A man has been fined more than £8000 for killing a great white shark that he hooked off a beach in South Africa. Leon Bekker of George, Western Cape, pleaded guilty to contravening the Marine Living Resources Act, which includes attempting to kill, disturb or be in possession of a white shark without a permit. He claimed he had no idea at first that he had hooked a great white shark, but pleaded guilty “so as not to waste the court’s time”. Photographs of Bekker giving a thumbs-up sign after hauling the shark onto the rocks sparked an angry outcry when they were published two years ago. South Africa imposed legislation in 1991 to protect great whites, and catching them or even to trying to do so is illegal. But a set of macho anglers who targeted the sharks using heavy tackle were able to claim they had not been fishing for them deliberately. Photographs of anglers posing with dead great whites are not uncommon and there is an ongoing illegal trade in gret white jaws, which fetch a very high price. This is the first successful prosecution under the legislation. More pictures here.