- Peter Smith, 64, was attacked by Turtle Beach in Courland Bay on Friday
- A $10,000 (£8,010) reward for the shark’s capture has now been retracted
The $10,000 bounty to capture the bull shark which viciously savaged a British tourist has been withdrawn after fury from environmentalists.
Peter Smith, 64, from Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire, lost some of his left fingers in the attack by Turtle Beach near the Starfish Hotel in Courland Bay, Tobago, at around 9am on Friday.
The government’s $10,000 (£8,010) reward for the shark’s capture asked for fishermen to ‘mobilise your crew’, but it has been retracted after it caused fierce criticism.
Mr Smith was on holiday on the Caribbean island with his wife when the shark tore into him as he stood waist deep in the waters, injuring his left hand, left thigh, and stomach.
A few fingers were reattached but he has remained in intensive care at Tobago’s Scarborough General Hospital with ‘significant wounds’ to his leg that will need ‘extensive work’.
The father-of-two was yesterday said to be in a ‘critical, but stable’ condition following surgery.
Shark Guardian, a UK charity for shark and marine conservation projects worldwide, warned the bounty could have had ‘severe consequences’.
The charity, founded by professional divers, shark researchers and educators, wrote on Facebook: ‘Such incidents, although distressing, are exceedingly rare, often resulting from human error or misjudgement.
‘It’s essential to remember that sharks, ancient creatures with a history spanning over 400 million years, play a vital role in maintaining the health and equilibrium of ocean ecosystems.
‘In response to the attack, the Tobago House of Assembly, led by Chief Secretary Farley Augustine, has announced a $10,000 bounty on the shark responsible.
‘However, this decision could have severe consequences, as it may encourage indiscriminate hunting of sharks by fishermen and others.
‘Given that sharks already face significant threats, with an estimated 100 million individuals lost annually, such actions could further jeopardize their survival.’
Chief secretary Farley Augustine announced hours after the attack the bounty had immediately been retracted claiming there had been some confusion over the reward.
‘I’ve asked for the ad to be retracted effective immediately and I’ve asked that the fishers work along with the Coast Guard, work along with the divers and other stakeholders to expertly man the area,’ he said.
‘While the department is recalling the advertisement, I’m letting you know that there are experts who will expertly treat the matter of dealing with the bull shark.’
Tobagonian authorities closed ten beaches as they searched to ‘neutralise the threat’ of the shark, which is 10ft long and two feet wide.
A water sports manager who saw the attack 10 yards from the shore said fellow holidaymakers tried to fight off the shark, which ‘nobody saw coming’.
Orion Jakerov, water sports manager at the Starfish Hotel, said: ‘I don’t think hey saw it.
‘They were in about waist deep to shoulder-high water, so they weren’t out of their depth.
‘I think their backs were turned and they were just lounging around and nobody saw the shark coming.
‘Even while the shark was doing the attack, the other people in the water were physically trying to fight off the shark.’
Mr Augustine said the local government was working with the British High Commission to ‘ensure that the family gets all that they need during this difficult time’.
He added: ‘The task at this time for our health professionals is really to stabilise and ensure that we can save life and limb as much as possible.’
Speaking to Tobago Channel 5, witness Stephanie Wright, from West Sussex, said: ‘We saw some people on the beach, and I originally thought the gentleman had had a cardiac arrest, and I thought they were helping him.
‘And then I saw someone running down with a towel, and then I saw a dorsal fin come out of the water and thought, ‘Oh my God, it’s a shark.’
‘As it turned, I saw the tail come out as well’.
Authorities have also stopped reef tours and scuba diving as a precaution.
Neighbours of Mr Smith on his leafy residential street described the incident as ‘horrific and traumatic’ and said there were shocked to find out about the ‘tragic’ incident on their local WhatsApp group last night.
A friend of the couple, who said Mr Smith was now retired, told MailOnline: ‘We know them and we believe they are away on holiday. We don’t know about much what’s going on, we know he’s been very badly hurt [and] there’s been a tragic accident.’
The neighbour said that he had lived on the street for 20 years and that the Smiths had been there for ‘much of that time’.
He added: ‘He’s retired but he used to work in IT. He’s got a son and daughter who don’t live at home now, they’ve moved away. He’s a nice chap, always very friendly.’
Bull sharks, which can be found in both fresh and saltwater, are known to be one of the more aggressive types of shark and are responsible for the majority of incidents recorded close to shorelines.
They are one of three shark species, alongside tiger and great white that are the most likely to attack humans.
Shark attacks are rare. Last year, there were 69 unprovoked attacks and 22 provoked bites worldwide, along with 14 deaths, according to the Florida-based International Shark Attack File.
William Turner is a seasoned U.K. correspondent with a deep understanding of domestic affairs. With a passion for British politics and culture, he provides insightful analysis and comprehensive coverage of events within the United Kingdom.
