Experienced game fisherman Paul Barning went missing and is feared dead after being pulled into shark-infested waters off the coast of Newcastle during a fishing competition. Barning was tangled in wire trace and pulled off the boat into the water where great white sharks had been recently spotted. The New South Wales Game Fishing Association Interclub tournament was immediately cancelled, and a search involving multiple agencies was launched.
Barning, the former president of the Port Hacking Fishing Club, was the skipper of the boat he was pulled from, the Dark Horse. The incident occurred near Stockton Beach, a known breeding ground for great white sharks, and involved a group of fishermen who had encountered three sharks in a single day earlier in the month. Barning was no stranger to the shark-infested waters, having been part of a group that reeled in a 394kg tiger shark in 2021.
NSWGFA president Steve Lamond described Barning as a “much loved and revered member of our community” and urged people not to speculate on the incident. The search for Barning resumed on Monday, with boats involved in the competition assisting in the search efforts. The incident highlights the risks involved in game fishing, and Lamond emphasized the importance of looking out for each other and staying safe while engaging in the sport.
