Divers shoot Sand Tigers off Wilmington coast

[NCSU_Diver]

Anybody know what the charter company was? I'm just curious since I live and dive near Wilmington.

 

[ScottZeagle]

This is COMPLETELY true, I was on that charter and swam 10 ft from with the big tiger- an 8 to 10 fter maybe 10 minutes before these morons killed it. They were using powers heads and claimed to have shot it 3 times. It gets worse, I saw at least 1 or 2 fish they left on the bottom. Several of us had a discussion about these guys. I don't spear fish and have nothing against it - I have pulled my share of fish on board but these were slob "hunters" at best. They were also very careless with their guns underwater, several of us had fairly close encounters with their shaft points on the way up and down the anchor line. I don't think the captain had any idea what these guys were up to until it was too late. I considered calling marine fisheries but as all the evidence has long been thown overboard it did not seem worth while. I suspect the owner of the boat will change the way the operation handles spearfisherman from now on. I am comfident he will take note of the disgust expressed here.

Thanks for the confirmation, Herman. If you say it is true, I believe you 100%.
I am often a little weary of these stories, as most of the time only one side is represented. This IS the internet, after all...

I agree that the local authorities should be informed of this incident.

Even after-the-fact they can at LEAST make sure the Capt. is aware that this CAN NOT happen, and that is is ILLEGAL!!!!!!!

Scott

 

[Cape Fear Divers]

This is COMPLETELY true, I was on that charter and swam 10 ft from with the big tiger- an 8 to 10 fter maybe 10 minutes before these morons killed it. They were using powers heads and claimed to have shot it 3 times. It gets worse, I saw at least 1 or 2 fish they left on the bottom. Several of us had a discussion about these guys. I don't spear fish and have nothing against it - I have pulled my share of fish on board but these were slob "hunters" at best. They were also very careless with their guns underwater, several of us had fairly close encounters with their shaft points on the way up and down the anchor line. I don't think the captain had any idea what these guys were up to until it was too late. I considered calling marine fisheries but as all the evidence has long been thown overboard it did not seem worth while. I suspect the owner of the boat will change the way the operation handles spearfisherman from now on. I am comfident he will take note of the disgust expressed here.

Hello all---This disgusting incident unfortunately took place on my boat.

Many of the remedies suggested here have already taken place. I have personally provided a full description of the incident to both State and federal authorities, along with the names and contact information of the two spearfishers. I understand that Officer Cornelius of the NC Marine Patrol has already been in contact with at least one of them, and that the federal NMFS investigator is at work on the both of them.

Serious consideration was given to beating the he** out of the guys on the dock, but clearer heads prevailed. They were given a serious tongue lashing by at least two members of the crew, and several passengers also expressed their disgust.

I have talked to many people about this, and so far everyone who knows what really happens agrees that we did all we could do. No one ever in our wildest dreams imagined that some idiot would go down and shoot sand tiger sharks. It was stupid and wrong on so many levels: wasteful, unsporting, illegal, dangerous to the shooter, and dangerous to the other divers. But, as Herman said, we had no idea what was going on until it was too late--and no way of knowing that i have been able to figure out. I suppose some of the other divers may have seen it happening, but i can't fault them for not getting between an injured shark and an idiot with a spear gun. Some on this list fault us for letting the dead shark on board. While it might have been a nice symbolic gesture to have fought the guy over it while he was on the ladder and made him leave it, we didn't have the luxury of allowing ourselves an immediate emotional reaction--and it would have made no difference to the shark at that point. Our first priority was to get the five foot shark off the swim platform so we could assist the other divers out of the water and to safety. Once the divers and the boat were secure, we dealt with it.

We keep the fishing regulations (full version) on board, as well as the hot line number for questionable calls. We have the size limits posted, with measuring devices provided and measurements required on any close calls. Unlike some dive charter boats, we have the full panoply of State and federal permits.

We are going to add to our dive briefing a warning not to shoot sharks (though we'll feel stupid saying it, and i've never heard it in anyone else's dive briefing, it's happened once, so . . . ). We are also going to post a prohibited species list--something i've never seen on a dive boat, but once burned, twice shy.

I am not a spearfisher myself, but i have several friends who are, and i come from a long line of land-based hunters, and my experience has always been that hunters are expected to and do know the laws and abide by them, as several posters here have said.

The great irony is that this would happen on my boat. You would have to look far and wide to find a diver more concerned about the marine environment than i am. The beauty, species diversity, and natural wonder of it all is why i dive. I don't kill things when i dive because i want it all to be there for the next diver, and for the ecosystem. I don't collect artifacts when i dive because i want it all to be there for the next diver. I have spent much of my life working to protect the environment, and have won awards for my work. Hell, i get pissed when a diver is careless with their fins and lets them brush the corals.

For these reasons, i seriously considered when starting this operation to prohibit spearfishing completely. I didn't, and until this incident, i have been gratified. All of the spearfishermen have been knowledgable, careful, and very selective in what they shoot--until now.

