A social media backlash has followed a possible world record 625.5-kilogram tiger shark catch off Swansea, south of Newcastle, on Australia Day. The photograph (left) quickly made its way on to several fishing sites and went viral. But the fishermen, their Lake Macquarie Game Fishing Club and various people in the industry all refused to comment on the catch. Even local fishermen would not go on the record, claiming the media incited "greenies" and "do-gooders" and placed pressure on governments to change angling laws. In less than two days, the photograph tagged on Offshore Fishing NSW's Facebook site had gathered more than 3300 likes, 3000 shares and 2200 comments, some of them critical: "Hey guys, been fishing nearly my whole life and catching this huge tiger and killing it is no different than shooting a lion or a bengal tiger. Why not just tag it and let it go," Russell Lake posted. But Michael Burwell wrote: "I often wonder why people who hate fishing and fishermen troll such sites. If it offends you move on or better still embrace diversity, some people believe in different ideals to you. PS top catch well done to all."