Man surrounded by sharks off NC coast

A fisherman off the coast of Cape Point, North Carolina was surrounded by sharks on Monday.

The video, shared with CNN, shows the sharks about 300 yards off the coast surrounding professional surfer and fisherman Brett Barley.

Barley was riding his watercraft and trying to catch black fin tuna and red drum but he accidentally caught a shark. The shark was able to chew threw the line and break free. 

Barley later returned to the same area where he caught the shark and found himself surrounded. The sharks were feeding on baitfish. He believed they were spinner sharks, which are known to form schools and migrate along the Atlantic coast from Florida to North Carolina, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. They get their name because they are often seen breaking the surface in a spinning motion to pursue their prey. 

Barley notes that if you see a dozen sharks above the surface, there are probably far more below the water. He said he stayed calm and drove through the area to get out. 

Cape Point is on Hatteras Island.

Last year, fisherman caught and released a 13-foot great white shark off of the shores of Frisco, which is on the other side of the island. 

In North Carolina, recreational fishermen are required by state law and the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration to release any shark captured, including from prohibited species, without removing them from the water and in a way that maximizes their survival.

Commercial fishermen can keep some types of sharks in season.