Rare goblin shark caught by American shrimp fisherman

This fisherman's catch is goblin up the headlines.

A Florida shrimper accidentally caught an incredibly rare Goblin Shark off the coast of Key West, Florida, on April 19, according to the Houston Chronicle.

"I didn't even know what it was," fisherman Carl Moore said. "I didn't get the tape measure out because that thing's got some wicked teeth, they could do some damage."

Instead, Moore snapped some quick photos and threw the shark back in the ocean.

Moore didn't report the find to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration until Thursday. According to the NOAA, the 18-foot-long shark is only the second ever seen in the Gulf. It is "one of the rarest species of sharks," according to NOAA.

Goblin sharks are most commonly found off the coast of Japan, the Chronicle reports. They are "pinkish white" in color with bluish fins, according to NOAA.


/Huffingtonpost/