As a young man growing up shark fishing all over Florida I and many us of us in the SFSC dreamed of one day catching a World Record shark .At the top of the list of sharks that we wanted a Record for were the Tiger shark and the hardest fighting shark of all the hammerhead .That dream will soon be one to be abandoned because of laws proposed to ban the taking of those two species.
the existing WORLD RECORD hammerhead shark (1280 lbs) caught at Boca Grande Florida by Capt Bucky Dennis will never be beaten from Florida waters once the proposed law goes into effect
Sharks need our protection but the way we fish and the heart of our sport is being ripped out,,,our dreams are being shaped into nightmares.Being a big game fisherman is becoming a crime and we are truly an endangered species.Ernest Hemingway would cry if he were alive.We at the SFSC are not oposed to the Tiger shark and Hammerhead shark ban that is being proposed by FWC but we are aware that the proposal will make shark fishing more difficult for us land-based shark fisherman in Florida.How is that so you ask yourself?Well if a shark fisherman catches a hammerhead and it comes in dead or dies after release as often happens with 50 % or more of hammers caught from Florida beaches will that fisherman be subject to a fine or worse?Are we gonna be faced with criminal charges and fines because a hooked shark dies?Are we to run from the beach when a shark comes in dead from fear of being caught with a dead hammehead ?Notice how I say hammerhead because from our 40 years of land-based shark fishing expierience it is the one species most at risk of dying during capture. Possesion is 9 tenths of the law ,,,if you have it, you are assumed to be guilty ,so what is a shark fisherman to do?We need answers to prepare for the inevitable and we need them before the proposal becomes law.
Almost every shark fisherman on this site release all of there sharks unharmed.Once in a while some make an exception and harvest a blacktip for table fare and that is perfectly legal and the blacktip populations are in no danger of overfishing at this time.As we are faced with these questions we need to find answers and they should be posed to the FWC law-makers.Our sport is changing and laws that will impact our sport in negative ways are on the agenda,,this is no suprise but a continuation of the bashing of Florida's land-based shark fishing so prevelent in the last several years.We will continue to unite and gain strength in numbers to cambat tge assault we have against our sport and the anglers involved in it.CHANGE IS COMING AND WE WILL PREPARE FOR IT-WE WILL DEFEND OURSELVES
Here are some things we are doing to give teeth to our organization
It is important that we get to work to protect our fishing rights as soon as possible. FWC and other agencies are taking aim at our style of fishing,beach front communities want us off there local beaches,and the state might be in line next to permanently change what we can fish for and from where we can do it.In the panhandle Beaches are threatened by BP oil and in other places we are driven off the beaches by over zealous turtle patrols.Where will this end?All USA shorebound anglers are losing access to beaches and more restrictive fishing laws are constantly being proposed.If we don't do this NO ONE ELSE WILL,,,,we have to believe that together we can make a difference.This list is preliminary and we can add much more to make this an organization with real teeth that will be heard and respected by those trying abolish us. Let us know what you think and how we can move forward.
#1 RETAIN LAWYER- SET UP ORG AS A NON PROFIT WITH LEGAL HELP(law firm)
#2 WRITE MISSION STATEMENT
#3 START A PETITION TO PROMOTE OUR CAUSE
#4 ANNOUNCE AND HOLD A PRESS RELEASE
#5 MAKE A WEBSITE SPECIFICALLY FOR ORGANIZATION
#6 DESIGN ORGANIZATION'S LOGO
#7 START A MEMBERSHIP DRIVE-GET AS MANY MEMBERS FROM SFSC SITE & OTHER SITES
#8 MAKE POSTERS TO SET UP AT PIERS AND TACKLE SHOPS THROUGH OUT FLORIDA
#9 HOLD A FUND RAISER EVENT TO CREATE AWARENESS AND GENERATE CAPITAL TO DEFEND OUR SPORT
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
We should start by finding a lawyer (law firm) that is a fisherman themselves or one that is willing to help us fight for our cause and get them on board to cover the legal parts. If anyone on the site knows of a person like this they should try contact them asap. And we should not waste no time and start a petition right away and get it going. The longer we wait the precious time we are wasting and we will not have our voices heard. Im all for it whatever i can do to help. I also like the idea of the website and the flyers because there is plenty people that would be interested that are not on this site. The word needs to be spread throughout the state so this will not be pulled out from under us. 
