A savage campaign has been launched against Australian Game Fishermen after a trophy photo of an 8-year-old angler with a Tiger Shark he caught off the coast of Sydney sparked outrage.

Online trolls slammed the boy and his parents, calling the sport disgraceful.

In the video above: 7NEWS coastal expert Paul Burt reacts to the campaign

"He has done nothing wrong," says 7NEWS coastal expert and host of Step Outside Paul Burt.

"In fact, what he's done is totally legal - that fish is not protected by any means."

The barrage of abuse has prompted the New South Wales Game Fishing Association to warn its members to be careful what they post online.

As many as 90 per cent of Australians own a fishing rod. Credit: Cagatay Demir

Many anglers are furious over the attack on the classic Aussie past-time.

"It's a past-time done by Australians all around the country," Burt told Weekend Sunrise.

"One in three people regularly fish or own a fishing rod, so if you look at those stats, it's something we love to do."

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