Thread: Shark Problem

Originally Posted by Haywire

I'm gonna take some Alka Seltzer tablets and stick them in the Spanish carcasses, then watch the sharks swell up and come to the top. Could be fun.

Haywire -- It is scary how much we think alike!

I was fortunate enough to be in Panama City last spring when the Spanish were very prolific around the pier. I cleaned 30 every day (my limit and my sister who had a ball) and saw no signs prohibiting cleaning on the pier. The fish cleaning sink was in heavy use every day I was there. I enjoyed freezer fish for many months from that trip. Since I eat fish 4 or 5 times a week (blue fish last night) I realy enjoyed the fruits of that trip. I personally believe carcasses in the water attract the whole fish chain and are rhe best use of the remains from fish harvest.

Once again, cleaning and disposing of carcasses was allowed on the old pier and didn't attract the Sharks. Panama City piers allow it and so does Navarre, and don't attract Sharks. Then why does everyone think it does here? What's the difference?

Well, y'know, we could close down the pier to fishing for the next couple of months and see if that makes a difference when we start back up. I'll designate myself as the control fisherman and make daily fishing trips by myself and keep detailed reports on how many sharks as opposed to other fish that I catch. It'll be hell gaffing my own fish, but I'll tough it out just for y'all.

What? My suggestion is rejected?

Was that a death threat?

Y'all leave my cats out of this.

Hey, I didn't want to stop fishing either, but sacrifices must be made---especially if they're made by somebody else.

The shark problem is Gulf wide,ask anybody that fishes the oil platforms from near shore to 100 miles. The reason? longline restrictons. When the longliners did their thing in close,they kept the sharks in check,but now the sharks are keeping the tuna,billfish and other species at around the same number as they were before the distance ban(not sure what it is). All of us in the offshore world jumped with joy when this happened but over the last several years we have seen the destruction that a predator without any enemys can do. Heres another fact. Before the spill,which was five years this week,there was a boat licenced to catch sharks out of Gulf Shores Marina in Alabama state waters and was catching around 500,000 pounds of shark annually. Well he left the area and you see what has happened over the last several years. Bottom line is it's only to get worse...

This is a problem that does have a solution.Permit the retention of by-catch;the devil is in the details,but it would not be fishing for the prohibited species,but would allow for its retention of the by-catch.The permit system is already in place,and could be restricted to the problem species.The state allows for the removal of problem animals,and these are a problem.It also makes it so there is something in for the state. Carcharhinus limbatus,and Carcharhinus brevipinna are the problems not the generic.

The real problem is that the Gulf State Park has made it a major No-No to do any shark fishing period.
Ever try to reason with, or get a bureaucracy to change it's rules/regs? You'll have an easier time doing dental work on a free swimming 10' Tiger shark.

2.
Swimming, Fishing and Boating (220-5-.02)
................
(f) It shall be unlawful to fish for sharks
or use any type of shark fishing gear on
any Gulf State Park Public Beach or on
the Gulf State Park
Saltwater Fishing
Pier. It shall be unlawful to land or to
attempt to land any shark on any line
originally cast from said
State Park Pier or Beach.

Alabama already has size/creel limits for sharks.
Black Tips & Spinners are retainable species with a minimum 54" fork length, one per person per day.

Problem here is is that Bama has made it highly frowned upon to openly fish sharks from land/pier.
They wrote regulations that allow them to shut down any shore based fisherman at any time.
If you're obviously shark fishing, you better be far, far away from anyone in the water.

“It shall be unlawful within three hundred feet of the shoreline, or on a public pier, or on a private pier where an unsafe condition is created, on or in waters of Alabama under the jurisdiction of the Marine Resources Division as provided by Rule 220-2-.42, to fish for or target sharks or any species by those methods commonly known as ‘chumming’ or ‘bloodbaiting.’

“For purposes of this regulation, ‘chumming’ shall be defined as the throwing of bait or fish parts into the water to attract fish.
“For purposes of this regulation, ‘bloodbaiting’ shall be defined as the use of blood, chemical or synthetic attractants, fish parts, chicken parts or other animal parts to attract fish or sharks.

“It shall be unlawful, on or adjacent to the waters of Alabama under the jurisdiction of the Marine Resources Division as provided by Rule 220-2-.42, for any person to surf fish for sharks, bow fish for sharks, or fish for or target sharks by any other means from any pier or beach in such a manner that presents an unsafe condition to any beach goers, sun bathers, swimmers, or any other person.”

Actually I like the idea . Close the pier to fishing from June 1 until Oct. 1 . I have no problem with that . Good Idea George !
See you Oct. 1 .

Originally Posted by Haywire

Well, y'know, we could close down the pier to fishing for the next couple of months and see if that makes a difference when we start back up. I'll designate myself as the control fisherman and make daily fishing trips by myself and keep detailed reports on how many sharks as opposed to other fish that I catch. It'll be hell gaffing my own fish, but I'll tough it out just for y'all.

What? My suggestion is rejected?

Was that a death threat?

Y'all leave my cats out of this.

Hey, I didn't want to stop fishing either, but sacrifices must be made---especially if they're made by somebody else.

Carcharhinus limbatus =

Re: fshntime

Yeah I too wonder why anyone would ever think that sharks would ever be attracted to fresh fish remains thrown off a pier. Notice no one here will answer your question because they know they are wrong and you are right. They actually believe that sharks and fish are attracted to bait lol.