http://www.sun-sentinel.com/sfl-shark-fishing-b071009,0,256265.story
Our original post on the interviews
About a week ago i recieved a phone call from Maria Herrera a Sun Sentinel newspaper columnist/writer who asked to join us on the beach with a photographer in order to interview members of the South Florida Shark Club.The young writer wanted to do a story on the increasing popularity of land-based shark fishing and the changes that are being proposed by FWC and local municipalities that will affect our sport .Our Shark Club's long history in this sport gives us a different perspective as we have lived and fished through all the changes in the laws that have impacted our sport. We agreed to the interview and set up a date to meet on the beach but on our first scheduled date we had to cancel because of the persistant rain.The following day everything fell into place and with a cooler full of fresh bomber bonitas courtesy of Capt Mike Rodriguez and my buddy Kenny we headed north for our rendevous on the beach.On the way to the beach i picked up Kenny who lives in Pompano and we meet the other Shark Club members Colby Uva ,his friend Eddy,Meir Ceriouru, Shannon Bustamante(seaweed) , wife Sandra ,and baby Brianna on the beach .When we got to the beach the Sun Sentinel writer and photographer were allready there and interviewing Zach Miller of team Rebel who happened to be fishing down the beach from where we set up our camp.We started yakking out our baits just as the sun was setting and by 9.15 pm we managed to get out all 8 baits on reels ranging in size from from a 9/0 to 16/0.
The interviews ,the filming, and the picture taking start and we are delighted to have the oppurtunity to answer the many questions that are put to us.We are asked how we feel about the possible tightening of restrictions on sharks that can be taken and we reply that "we welcome any change that the Authorities make to further protect the sharks as long as we are allowed to continue to practice our sport in a safe responsible way".I also state with full committment "that what is needed is an internatinal organization that we can all be involved with that will fight to ban shark longlining around the planet".Finding a way to ban the longlining of sharks is the one TRUE WAY of helping the shark stocks rebound.All the bashing that takes place on the shark fishing websites when someone kills a shark is useless if we don't attack the problem at it's root. The reporter and her photographer are very nice , easy going people and we try to make them feel comfortable while they interview different Shark Club members but the mosquitoes are out in full force and we pass the spray repellent to them to ease the attack.
We chose the right night to shark fish because every single bait that is yakked out gets hit and we end up catching 4 but should of had 6 without a doubt.
The interview gets under way
Every time the reporter and her photographer were leaving one of the reels would start screaming and they would scramble back beside us to record the hot shark action.This happened three times and we got a big laugh out of there supposed departure every time they came running back and the mosquitoes on there tail.On this night the biggest shark was not any that was caught but the one Colby hooked on his 14/0 that flung him around and almost dragged him in when he set up using the "running man"The shark did not get hooked but spit the bait that only had a single hook in it.Later in the night Kenny hooked a nice shark on his 9/0 and lost it after the #12 wire leader parted at the hook.What did these two young shark hunters learn tonight#1 to always use a secondary hook when using a large bait and #2 always use #19 wire.The rain that had threatened to soak us and make us miserble became a reality and although we were ready for it's arrival with tarps I ended up fighting my lemon shark in the rain but i did not feel a thing in the heat of battle
The first hookup of the night seaweed(Shannon)is bowed up on a gummer
Baby Brianna wants to help out her daddy
A nurse over 8 foot is the first shark of the night,,,,,,,,I need a ne camera my lens cover is not opening completely
the quick release
Eddie with the second shark of the night
Colby Uva the U of M marine Sciences student helps out his buddy with the release
Shannon gets the next shark a brown (sandbar)shark that is almost 7 foot long
this sandbar shark is a rare catch for July in south Florida but they are a very scrappy indeed
fighting the lemon on the 16/0
the final shark of the night a 8 foot 8 inch female lemon shark that has many mating scars on it's back and head
This lemon shark was caught thanks to Josh Jorgensen for letting me have the huge head from the 50 lb kingfish he caught in West Palm Beach a few weeks ago.Thanks to Colby for yakking out my big king head late in the night
Kenny helps with the release
see you later lemon
We are looking forward to the Sun Sentinel report to hit the newstands around July 19.We had a great night of shark fishing and an oppurtunity to discuss our point of view on many different issues affecting the land-based shark hunters in south Florida.Shark fishing in Florida is evolving and changes are on the way but we have always adapted and survived and will continue to do so.We will continue to work at uniting the land-based shark fisherman so that together we can represent a much stronger voice to bring respect and recognition to our sport and the fisherman involved in it.