The affirming thing about the whole mess is the almost universal reaction of my crew, the divers aboard, and the dive community against this senseless killing of a marine predator. Divers care about the environment in which we dive.

I would welcome any constructive suggestions.

 

[herman]

Thank you for posting Jim.
I am sorry this happened on your boat but what someone does after they leave the deck is out of your control and making a big scene that far at sea could have gotten ugly. Obviously, I knew who you were and the boat but choose to keep that detail out of my post. You have a great boat and crew and I encourage everyone here to understand your position. Even though I don't spear fish.....yet I have nothing against those who do. Like you I come from a long line of hunters and have spent many hours in the woods myself but I have nothing but disgust for slob hunters. I would hate to see you ban it from your boat alltogether. Setting up spearfishing charters may be the answer or it may be as simple as requiring anyone who wants to spearfish off your boat to have dove with you on several occasions so you know them.

Thanks to you as well Scott- I try to keep it honest.

 

[ReefGuy]

Who would? I've never heard of anyone doing this. Thank you for the measures you have taken, and for taking the time to tell us about it. I hate it when idiots do stupid things and ruin things for the rest of us.

No one ever in our wildest dreams imagined that some idiot would go down and shoot sand tiger sharks.

 

[Kriterian]

I would welcome any constructive suggestions.

I think you did all that you could but you went the extra mile by admitting it here, and having the "lead shot" to stand up for yourself. I applaud that and will dive with ya'll in the future if the opportunity arises. Thanks for letting us know the details, and if you happen to see any thing in the news about these guys getting arrested, let us know.

 

[suthnbelle]

Hello all---This disgusting incident unfortunately took place on my boat.

Many of the remedies suggested here have already taken place. I have personally provided a full description of the incident to both State and federal authorities, along with the names and contact information of the two spearfishers. I understand that Officer Cornelius of the NC Marine Patrol has already been in contact with at least one of them, and that the federal NMFS investigator is at work on the both of them.

Serious consideration was given to beating the he** out of the guys on the dock, but clearer heads prevailed. They were given a serious tongue lashing by at least two members of the crew, and several passengers also expressed their disgust.

.... Some on this list fault us for letting the dead shark on board. While it might have been a nice symbolic gesture to have fought the guy over it while he was on the ladder and made him leave it, we didn't have the luxury of allowing ourselves an immediate emotional reaction--and it would have made no difference to the shark at that point. Our first priority was to get the five foot shark off the swim platform so we could assist the other divers out of the water and to safety. Once the divers and the boat were secure, we dealt with it.

Jim, thanks for posting on the thread. You didn't have to come forward and say it was your charter, but I think we all appreciate that you did. It seems like you've taken the appropriate measures now, and when you were on the boat. I think you're correct in that you had to first assist the other divers coming aboard, and then deal with the situation. I think posting the prohibited species list is a great idea. Hopefully, idiots like this are few and far between.

Mel

 

[Capt Jim Wyatt]

I'm sorry to report that a few divers diving off of one of the local charter boats went down on the Hyde last Saturday and speared 2 sand tiger sharks.

*******s.

 

[ScottZeagle]

For these reasons, i seriously considered when starting this operation to prohibit spearfishing completely. I didn't, and until this incident, i have been gratified. All of the spearfishermen have been knowledgable, careful, and very selective in what they shoot--until now.

Thanks for the post, Jim. It is refreshing to know that you are being proactive on this whole incident!!!

I appreciate the fact that you allow spearfishing on your boat, as many active spearfisherman rely on charters as their only means of reaching the shootable LEGAL fish.

I think you hit the nail on the head when you say that never in your wildest dreams did you think some idiot would shoot a shark...

Best regards,

Scott Lakes
Zeagle Systems, Inc

 

[greg1]

This is COMPLETELY true, I was on that charter and swam 10 ft from with the big tiger- an 8 to 10 fter maybe 10 minutes before these morons killed it. They were using powers heads and claimed to have shot it 3 times. It gets worse, I saw at least 1 or 2 fish they left on the bottom. Several of us had a discussion about these guys. I don't spear fish and have nothing against it - I have pulled my share of fish on board but these were slob "hunters" at best. They were also very careless with their guns underwater, several of us had fairly close encounters with their shaft points on the way up and down the anchor line. I don't think the captain had any idea what these guys were up to until it was too late. I considered calling marine fisheries but as all the evidence has long been thown overboard it did not seem worth while. I suspect the owner of the boat will change the way the operation handles spearfisherman from now on. I am comfident he will take note of the disgust expressed here.

I am just curious, were these idiots aware of what they were doing or clueless??? Since you were on that charter, what was their reaction to and other that protested what they did? Did the captain have ANYTHING to say to them??? Once he found out what happened, he should have tossed their guns over board. I have seen it happen in jersey. The captain gave a briefing on the dos and don't and warned any safety violations wouldn't be tolerated and if it happened, the guns would be tossed....and he did it! The person didn't like it but (a) was warned in advance and (b) the captain had the backing of the crew and passengers.

All I know is I would have freaked on them!