A Kerikeri man was bitten by a 7ft mato shark at Matauri Bay while spearfishing yesterday morning, police have confirmed.
Kevin Lloyd was transported to Bay of Islands Hospital after emergency services received the call-out just after 11am.
He has 10 stitches in his hand but because of the nature of his leg wound and the high chance of infection it was decided to let it heal over time.
Lloyd, 24, had just speared a kingfish when the shark "came out of nowhere" and latched on to his leg and then bit his hand.
"I couldn't see what was going on I just knew there was a shark biting me. It managed to let go of my hands and then it swam off into the murk, he told the NZ Herald.
"I was stunned. I couldn't believe it was happening. We dive with sharks all the time but this shark we hadn't seen."
Despite the attack he still managed to land the kingfish he had just shot.
"I'm pretty stoked about that. In the whole commotion, my gunline and the fish - the spear was through it - and that was wrapped around me. I started swimming back and it was still there so I grabbed it."
The attack is the second shark attack in Northland in the space of two months.
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