"It's a big fish for a small child."
She said she and Cohen's father were keen on fishing, and Cohen had clearly inherited their enthusiasm for the sport.
"He's just happy and in his element, fishing."
Cohen's dad, Ben Snell, said they needed to confirm the validity of the catch by gathering line samples, photos and getting the hook rig certified.
They also had to confirm Cohen had not had any help bringing in the fish, and Ben said that came down to honesty, but was something they had always been conscious of.
"With any fish he has had help with, he hasn't had the glory of saying it is his fish."
Ben said he had spent plenty of time working with Cohen on hauling in his own fish.
He said the catch was a real local affair, having been caught from a Surtees 5.5 boat using a locally made Azure lure.
Cohen was also stoked with the verification.
"I was so happy it was a world record."
But his real wish is to finally catch a tuna, which he has not done yet.
Alan Keys, owner of Hunting and Fishing Whakatāne, has known the Snell family for many years and has seen many of Cohen's extended family members gain junior records.
"So, it was great to see the next generation come through with a world record."
