Female endangered scallophead abandoned at Marina

[sailingk8]

I don't even have words...

Hammerhead Shark Killed, Left On Marina Dock
Conservationist: Hammerhead Shark Killed, Left On Dock - West Palm Beach News Story - WPBF West Palm Beach

 

[SSharkk]

Sickening.

 

[Chris Brown Tech]

The people responsible should be sought and charged.

Wouldnt a 9' Hamerhead be a Sphyrna Mokarran not a scalloped? If so, even more sickening as they are much rarer. Difficult to tell fro the photo, but the dorsal is tall like on a great hammerhead.

 

[smellzlikefish]

Scalloped hammerheads commonly get up to 11 feet long (14 according to Wikipedia). Combined with the picture, I'd say it is most probably a scalloped and not a great, but you're right in that it can be tough to tell. As it probably is a scalloped hammerhead, it is not an endangered species as the title of the posting states. It is an animal that could be easily exploited and seeing one brought to the docks and destroyed as a showpiece is saddening, regardless of its CITES status.

 

[sailingk8]

Update on the Story:
Hammerhead shark Palm Beach Shores: Shark in Palm Beach Shores killed for trophy - South Florida Sun-Sentinel.com


No The Scallop Hammerhead isn't endangered and I apologize for labeling it with out the " "
but the reality is most shark biologist and hammerhead experts would agree that with numbers diminished worldwide by up to 95% they should be listed. After the last CITES meeting in Doha I've personally lost all respect for the CITES process. The political payoffs and dealings that a respected friend witnessed there was enough to convince me of this. No, not "endangered" but a valuable ocean resource that needs better protection and in my opinion better respect than to be left dead on the dock.

I hope that PA couple enjoy their wall ornament. At some point in the future a family member can point at it and say these used to travel in groups a hundred strong but sadly now they are all gone.

 

[LIVES4SHARKS]

I just got this message from the Shark Research Institute and Jim Abernathy. Please vote on the video that he posted. Only through education and perseverence we can continue to fight for their protection.

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An Urgent Message from

Jim Abernethy [/FONT][FONT=Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif] [/FONT]

[FONT=Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif]Dear Friends,
I need your help please! I am trying to stop the needless shark killing here in my home town. [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif] [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif]Although this has happened many times at this marina, it was the first time I was in town to catch it, thank god! [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif] [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif]http://current.com/green/92627366_shark-death-a-waste-of-life.htm[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif] [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif]Please vote for the video above so this needless killing of an endangered scalloped hammerhead shark, will have more impact! If enough people vote it may go to national news which means more support for stopping the needless slaughter of these beautiful creatures that are so vital to the health of our oceans!

[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif]Feel free to post this everywhere! Below is the actual story with images! Thank you for your help! [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif] [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif]At this moment I am very sad to say that the fisherman that did this will not be penalized in anyway, because of a interpretation of the law that makes no sense to me what so ever! [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif] [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif]If you need to reach me, email is best! Many of you know me very well and know that because I live at sea, swimming with these beautiful creatures everyday year round, I see this the horrific act the same way most people would look at your pet dog, left on a cart to die and bake in the sun, as if no one gives a dam! I do give a dam and I hope you do to! [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif] [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif]Please make this count and make a difference! This type of behavior infuriates me and needs to be stopped! Thanks so much for your help![/FONT]


[FONT=Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif]Save The Sharks,
Jim

Jim Abernethy's Scuba Adventures, Inc.
216 North Federal Highway, Lake Park, Fl. 33403
888-901-DIVE (3483)
local: 561-842-6356
fax: 561-863-4870
www.scuba-adventures.com
Office email info@scuba-adventures.com
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Jim Abernethy, Palm Beach, Florida

Today I received a report of another needless killing of an endangered animal at the Sailfish Marina.

When I got to the marina, I found a 9 foot female scalloped hammerhead shark -- possibly pregnant -- laying abandoned on the dock in the sun. The dock attendants informed me that this shark -- this endangered animal -- was brought in by the Capt. John Krohn on the Boomerang, a 43 foot sport fishing vessel. Capt. Krohn had already left the marina.


Sharks like this scalloped hammerhead have existed in our oceans for hundreds of millions of years and are absolutely vital to maintaining the health of our oceans. But hammerheads have declined by over 80% in the past thirty years.**



They're being driven closer and closer to extinction because of commercial fishing to their fins, and also because of careless and wasteful practices like what we've seen today. Sharks don't spawn millions of eggs like other fish -- they give birth to a small number of live young, like mammals. This makes them extremely vulnerable and when their populations are depleted, they can't recover.







What would compel someone to kill this beautiful and endangered animal for absolutely no good reason?









