Shark Massacre in New York - Coverage - Very Sad

[SkipperJohn]

I do not mean to start the argument up again but one thing....Skipper, how can you say that tournaments are not to be considered a problem. It is obvious that commercial long lining is doing worst things to sharks that tournaments. My thing is this.... who cares? They're still killing sharks. No matter if it's even one shark, it's still one less shark. I sent emails to Quiznos and Disney advising them of my intentions to Boycott them.

I see your point but would you extend your argument to fishing in general? That is my point of view. For me at least, the fact that it is a tournament is inconsequential. If I fish and I take a fish, I do so to eat it. If along the way I weigh it & possibly win a contest, so be it.
Remember, shark fishing is heavily controlled. Only 1 shark allowed per vessel per day of any species. The species are very limited (no endangered sharks such as the short-fin Mako or the Great White or Dusky) and the size too must meet minimum requirements.
(Personally I am of the opinion that sharks without bladders should be restricted as well as I would never take such a shark as I do not consider them edible.)
But the resource can easily sustain such fishing and has for many years. Tournaments are very well covered by the media and this makes people take notice. But for me a tournament is just another day of fishing (if I participate-and this year I decided not to for personal reasons).
Anyway, back to my point. What about bluefish? What about Fluke? Blackfish or tautog? Why don't people get upset about them? Why sharks?
I feel it is ok to harvest from the oceans if it is going to be eaten. Fish recreationally caught taste better. The fish is better cared for. On my boat anything destined for the table get cleaned properly then iced. Even sharks will be properly treated. On commercial vessels the catch is often crushed in the nets, then crushed again in the ships hold with inadequate cooling. I have seen a commercial vessel dump a boat-load of fish a mile off shore because the refrigeration failed and the tons of fish they had spoiled. The line of dead fish went on for miles...
Sharks are fish. Fish are good to eat. Tasty and good for you too. As long as it is done responsibly and for the right reasons, I do not see a problem with it.
I know my opinion isn't popular here, but I am sure some share it. I fish along side dive boats often who are coming up with lobster, tautog and other fish. I don't see a difference.
And I apologize in advance to anyone who may be offended by my actions. It is not my intention to offend or change anyone point of view. I am simply expressing my own (and it seems defending myself).

 

[DivePhotoGuide]

Since I started this entire thread, I'll chime in saying that I do believe that everyone is entitled to their own opinions.

But the answer to why sharks is a simple one. They are the apex predator that are necessary for the ocean ecosystem to be balanced and they are in grave danger. Yes other fish are also in danger, but they may not have the ecosystem wide impact as the loss of sharks. Although you are correct about the "weigh in limits" at these competitions, again, far more sharks are caught and do die, and to your point the media covers these events and glorifies the killing of sharks, which does not help their survival on many levels. You are also right that if you are fishing for sustenance there should be no problem with it, but make no mistake about it, the tournaments are not for sustenance and the food banks are starting to realize this and are turning down the food because of how it is obtained (link to quotes from Long Island Cares).

We each make a choice on how to protect what we care about, but I don't judge others if they don't act the same way I do or share my views. The ocean has been looked at as a limitless supply of life for eons and it's hard for society as a whole to understand the dire situation we are in.

I am a seafood lover - but over the last few years as I have become more educated about the plight of the oceans, I have felt remorse over my former ignorance and have changed my habits significantly. Personally, I won't even eat shrimp unless it is American farmed shrimp and not internationally trawled shrimp. Will that save the oceans? No, but I personally won't contribute to the demand that fuels the ocean's destruction either, and I preach this to each and every person I can.

For the record - the little kids that I referenced in my story....I used to be one of those little kids. My father brought me to the Montauk shark tournament as a kid and I remember thinking back about how "cool" it was. Do I think my dad was a bad person, no of course not. He didn't know any better, and even 20 years ago the ocean was a different place with larger sharks. The size of the sharks landed at these tournaments is shrinking, and there's a reason behind it that has nothing to do with the tournament. But taking one reproductively mature sharks out of the ocean in any numbers contributes to a much bigger problem. The media covering these events is a bigger issue as it reverses the limited education and awareness that is slowly but surely happening about sharks' need for protection.

In the end, to each their own, I do not judge, but I wish that more people protected the ocean because it needs it. Many people love the ocean, few people do anything other than take from it. Ask not what your oceran can do for you but what you can do for your ocean...or something cliche like that...

 

[perdidochas]

Actually these are not half truths - many fishermen and shark scientists around the world will confirm all of this. Most sharks die - do you think they track the sharks that are thrown back with hooks embedded in their stomachs or jaws damaged? Catch and release for fish and sharks is very different. Many of these sharks die from the hooks ripping their stomachs apart.