"UNITED WE STAND DIVIDED WE FALL"
Shore-based shark fishing under fire
Reported by: Jennifer Rivera
Email: jrivera@wptv.com
Last Update: 3:36 pm
(AP) WEST PALM BEACH, FL--The Delray Beach City Commission last week voted to ban shark fishing from the public beach.
The practice became an issue there after complaints from swimmers poured in.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission now plans to ban the killing of Sandbar, Silky and Caribbean Reef sharks. Even a prominent local taxidermy company has announced it will no longer accept sharks.
Local fishermen weighed in on the issue:
"If you're fishing there, the sharks are already there,” said Jeremy Catania, “Going up and down the shores, catching bait, you can see the sharks in the water and people are swimming there either way, so catching them won't make a difference."
"If there is evidence to show the population is deteriorating, then I would support a ban,” said Al Jepson, “But if not then I think we should fish sharks."
Conservationists are also pressing the state to add protections for the Lemon shark and the Great Hammerhead, recently declared endangered around the world.
"2017 Team little rock
Never test the depth of the water with both feet"
I DO NOT SWIM IN THE OCEAN
GO BIG OR GO HOME
By David Fleshler and Maria Herrera
South Florida Sun-Sentinel
July 10, 2009
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A row of eight fishing rods stands along the ocean in Delray Beach, sturdily anchored in the sand with plastic pipes. Lightning flashes in the night sky. A reel starts creaking.
"That's a big one!" yells William Fundora, president of the South Florida Shark Club. "That's a hammer!"
The suspected hammerhead shark gets away, but the evening is young. By the time the night is over, they will bag a sandbar shark and two nurse sharks -- all gently released alive into the ocean.
The pursuit of the sea's most fearsome predator remains for many the ultimate fishing thrill, but shark fishing is coming under pressure as shark numbers plummet worldwide.
The biggest threat remains commercial fishing, driven by the East Asian demand for shark fin soup. But recreational fishing thins their numbers, too, as fishing competitions award prizes for the biggest tiger, bull or hammerhead, and individual fishermen seek record-shattering catches.
Now a campaign to limit recreational shark fishing is gathering momentum among conservationists, government agencies and some in the fishing community. The Delray Beach City Commission last week voted to ban shark fishing from the public beach. A prominent local taxidermy company has announced it no longer will accept sharks, putting pressure on charter captains to stop landing them. And the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission plans to ban the killing of sandbar, silky and Caribbean reef sharks.
Conservationists are pressing the Florida commission to add protections for the lemon shark and the great hammerhead, a species recently declared endangered around the world. Targeted by commercial fleets for their high-quality fins, great hammerheads are vulnerable to recreational fishing because they inhabit coastal waters, make an impressive trophy and put up an exciting fight.
"They're not a good catch-and-release species," said Neil Hammerschlag, a marine biologist and shark conservation activist. "They don't do well on a fishing line. The stress of the fight, they usually don't survive."
Shore-based shark fishing in Delray Beach came under fire after complaints from residents such as Patricia Jacobs, who said one evening she swam into shark bait, several floating fish heads.
"I'm not sure land-based shark fishing is such a great idea," she said. "If you're swimming, you don't want to be competing with large bait." While they use hunks of bonito and rays as bait, the shark fishermen say no chumming takes place. Zach Miller, 22, who has fished for sharks from Delray Beach since he was 16, says nothing they do endangers the public.
"We are trying to reassure swimmers are safe because this has been going on for longer than they think," he said.
Shark tournaments also have drawn criticism. In June the Are You Man Enough? Shark Challenge in Fort Myers announced a switch to a no-kill format after a campaign by conservation groups.
"They go after the biggest sharks, the mature animals," Hammerschlag said. "There are only a few of them, and they're the ones sustaining the population."
Gray Taxidermy Inc., a Pompano Beach company that claims to be the world's largest marine taxidermist, told fishing captains this year that it would no longer accept sharks, saying it would simply make fiberglass trophies based on a quick measurement before the shark is released.
