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Return of Jaws at Sheffield market
JUST a few hours earlier it had been terrorising the deep and chasing down its prey.
But the following morning this king of the sea was causing shrieks down at Sheffield's Castle Market.
Weighing in at 20kg and measuring five feet plus from the tip of its ferocious looking head to the end of its tail, it looked every inch the monster. But customers queuing up at Smith and Tissington's fishmonger stall couldn't get enough of it.
Proprietor Paul Tissington explained the beast was in fact a Porbeagle shark.
"I've sold shark before but never a Porbeagle," said Paul who has been selling fish for more than 40 years – and his father before him.
"I got a call from a fish merchant in Brixham in Devon asking me if I wanted it.
"I checked to see if it was protected on the endangered list, and when it wasn't I ordered it.
"The fisherman told me he had been fishing for pollack and coley off the west coast of Ireland when he landed the fish accidentally.
"Apparently the pollack and coley had been chasing mackerel, and in turn the Porbeagle had been chasing them.
"It's a very attractive and unusual fish which is said to be one of the quickest swimmers in the sea – but it wasn't quick enough on this occasion."
Within hours of the shark landing Paul was filleting the beast and preparing it for sale.
And the queues to buy it were already forming.
"People love shark and Porbeagle has a reputation of being a fabulous fish to eat," he said. "It will be gone in no time.
"When it comes to shark the head and fins are always first to go - they are extremely popular with the Asian community.
"Shark fins are reputed to have an aphrodisiac quality.
"I haven't tried them myself, mind."
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Weather for Sheffield
Wednesday 23 May 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 13 C to 24 C
Wind Speed: 8 mph
Wind direction: East
Tomorrow
Cloudy
Temperature: 12 C to 24 C
Wind Speed: 10 mph
Wind direction: North east