Please show evidence of these far-fetched contentions. NOw, I will agree if hooks are embedded in stomachs, but that's a rarity with sportfishing. Hooks in jaws cause little harm.


This article in the Humane Society website concludes that up to 20% of sharks caught and released may die. That isn't "most."


Shark Tournaments: Frequently Asked Questions | The Humane Society of the United States

One study by researchers at Dalhousie University in Canada found that up to 20 percent of blue sharks probably died after being caught and released in tournaments.

Atlantic sharpnose sharks were found to have about a 5% mortality rate in catch and release fishing.

Short-term survival and movements of Atlantic sharpnose sharks captured by hook-and-line in the north-east Gulf of Mexico

 

[perdidochas]

"I'm willing to bet the answer lies somewhere in the middle & not at either end"

I bet you're right. Thanks for having a level heard about this. I'm sure you're a good person and you sound like you do have a general love for the ocean. I didn't mean to get into the heat of argument either. As you can tell I'm very passionate about creating awareness among the general public. I feel it's important that they know that sharks need to be protected before it's too late. The general public hates sharks (more so out of fear created by the media than anything else)

I understand your point, but exaggerations and undocumented "truths" are not the way to make your point.

 

[DivePhotoGuide]

As I stated - there is no accurate documentation, from either side of the argument (The Sharpnose study you linked to states that they caught ten sharks for the study). But many researchers and fishermen will agree that when it comes to sharks, far more die than we are led to believe.

Why do you argue for the killing of a species that is in danger? This mentality is a big part of the problem. It's the same way the commercial fishermen think, only on a bigger scale. Yes they are the ones who are the biggest problem, but as I stated many times, the media coverage of tournaments creates images and awareness of the glory of removing sharks. It builds on the fears that the media perpetuates (which acts on the primal fear that is instilled deep inside of us) and makes it far more difficult to solve the bigger problem, period.

Why contribute to all of this? Sharks are the apex predator and belong in the oceans, the removal of this species will create an unbalanced ecosystem with far reaching repercussions. Some people just think that the ocean is limitless, but it is about reaching its limit when it comes to sharks...

 

[DivePhotoGuide]

I understand your point, but exaggerations and undocumented "truths" are not the way to make your point.

I am simply shouting loud enough to combat the other side of the story - they have the podium - they are killing sharks and our oceans. Someone's gotta combat that and a boring story doesn't accomplish that. After speaking with researchers from around the globe, I believe in everything I've reported.

 

[Parso]

Sorry Skipper. I tend to agree with Sonet and Divephotoguide. I think in this day and age, one dead shark is one dead shark to many. I know there are 2 sides to every story and respect your point of view, but I think there is to much evidence out there suggesting that we are treading a very fine line as far as shark populations are concerned.

 

[Annie Crawley]

WOW! I can't believe I missed the heat of the argument...BRAVO for getting this going! Fear and denial do amazing things to people, especially when economics and pride are involved.

Hundreds of millions of sharks have been taken from the ocean and we do not know if they will be able to recover. They have lived on our planet for millions of years and we have done more destruction in our oceans in the past few decades than in all the centuries before. I agree one hundred percent, one shark taken is one shark too many. We need to bring awareness to our entire planet. Sure the US and fifteen other countries have banned shark finning, yet go to any fancy restaurant in any of our large cities and you will see shark fin soup on the menu. You will see shark served as fish and chips at your local restaurant...if you ask what the fish is in the fish and chips...

The facts are very simple...too many sharks have been taken from the ocean and we do not know what affect this is going to have on the ecosystems within. JAWS created terror...we have been trying to undo this terror for more than thirty years. People still view sharks as monsters...

More people die from toaster attacks, chair attacks and soda pop machine accidents than from sharks. The sorry truth is we do not have the technology or the numbers from the past years to really know how much damage we have done.

I am a 100 ton Captain here in California and a filmmaker. I am friends with people who have lived, worked and known the ocean off Southern California for the past fifty years. Our oceans are changing and there are not nearly the sharks or the marine life in our waters as years past.

They have been taken for sport, as by-catch, illegally...long lining...

 

[SkipperJohn]

I somehow knew my position wouldn't be a popular one.

 

[AEIOU]

I do not mean to start the argument up again but one thing....Skipper, how can you say that tournaments are not to be considered a problem. It is obvious that commercial long lining is doing worst things to sharks that tournaments. My thing is this.... who cares? They're still killing sharks. No matter if it's even one shark, it's still one less shark. I sent emails to Quiznos and Disney advising them of my intentions to Boycott them.

Why the boycott of Quiznos and Disney?