"It's not necessary to kill them," said Tom Young, the company's sales manager. "We don't need a dead fish to make a replica. We don't want to do it. ... They're getting destroyed all over the world."
The company's announcement affected hundreds of fishing captains. Capt. Rick Brady, who operates the 46-foot fishing boat Marlin My Darlin from Fort Lauderdale, said he adopted a strict catch-and-release policy because Gray "flat refused to take sharks anymore."
The marine artist Guy Harvey recently wrote to the International Game Fish Association in Dania Beach, where he sits on the board, urging it to stop keeping world records for catches of tiger sharks and great hammerheads.
"The IGFA needs to take a leadership role on this," said Steve Stock, president of the Guy Harvey Ocean Foundation. "We think there are certain species -- the great hammerhead, for example -- that they shouldn't be accepting."
Jason Schratwieser, the game fish association's conservation director, said the group's board may consider the proposal as early as this month.
Mark "The Shark" Quartiano, a Miami Beach fishing captain known for helping clients pull in big hammerheads and bull sharks, said the focus on sportfishing is unfair.
"One commercial boat can do a lot more damage than all the sportfishing guys in a year," he said. "Why can't my guys -- who're coming down to Florida and spending thousands of dollars -- take a shark?"
Standing on the sand in Delray Beach, Zach Miller tries to explain the thrill of catching them.
"When you're on shore, you're the apex predator from land against the apex predator in the ocean," he said. "You're connected by one line, and a lot of the time you don't win."
David Fleshler can be reached at dfleshler@SunSentinel.com or 954-356-4535.
Copyright © 2009, South Florida Sun-Sentinel
"2017 Team little rock
Never test the depth of the water with both feet"
I DO NOT SWIM IN THE OCEAN
GO BIG OR GO HOME
By Maria Herrera
South Florida Sun-Sentinel
July 10, 2009
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DELRAY BEACH - The battle can last for hours.
The goal: to get a hammerhead or a bull shark, or any shark, and wrestle it until it lands on the beach -- not with their bare hands, but with a fishing rod and 80-pound line.
"You can have three people holding onto the [fishing] rod to stop a shark and not be able to do it," said Zach Miller, a 22-year-old local who has been shark fishing off the municipal beach since he was a teen. "There are sharks that equate 850 or 1,000 pounds that you can hook from the beach ... what keeps people coming back is the hope that one day they can stop one of these giants."
Land-based shark fishing has been happening on South Florida beaches for as long as there have been fishermen on its shores and piers.
The practice is somewhat of an underground sport and an inexpensive alternative to offshore shark fishing, which often requires a charter boat and a marina with a certified scale to record the catch. It can be done from a pier, jetty or the beach.
It happens at night, when sharks swim closer to shore looking for food, and when there are no swimmers around.
Fishermen use rays or large fish such as bonito to attract the predators, preferably bull sharks, hammerheads, and tiger sharks,-- trophy fish that could bring a world record and secure endless bragging rights.
There are several groups promoting the sport such as Miller's group, the International Shark Fishing Association, and the Miami-based South Florida Shark Club.
They travel the state's east and west coasts to the best spots to fish: Sebastian Beach, Singer Island, the Keys.
They promote catch and release. To share their triumphs they post photos and videos on online at land-based shark fishing forums and websites.
"We're after the fight, not the fish," said William Fundora, president of the South Florida Shark Club. "We are aware that sharks are in decline, and we'd like to see that turn around. People don't understand how vital sharks are. The sharks were here when dinosaurs were here. Now dinosaurs are extinct, but the sharks are still here."
Fundora has tales of fishing the old South Beach pier in the 1970s, when sharks were considered man eaters and conservationists had not yet sounded the alarm on population declines.
"Times have changed. Now we know sharks only attack by mistake," he said.
It's also a sport growing in popularity among young men such as marine biology student Colby Uva, 18, of Miami.
"When all of my friends are out partying, I'm out here shark fishing," he said on a recent night in Delray Beach.
Uva is a Marine Biology student at the University of Miami and has even organized a shark fishing tournament of his own.
But as conservation gains steam, and municipalities ban shark fishing off beaches and piers, Fundora and the others will have to look for other places to land the "big ones."
"It's all about conquering your fears he said," he said.
