Fishermen use broom to keep great white shark away from boat

April 7 (UPI) -- An Australian charter service shared video of fishermen using a red broom to push a great white shark away from their boat.

Salty Dog Charters of Port Fairy, Victoria, shared video on Facebook and YouTube from a Wednesday outing that featured a great white shark making a surprise appearance while charter service owner Dan Hoey and his crew were trying to attract yellowtail kingfish.

"We were out there searching for yellowtail kingfish, and to do some research work to put some satellite tags in them, and this shark turned up and hung around," Hoey told the Melbourne Herald Sun.

He said the fishermen were shoving the shark with the red broom to keep it from damaging the boat.

"It's just an easy piece of equipment to push them away from the motor so they don't bite it," he said.

Hoey said the shark wasn't injured by the broom pushes. He said it wasn't the first time his crew has used the item to ward off a shark.

"They're a little bit unnerving. We weren't scared, but a little unnerved," he said.

Hoey and his crew dubbed the shark "Black Betty" after the song that was playing in the background during their encounter.