1. Scalloped hammerheads are endangered animals. The are listed on the IUCN (International Union for the Conservation of Nature) Red List of Threatened Species as "Endangered" which is defined as "Very High Risk of Extinction". (http://www.iucnredlist.org/apps/redlist/details/39385/0)


Killing a large, potentially pregnant, mature female like this one is especially damaging. There are only a small number of these mature females left and they should be protected in order to sustain and rebuild the current population.





2. Sharks of this size are not suitable for consumption because of the high levels of mercury and other toxins that accumulate in their bodies. The FL Dept of Health publication "Your Guide to Eating Fish Caught in Florida" states with regard to sharks:


All coastal waters, Shark, all species 43 inches or more: Do Not Eat

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It's obvious that no one intended to eat this shark anyway since Capt. Krohn of the Boomerang left the dead shark lying in the sun on the dock.​

3. It's also illegal to kill a fish that you are not going to eat. This is called willful and wonton waste of wildlife and it is prohibited under Florida statute.


Fl Statues 379.2421
Fishers and equipment; regulation.
- (4) RETURN OF FISH TO WATER.-All persons taking food fish from any of the waters of this state by use of seines, nets, or other fishing devices and not using any of such fish because of size or other reasons shall immediately release and return such fish alive to the water from which taken and no such fish may be placed or deposited on any bank, shore, beach or other place out of the water.

What would compel someone to kill this beautiful and endangered animal for absolutely no good reason?


4 The reason might be to push a potential sale with a taxidermist for a possible mount as a trophy for the wall. It is a well known fact that the captains get a commission from the taxidermist for the sale. The dead animal is often used as a lever to push the sale so it will not be viewed as a total waste! It is also well known fact that taxiidermist no longer use any part of the animal. They just measure it and make a fiberglass replica from previous mounts!



They're being driven closer and closer to extinction because of commercial fishing to their fins, and also because of careless and wasteful practices like what we've seen today. Sharks don't spawn millions of eggs like other fish -- they give birth to a small number of live young, like mammals. This makes them extremely vulnerable and when their populations are depleted, they can't recover.


Hammerheads need to have legal protection from all fishing. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is going to consider adding hammerheads to the Prohibited Species List this year. I'm thrilled that they've recognized the need to protect these animals and hope to see this regulation passed soon.


But Florida is just one state. These animals desperately need Federal and International protection as well!!

** Stock Assessment of Scalloped Hammerheads in the Western North Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico - Christopher G. Hayes, Yan Jiao, Enric Cortes - North American Journal of Fisheries Management - 29:1406-1417, 2009. "The present study is the first species-specific assessment of scalloped hammerheads in the western North Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico, and it synthesizes all available data." P. 1407
"The level of population depletion (relative to 1981) found in the present study (83%) is similar to that found by Baum et al. (2003), who estimated an 89% decline in the western North Atlantic Ocean population of scalloped hammerheads during 1986-2000, based on pelagic longline logbook data." P. 1415









Jim Abernethy's Scuba Adventures, Inc.
216 North Federal Highway, Lake Park, Fl. 33403
888-901-DIVE (3483)
local: 561-842-6356
fax: 561-863-4870
Bahamas & Palm Beach, Florida Scuba Diving :: Jim Abernethy's Scuba Adventures
Office email info@scuba-adventures.com
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Thank you!
Carolyn:shark2:

 

[Chugwhump]

What a waste.
I guess it was too much effort to just pull out the hook next to it's mouth for the fisherman.
Or they do not really know what they are doing with that big boat and all.
Chug
On some days I am just ashamed to be human like the jerk(s) are that killed this shark.

 

[smellzlikefish]

I should have checked the IUCN list before I said anything. I stand corrected.

At the Race of Long Island Sound, charters often run into schools of dogfish while targeting other, more desired fish species. Many ahve taken up the habit of stabbing the sharks in the head when they come up in an effort to reduce their population so the other fish can flourish for their customers. It was a shame and while I said something, I knew they would only pick up this practice after I left. I imagine this isn't the only place people do this, law or not. What happens at sea stays at sea. The light at the end of this tunnel is, while sharks get wasted needlessly everyday, whether for fins or plain cruelty, this hammerhead was in public display and got some headlines. Maybe it will turn some heads.

 

[Louie]

Thanks to everyone who posted info on this. I must say while I am disgusted, I am not surprised. There's always the idiots who feel compelled to kill sharks.

But I still have some hope that education has an important role to play and that those who feel it is acceptable to kill these animals for pleasure will one day become a minority. Beyond that, we can only support efforts to make their hobbies a bit more difficult through legislation and tighter enforcement of laws.

Yours for healthy oceans

Lou

 

[DESIGNERDIVER]

What a sin! This is senseless. Blatent disregard. How could he just leave the shark laying there. Why kill it then? This disgusts me.