"2017 Team little rock
Never test the depth of the water with both feet"
I DO NOT SWIM IN THE OCEAN
GO BIG OR GO HOME
COMMENTS TO THE SUN SENTINEL ARTICLE=
Florida looking to reel in the ultimate fishing thrill -- shore-based shark fishing
COMMENTS (17) | Add Comment | Back to your story
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Most of you posting here seem so passionate about sharks, I'm guessing you'd regret their depletion. You might want to check the facts before you get mad about efforts to save them.
Tom_from_Florida (07/12/2009)
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Due to years of unregulated overfishing of many species the food source for sharks has dwindled yet the shark population has not kept pace due to lack of predators, so it stands to reason that they will look for food elsewhere which includes humans along the shoreline so shore based fishing and a few less sharks seems to be an acceptable solution to me.
waterman82 (07/12/2009)
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David Fleshler and Maria HerreraI,I am sure this article came from some leftist web site or a (we know whats best for the little people and mother earth) environmentalist group. You went down to the beach and buddied up with the dirty red neck people who would rather hurt animals than sit at a Starbucks and blog on salon.com. I am sure you feel good about being an activist journalist saving the fishes from the overbearing destructive footprint of humanity. I am sure if "we" just gave over some more of our personal freedoms to intellectuals like yourselves than "we" would be in a better more controlled place. Here is some real news for you. You are not enlightened, your are not smarter than anyone else, you are not even well read. You are committed ideologues on a mission.The clock is ticking. Enjoy your time in the sun philosophizing about the new america. It never ends well for people like you. Individuals like freedom and we don't like looters stealing our property or liberty.David MacInnes
davidmacinnes (07/12/2009)
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Why is it that when it comes to anything which does any kind of damage to something the rednecks are all for it? Why don't they do constructive activities with their free time other than torturing, killing or polluting?I will endorse any law which will cut on their "fun" any time I have a chance. Truth is "If it's bad for them it's good for the planet."
CicoBuff (07/12/2009)
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Small minded people who don't really understand what these guys are doing, should shut up and learn before they complain. Thsy are not hurting anything, release what they catch, and not fat slobs, all wrinkled up sitting in their little condos looking for ways to screw with people!!!
redneck500 (07/12/2009)
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.......shark numbers continue to decline.......and the problem is?
soflokid (07/12/2009)
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As a fishermen, leave these people alone !! Does anyone know of a "Catch and Don't Release Group" that is focused on Local Progressives ???How there would be something I would join.
BocaBubba (07/12/2009)
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Obama and the nanny gov says you will all do as I say, forget your freedoms and send me 75 0of your paycheck so we can pretend to fix healthcare
OsamaObama (07/11/2009)
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Actually again if yuou red the article Jake, they stated clearly that all sharks are caught and released. I am a resident of Delray and not much of a fisherman but know The young man Zach that fishes out there on an almost daily basis. Every afternoon we walk we speak to him and he is a very nice a knowledgeable young gentleman whom has a firm stance of catch and release shark fishing and not harming the animals they hook, just a picture and a research tag and they send them on thier way. I dont think promting alcohal conbsumption and smoking of marijuana is a great thing to promote, both of which are illelga on Delray beach, and both those being much more conerning to me as a citizen than catching and releasing sharks at night when nobody is around.
beachwalker69 (07/11/2009)
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What a stupid endeavor: shark fishing. (actually ANY kind of fishing. Give the sea creatures a break already. Sit on the beach and read, drink beer, smoke weed or make out. Find something else to do besides taking life.
Jakebrakesrule (07/11/2009)
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I don't see why sharks should get special protection. Contrary to what the environmental groups would have you believe, they are actually plenty in number relative to other fish species. It is not uncommon to see large schools of sharks run through and devastate fish populations on reefs.I believe marine biologists are out there trying to scream conservation in the interests of their own jobs and not the ecosystem. These people make too much money by scaring up government grants so that they can get paid to do what they love, dive and spend time in the sun. They could not get funding to put on a wet suit if they didn"t run around and scream that we are killing the sea. Not one of these "scientists" can answer what the consequences are if shark populations diminish. What would happen? More fish? More sea turtles? These biologists should get real jobs.