I feel that in todays society and judicial system it is the people or person with the biggest wallet and the with the greatest influence that gets their way. And as current legal proceedings and law making has proven, we are greatly outnumbered, and lack the support. I believe that the only way we will be able to keep this sport alive will not be by battling scientist and researchers with funding and influence, but to come up with some sort of agreement before its too late. If they want to ban lemons, tigers and hammerheads, a group of mainly local shark fishermen will not change their minds. However, coming to some sort of consensus as to maybe a small tag fee like $10 a shark will at least save us the opportunity to harvest the sharks. Scientists get some funding and we get our trophy. And im sure it may sound rediculous to some of the older and wiser fishermen to begin paying for something that is has been free to you for decades, but it is probably the only way to keep it going for future decades. Id rather pay a small fee than a large fine
Eddie C.
Team BullBuster
Check out the new BullBuster website, opening JUNE
I would certainly be more accepting to a law that charged a fee
or tag per shark type system than to totally ban the fishing
for the speicies. The Mega shark tourney held here in Pensacola
this past weekend produced 6 tigers from 19 entered boats and
more than that were released on size restrictions. They've banned
most piers and some beaches in Fla. What's next for the state with
the highest recorded amount of shark attacks in the WORLD. Seems
like a little thinning of the herd would be acceptable. This is however just
the tip of the iceberg here with this ban. Next it'll be bans on surf fishing
period or launching kayaks from the beach or fines just for catching a shark
The tree hugger mentality is that we need to conserve these resources for
future generations. Save em for what so my grandson gets fined for
accidentally catching a tiger or hammerhead. Or worse he takes his family
to the beach but can't swim because it disturbs the sea life or they can't
enjoy the water for all the protected sharks swimmin around. They were
here before us and they'll be here after we're gone. Support efforts to
stop this over legislation or it's just gonna get worse..................jim
William thank you for your leadership on this---
where can i donate to get this rolling
sonny
Will,we need to get with someone or some people who knows these law makers and talk about our future of this sport and other sports that will be band for ever in this....."FISHING CAPITAL OF THE WORLD"state...Try to meet half way or something and talk like and act like grown folks............. 
I took some time to research this thing a bit the last couple of days
and I think the best approach to this from our perspective is to
attack the data from which these conculsions were made. There are other
arguments for fighting the ban such as inceased number of attacks on
humans and "dogs". This is the sharkman of cortez argument but it is a bit
hard to sell to the public. Using our history and rights to fish doesn't seem to
matter much to those who impose the laws because most don't fish or the ones
that due put there boats in the water and troll for marlin. There are alot of
contradictions in the so called "experts" opinions on shark stocks and how they
draw there conculsions on populations. I would like this clearly defined with no
assumptions made from biased self serving interests like the big lobby eco-terrorists and other groups who seem only interested in protecting there grant money and contributions platform.This forum is made up of many educated folks lets use that knowledge to study this issue from whatever sources we have available on the subject. I have yet to find any published studies on shark populations in this state. Perhaps some of you will have better luck or have other resources to search from. Lets begin by putting our info all together in one pot so to speak and see what kind of stew we put together. I have discovered several inconsistencies in what the experts say about shark populations here in Fl. I read an article from a major player in this game that stocks were down 50% and turn right around and say in essence that if you swim here in Fl your never more than a half mile or so from a shark??? Does that mean at some point in history that we were never more than a hundred feet or so from a shark in the water. I'm wondering now about all those nights back in the 70's and early 80's I spent soakin baits all night and never even got a click? Must have been in that magic area where sharks are'nt allowed. Just look at all the catch posts on this and other forums seems to be no shortage for these anglers. Take a few minutes a day just to study this issue and you'll begin to see that we're being walked on by those who have thier own agendas.Thanks for reading this post an I look forward to seeing some more info on the subject from people who actually have a stake in this sport.
