherman Hooks Elusive 100-Year-Old 'Shark Eater' off UK Coast
Fisherman Hooks Elusive 100-Year-Old 'Shark Eater' off UK Coast
13 Oct, 2025
Summary
- Extremely rare Atlantic wreckfish caught off Cornwall, UK
- Predatory fish known to eat sharks, lives hundreds of meters deep
- Potential new British rod-caught record at 10-12 lbs
On October 13, 2025, a fisherman in Cornwall, UK made a remarkable catch when he hooked an extremely rare Atlantic wreckfish, a prehistoric species known for its voracious appetite for sharks. Owen Mates, who runs the Kayak Fishing Cornwall YouTube channel, was shark fishing about ten miles offshore in Falmouth Bay last month when the unusual fish appeared near the surface.
"We had a chum slick out and were targeting blue sharks when this strange-looking fish started circling the boat," Owen explained. "At first, we had no idea what it was and then, after a few minutes, it took one of the shark baits - a mackerel flapper - on my rod." Measuring around 70-80 cm in length and weighing an estimated 10-12 lbs, the wreckfish potentially exceeds the current British rod-caught record of 11 lb 14 oz, which dates back to 2001.
The Atlantic wreckfish, also known by its Latin name Polyprion americanus, is a deep-sea predator that can reach up to 100 years in age and is almost never seen by humans. While juveniles occasionally drift into shallower waters, rod-caught specimens are virtually unheard of around Britain. After taking a few quick photos, the anglers safely returned the rare fish to the sea.
