Warmer sea temperatures could bring new visitors to the British coastline, in the shape of a Great White Shark, a fisherman has warned.
They are heading to shores in the West Country from the Mediterranean and African seas as climate change becomes an increasing threat.
And even though four in 10 people have admitted to an irrational fear of sharks, experts say people would "definitely" pay to come out see them., Somerset Live reports.
Ashley Lane, who runs pleasure cruises and fishing trips in Devon said his fellow colleagues have spotted sharks in waters around the county.
Ashley said that he believes they are likely to be in the region's waters now, and that there has already been evidence of other less common marine life off the coasts of the area.
He told Devon Live: "There are more than likely Great Whites out there, mainly off the Cornish coast, but I've heard nothing so far this year. We usually hear more rumours.
"We've seen a few pods of common dolphins with juveniles in the bay and there are definitely tuna swimming around too."
In 2018 Ashley said he was "sure" that great whites were in the waters around the region, and that it is something that would be a double-edged sword.
He said: "I think species like this swimming off the Devon coast would be a great thing and definitely good for my trade - people would love to see that sort of thing.
"However, you are then bating wildlife which interferes with the ecosystem - they are not pets and shouldn't be treated as such."
More species could be heading towards the UK from places such as the Mediterranean and the coast of Africa as seas become warmer due to climate change, according to the research commissioned to mark Nat Geo WILD's week-long "Sharkfest" of TV programming this week.
Dan Garnett has made a living selling locally caught fish at markets around the region.
He said: "It's great news that the water here is getting warmer and that more shark species are coming here. It's not just more sightings, there is a definite change happening.
"However, I would urge caution. While they're not dangerous and I wouldn't tell anyone to stay out of the sea, people do need to respect the water.
Dr Ken Collins, from the University of Southampton, based at the National Oceanography Centre, and former administrator of the UK shark tagging programme, said: "It's likely we will be seeing more sharks.
"These include the likes of blacktips, sand tigers and hammerheads, which are currently found swimming off the coasts of Spain and Portugal."
And John Ford a skipper said: "People would definitely pay to come out and see that sort of thing, although I don't think they'd be interested in fishing for them."
Polling of 2,000 British adults for Nat Geo WILD found four in 10 people admitted to an irrational fear of sharks while swimming in the sea, while more than eight out of 10 think they have been given a bad reputation by Hollywood
