The $10,000 reward for capturing the bull shark that brutally attacked a British tourist has been withdrawn following fury from environmentalists.
Peter Smith, 64, from Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire, lost some of his left fingers in the attack on Turtle Beach near the Starfish Hotel in Courland Bay, Tobago, about 9am on Friday.
The government’s $10,000 (£8,010) reward for the shark’s catch called on fishermen to “mobilize their crew” but was retracted after it drew fierce criticism.
Smith was vacationing on the Caribbean island with his wife when the shark pierced him while he was waist-deep in water, injuring his left hand, left thigh and stomach.
Some of his fingers were reattached but he remains in intensive care at Tobago’s Scarborough General Hospital with “significant injuries” to his leg that will require “intensive work.”
Peter Smith, 64, from Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire, (pictured) lost some of his left fingers in the attack at Turtle Beach, near the Starfish Hotel in Courland Bay, Tobago.
Some of his fingers have been reattached, but he remains in intensive care at Tobago’s Scarborough General Hospital with “significant injuries” to his leg that will require “intensive work.”
He was on vacation on the Caribbean island with his wife when the shark (file image) crossed him, injuring his left hand, left thigh and stomach.
The father-of-two was yesterday said to be in a “critical but stable” condition following surgery.
Shark Guardian, a UK charity for marine and shark conservation projects around the world, warned that the reward could have had “serious consequences”.
The charity, founded by professional divers, shark researchers and educators, wrote on Facebook: “These incidents, although distressing, are extremely rare and are often the result of human error or misjudgment.”
“It is essential to remember that sharks, ancient creatures with a history spanning more than 400 million years, play a vital role in maintaining the health and balance of ocean ecosystems.
‘In response to the attack, the Tobago House of Assembly, led by Chief Secretary Farley Augustine, has announced a $10,000 reward for the shark responsible.
‘However, this decision could have serious consequences, as it could encourage indiscriminate hunting of sharks by fishermen and others.
“Given that sharks already face significant threats, with an estimated loss of 100 million individuals each year, such actions could further jeopardize their survival.”
Chief Secretary Farley Augustine announced hours after the attack that the reward had been immediately withdrawn, citing confusion over the reward.
The government originally offered a $10,000 (£8,010) reward for the capture of the shark and asked fishermen to “mobilize their crew”, but backed out.
The British tourist is being treated in intensive care at Scarborough General Hospital in Tobago.
Mr Smith was rushed to hospital in an ambulance. Some of his fingers have been reattached, but he remains in intensive care at Tobago’s Scarborough General Hospital with “significant injuries” to his leg that will require “extensive work.”
“I asked that the advertisement be withdrawn with immediate effect and asked that fishermen work together with the Coast Guard, work together with divers and other stakeholders to expertly manage the area,” he said.
“While the department withdraws the advertisement, I inform you that there are experts who will skillfully address the bull shark issue.”
Tobago authorities closed ten beaches as they sought to “neutralize the threat” of the shark, which measures three meters long and two meters wide.
A water sports director who saw the attack 10 meters from shore said his fellow holidaymakers tried to fight off the shark, which “no one saw coming”.
Orion Jakerov, director of water sports at the Starfish hotel, said: “I don’t think they saw it.”
‘The water came from their waists to their shoulders, so they were not out of their depth.
“I think they had their backs turned and were just lazing around and no one saw the shark coming.
“Even while the shark was attacking, the other people in the water were physically trying to fight the shark.”
Augustine said the local government was working with the British High Commission to “ensure the family gets everything they need during this difficult time.”
He added: “The task right now for our health professionals is really to stabilize and ensure that we can save lives and limbs as much as possible.”
Speaking to Tobago’s Channel 5, witness Stephanie Wright, from West Sussex, said: “We saw some people on the beach and originally I thought the gentleman had gone into cardiac arrest and I thought they were helping him.”
Tobago Chief Secretary Farley Augustine shared images of the shark on social media.
A shark (pictured) was spotted further down the Buccoo coast after the attack.
Orion Jakerov (pictured), director of water sports at the Starfish hotel, said: “No one saw the shark coming.”
“And then I saw someone running with a towel, and then I saw a dorsal fin coming out of the water and I thought, ‘Oh my God, it’s a shark.’
“As I turned, I saw the tail come out too.”
Authorities have also suspended reef tours and diving as a precaution.
Smith’s neighbors on his leafy residential street described the incident as “horrific and traumatic” and said they were shocked to learn of the “tragic” incident on their local WhatsApp group last night.
A friend of the couple, who said Mr Smith was already retired, told MailOnline: ‘We know them and we think they are on holiday.’ We don’t know much about what’s going on, we know that he has been very seriously injured (and) there has been a tragic accident.’
The neighbor said he had lived on the street for 20 years and that the Smiths had been there “much of that time.”
He added: ‘He’s retired but he used to work in IT. He has a son and a daughter who do not live at home now, they have moved away. He’s a nice guy, always very friendly.
The bull shark, which can be found in both fresh and salt water, is known to be one of the most aggressive types of shark and is responsible for the majority of incidents recorded near the coast.
They are one of three shark species, along with the tiger and great white shark, that are 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.