“We were just reef fishing, and we caught a shark and the customer wanted it,” he told the Bulletin.

“It was only a small little one, when people catch sharks it’s 50/50 some want them some don’t.”

He added: “So I gaffed it and brought it in the boat and pinned him in the corner and I went to hit him on the head to stop him from biting me – and I made the wrong move the wrong way and he just bit me.”

“He latched on and wasn’t letting go. I just prised his jaws open with a pair of pliers and threw him overboard. I can see how much damage people get from sharks the teeth were so sharp.

“If my deckhand AJ didn’t pin him he would have taken a good chunk. It’s probably the last I bring on board now.”