MANHATTAN BEACH, Calif. (AP) — California officials say they won’t cite the fishermen who hooked a great white shark that bit a swimmer near the Manhattan Beach pier.

Authorities say the 7-foot shark was thrashing to get free from the line for more than 40 minutes Saturday before it bit a swimmer who was treated at a hospital.

It’s illegal to fish for great whites in California.

The fishermen said they accidentally hooked the shark and didn’t immediately cut the line because they hoped to guide it away from people in the water.

Capt. Rebecca Hartman of the state Department of Fish and Wildlife tells the Los Angeles Times (http://lat.ms/1n57dXh ) there’s no reason to believe they were targeting sharks.

Meanwhile, city officials have banned pier fishing until September while they consider new regulations.

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Information from: Los Angeles Times, http://www.latimes.com

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