chrisfll (07/11/2009)
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I am the president of a local marine conservation group and I am on a federal advisory panel to the SAFMC. I am also on the City of Boca Marine Advisory Board. I will never support a ban on shark fishing in my city. To the ignoramus who thinks that the fishermen are "attracting" the sharks: they are already there. They fish from the beach because the sharks frequent these areas.Remoras (check your spelling)are rarely used for shark bait and there of course is no proof bait was left there by a shark fisherman. Wow! A dead fish on the beach. Unbelievable. I'm tired of commenters not having a clue about which they speak. Your comments are irresponsible. How many shark attacks have been attribued to fishermen? None. The lady who "swam into a shark bait" a. doesn't understand the sport and probably is not from Florida, b. was probably swimming during low light hours when the fishing is best (which is not smart) and c. should probably watch where she is swimming as one would be hard pressed not to notice someone fishing from the beach. There is no danger. The shark fishermen don't fish during peak swimming hours as the sharks and the bait they feed on are frightened by all of the activity. I fully support catch and release fishing for all fish species whose populations can't support a take. I also commend Gray's for their stance on releasing all sharks.
BCDFISH (07/11/2009)
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How can they stop fishing - just for sharks? Without putting an end to all shore based fishing?
david.osedach (07/11/2009)
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Im a sharkfisherman and spearfisherman who often hunts the waters off delray beach, my friends and i by no means put people in danger, we only fish after people leave the beach and take the baits out about 200-300 yards off the beach... As an avid spearfisherman i have had close encounters with huge bull and hammerhead sharks, although most people see them as fierce and dangerous, i can tell you that from experience they are very shy / timid animals just looking to survive... You will see me and a hundred of south florida fisherman in the courthouse to prevent any anti fishing ordinances from being passed.
Eli89 (07/11/2009)
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Conservationists have gone off the deep end. We should grind them up and use them for chum.Want something to cry about, how about the sewerpipes that discharge directly off our beaches. How about the canal system we dug in the 60's that decimated the clams and oysters in the new river.I am a marine biologist and spend 12 hours under our seas, and frankly stopping development in South Florida is the only thing that will save our local reefs for us, the planet doesn't care.When the axis of the Earth tilts slightly, it is a good chance Florida will ONCE AGAIN become a massive barrier reef like the Australians have. They have so much coral they harvest and export it, while we dump sewage on it and wonder what the problem is.
Gods_Warrior (07/11/2009)
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The beach in Delray is becoming littered with dead bait fish and large fish heads by these nitwits. Last week I found a remorra in the tide line. Encouraging sharks to come inshore to take a bait fish is highly irresponsible - especially at a beach popular with swimmers. If it really is a thrill of "man vs apex predator", get out in the ocean with a spear gun.
the_chalcenteric_kid (07/11/2009)
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Leave the catch and release guys alone. Let them tag and release like they do with Marlins
nflpa5 (07/11/2009)
SOUTH FLORIDA SHARK CLUB -President SFSC-Founding Member est 1983 SFSC-Website Administrator BIG HAMMER SHARK TOURNAMENT -Founder Rene Memorial Sharkathon -Founder NMFS Shark Tagger
South Florida Shark Club has just hit front page of the Sundays Paper!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The best part is how they saw and wrote how we are all about catch and release, as they saw us release everything promptly and carefully with out problem!!! All those haters on boatless an talk all they want, but when do those guys have front page stories in the paper?? and how long have most of them been fishing? this is great i love it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
SFSC -East Coast Events Coordinator
im glad that there are ppl out there like BCDFISH that are in good positions and actually have some sense in them lol.. some of the comments on this article were ridiculous.... but w/e there's always ppl like that out there. oh and shannon.. that photographer got an amazing shot of you taking the bait out wit the kayak... im ready to get back out and do some fishin this week.. let me know if anyone is up for it
Colby Uva : Bullbuster Team Captain
https://plus.google.com/u/0/b/107013063084498996341/
SFSC-Tagging/Fishing Science Coordinator
Thats great that we made the front page but from what shannon told me earlier about South Florida Shark Club always being hated i now see how it really is with people calling us rednecks trying to insult us making false claims though at the same time, it was nice to see some people have our back and support us like they did. But seeing the hatred made me realize that i guess there are people in life who have no fun and entertain themselves by ruining someones perfectly legal, safe, and non harmful fun.
i hope we will still be allowed to shark fish there in the future
gino #7419