WE KEEP TALKING ABOUT IT AND DOING NOTING WE NEED TO STOP TALKING ABOUT THIS AND START MAKING SOME FU"KING MOVE'S ........WILL.... WE ALL HAVE TO GET ON THIS. WE NEED TO HAVE A MEETING WITH EVERY ONE THAT'S IN S.F.S.C..... AN EMERGENCY MEETING .... NOT TO EAT SH"IT AND TALK ABOUT WHAT WE HAVE BEEN DOING BUT ABOUT WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO ABOUT THIS WE GIVE EVERY ONE SOME THING THAT THEY HAVE TO DO .. REPORTING BACK TO YOU ... LOOK AM NOT TRYING TO BE A FU"ING ASS HOLE RIGHT KNOW BUT I THINK THAT EVERY ONE THAT'S A PART OF S.F.S.K NEEDS TO GET UP OF ARE ASSES ITS TIME TO FIGHT BACK WE ARE MORE THAN JUST A CLUB WE ARE FAMILY ..... AND FOR THESE THAT THINK THAT WE ARE NOT GOING TO GET ANY WHERE BY FIGHTING BACK AND MAKING MOVE'S AND DON'T WANT TO DO NOTING TO TRY AND HELP WHIT THIS ....I DON'T THINK THAT S.F.S.C MEAN'S ANY THING TO YOU OR THIS SPORT ... IT IS WHAT IT IS .... WILL LET US KNOW WHO WHAT WHERE WHEN ... DIRTY SOUTH SHARK HUNTERS.......
'GOOD SHIT'!!!!!!!!we need A beginning to start....... 
Let me introduce myself. I am Dr. Denis Frazel, a native of Ft. Lauderdale, and 3rd generation Floridian. I am a fisherman, diver, hunter, and private boat-owner. I hold a Masters degree in Marine Biology and Ph.D. in Biological Oceanography, both from Nova Southeastern University. I was formerly a researcher at the University of Miami’s Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science, and was the Water Resources Manager for Broward County’s Department of Natural Resource Protection. My firm, Frazel, Inc. specializes in fisheries oceanography, fisheries research, and marine scientific technical support.
I will be representing a group of charter boat fishermen at the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) meetings scheduled for Sept. 7 in Naples, FL. I will be speaking in opposition to proposed draft rule 68B-44.008 that would prohibit the recreational and commercial harvest of great, scalloped and smooth hammerhead sharks, and tiger sharks from state waters of Florida.
I intend to argue that the existing rule, that allows bag limits of no more than two fish per day, is adequate to sustain the fishery. As an alternative to outright prohibition, I will propose that FWC consider adoption of a reporting requirement for sharks (similar to the billfish reporting requirements) to get the data necessary (there is no data now) for making sound management decisions, and defer any final action until at least the November Commission meeting. I will be sending written communications regarding my requests to FWC and the Governor’s Office prior to these meetings.
The commercial guys and you recreational guys share the same concerns with regard to this issue. In addition, to my representation of these guys, I have created a pettition for all concerned citizens, which is now being circulated stating the same as above. The petition is essentally what several of you in the forum have already suggested. In my next post, I'll include the text of the petition. We cannot have enough signatures. Denis
Listed below is the text of a petition I have started regarding the revised shark rule:
Petition in Opposition to Draft Rule Amendment 68B-44, F.A.C. (Shark Rule) and Support for Reporting Requirements
We the undersigned are opposed to the draft rule amendment of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s (FWC) shark rule 68B-44, F.A.C. that would prohibit the recreational and commercial harvest of great, scalloped and smooth hammerhead sharks, and tiger sharks from state waters of Florida. We believe the current bag limits of 1 per person or 2 per vessel, whichever is less, are adequate to sustain the fishery. We further believe that there is insufficient scientific data to demonstrate the need to close this fishery.
As an alternative to the prohibition on the harvest of these sharks, we support the deferment of rule adoption, and institution of reporting requirements (similar to that for billfish) on all harvested sharks. Such reporting will provide reliable data on the harvest of these animals in state waters of Florida, and provide a scientific basis for future management decision-making. The undersigned certify that we are at least eighteen (18) years of age and are residents of Florida.
If you are interested in circulating this petition, please email me at frazelinc@gmail.com and I'll forward the Word file and return address information. I am going to try and set up an online link to sign the petititon as well, but I have not done so as yet. I'll let you know. Also, I'll be glad to talk to anyone with questions. Send me an email. Denis
My bottomline is that fishery management decisions should be made on sound science, not emotion or personal feelings.
This could be A start.....A lot of people here on this site would be pleased to know there is A strong voice to explain the serious situation thats taking an affect on our fishing life styles..Not only this strong voice could change this law that could change our fishing life styles but also help keep this going not also for us but for our future for our little sharkbaits that watched us fish while they were still in the warmth of there mothers arms..........I sure do hope that something good will come out of this....... 
"MAKE HOPE HAPPEN"!!!!!
Don't know if this is too late or not. http://www.islander.org/2011/06/fwc-sur ... g-changes/
I want to help any way I can. If I can donate or sign any sort of petition I will