•Organohalogens and trace metals were analysed for 12 North-East Atlantic porbeagles.•Organohalogens were low (CB and BDE concentrations 0.04–0.85mgkg−1 wet wt).•Linear relationships between Ni and total PCB in relation to length for porbeagle.•High Cd concentration (7.2mgkg−1wet wt), was observed in one mature porbeagle.•Hg and Pb detected only in single porbeagles, at 0.34 and 0.08mgkg−1wet wt. The North-East Atlantic porbeagle (Lamna nasus) population has declined dramatically over the last few decades and is currently classified as ‘Critically Endangered’. As long-lived, apex predators, they may be vulnerable to bioaccumulation of contaminants. In this study organohalogen compounds and trace elements were analysed in 12 specimens caught as incidental bycatch in commercial gillnet fisheries in the Celtic Sea in 2011. Levels of organohalogen contaminants were low or undetectable (summed CB and BDE concentrations 0.04–0.85mgkg−1wet weight). A notably high Cd concentration (7.2mgkg−1wet weight) was observed in one mature male, whereas the range observed in the other samples was much lower (0.04–0.26mgkg−1wet weight). Hg and Pb concentrations were detected only in single animals, at 0.34 and 0.08mgkg−1wet weight, respectively. These contaminant levels were low in comparison to other published studies for shark species.