A hammerhead shark was seen snatching a fish that was hooked by anglers in Florida.

Footage shows a boat with fishermen trying to haul a freshly caught tarpon fish when the hungry shark emerged in front of the vessel in Bahia Honda, Florida.

The men were seen leaning down to the side when they spotted the shark in a bid to salvage the tarpon, but the marine animal was faster and swam away with its food.

Biologists at the University of Massachusetts Amherst said 15.3 per cent of tarpons hooked by anglers were preyed upon by hammerheads while still caught on the line.

They found out that there had been increased encounters between anglers, tarpons, and sharks, and since the hammerheads are listed as critically endangered, experts had to step in.

The study suggests practical solutions for anglers, including using fishing gear to expedite tarpon landing, avoiding fishing during outgoing tides when depredation is more likely, and fostering an ecosystem-friendly approach.