U.S. Humane Society urges protection for local sharks, habitat
By DUSTY RICKETTS
DESTIN ? The controversy surrounding the Destin Deep Water Shark Tournament continues.
The Humane Society of the United States returned to Destin on Monday to again discuss the damage future shark fi shing tournaments could have on different shark species.
M.C. Davis, a local conservationist and owner of Nokuse Plantation in Walton County, sponsored the event by bringing John Grandy, the Humane Society?s senior vice president of Wildlife and Habitat Protection, to talk about the status of the shark population in the Gulf of Mexico and around the world.
The Humane Society protested the return of the Destin Deep Water Shark Tournament in September, printing full-page ads in local newspapers and fl ying a banner plane near the tournament site.
The tournament was called off in 1995 amid environmental concerns. While the tournament was called a success by its organizers, one that attracted both fi shermen and spectators, it drew protests for its impact on the shark population.
?The truth is that tournaments that glorify the killing and mutilation of sharks do not belong in the 21st century,? Grandy said.
?If Destin and the museum want to have an event focused on sharks, why not a celebration? Destin is a community that has grown and evolved and so, too, has the conservation movement.?
Of the 547 species of sharks and rays evaluated by the World Conservation Union in a 2006 study, a fifth of all species are considered threatened with extinction. Nearly 100 other species had insuffi - cient information to evaluate their status.
Grandy said the oceanic whitetipped shark was once common in the Gulf of Mexico but is now on the brink of extinction.
One of the reasons so many shark species are in danger is because it takes much longer for a shark to reach sexual maturity and start reproducing than it does for most fi sh.
?We need the public to care about sharks in the same way that they cared about saving whales that were being slaughtered for money,? Grandy said.
?An important fi rst step is ending tournaments and instead educating the public about the majesty of sharks and the dim future they face. We need to stop hauling them up on docks, bloody and mutilated.?
Davis, who organized the presentation with the Humane Society, said events such as the Destin Deep Water Shark Tournament give children the message that they need to torture and kill something to feel good about themselves.
Officials from the city of Destin and the Destin History & Fishing Museum were invited to Monday?s presentation but did not attend.
The museum is closed on Mondays and its representatives could not be reached for comment.
Replies
11
SoWal Guide
I have a natural fear of sharks, but of course they belong in the oceans and do not deserve to be hunted and killed for sport. we all need more education about sharks and their importance in the underwater world, and on earth...
brain
This reminds me of some horrible story I recently read about Japanese fishermen. Apparently they confuse pods of dolphins with loud banging, which interrupts the sonar signals dolphins use to communicate, and then herd them up in bays and slaughter them, including young calves, by the tens of thousands. All of this because it is just natural for the dolphins to follow the schools of fish.
SoWal Expert
I like sharks, unless they are chasing me or biting me. They taste like Gator meat, which tastes like chicken. 
Beach Lover
When you put your toe in the Gulf/Ocean/Sea/Alligator Lake/Pandora's parking lot....you're no longer on the TOP of the food chain...
Meow
When you put your toe in the Gulf/Ocean/Sea/Alligator Lake/Pandora's parking lot....you're no longer on the TOP of the food chain...
...are there Cougars in Florida, too?
Beach Fanatic
When you put your toe in the Gulf/Ocean/Sea/Alligator Lake/Pandora's parking lot....you're no longer on the TOP of the food chain...
Esp. Pandora's parking lot. I believe we have had more attacks there then anywhere in SoWAL ;-)
Beach Fanatic
The only shark I ever liked was JabberJaw
Beach Fanatic
I found an article about:
Shark nurseries in the northeastern Gulf of Mexico
John K. Carlson
NOAA, National Marine Fisheries Service, Southeast Fisheries Science Center
3500 Delwood Beach Road, Panama City, FL 32408
...
In general, shark nurseries are areas hypothesized to be where gravid females give birth to young or lay eggs, and where the young spend their first weeks, months or years (Springer 1967). Castro (1993) reported that nurseries are usually located in geographically discrete areas in highly productive shallow waters, such as coastal marshes and estuaries, where the young can find abundant food. ...
Along the Gulf of Mexico coastline there are many bays and estuarine habitats which may serve as nurseries. Habitats range from near-oceanic conditions to shallow-brackish water seagrass beds. ...
Sharks were sampled with gillnets and longlines from March 1993-October 2000 as part of various studies on the distribution and abundance of sharks in the northeastern Gulf of Mexico. ...
The objectives of this study were to report on the occurrence of shark
nursery areas from coastal areas of the northeastern Gulf of Mexico. ...
Sampling sites were located in five major areas along the northeastern portion of the Gulf of Mexico, Apalachee Bay to St. Andrews Bay, FL ...
Over the study period, a total of 15 species of sharks were collected with gillnets and longlines. For all areas combined, the Atlantic sharpnose shark, Rhizoprionodon terraenovae, a member of the small coastal management group, was the most abundant shark captured and the blacktip shark, Carcharhinus limbatus, was the most abundant species captured in the large coastal management group, using longlines and gillnets. The bonnethead, Sphyrna tiburo, was the second most abundant species captured in the small coastal group and overall was the third most encountered species. The remaining species commonly captured in decreasing abundance were the finetooth shark, C. isodon; spinner shark, C. brevipinna; blacknose shark, C. acronotus; scalloped hammerhead shark, S. lewini and sandbar shark, C. plumbeus. Other species caught but not consistently captured were Florida smoothhound, Mustelus norrisi; bull shark, C. leucas; lemon shark, Negaprion brevirostris; nurse shark, Ginglymostoma cirratum; tiger shark, Galeocerdo cuvieri; dusky shark, C. obscurus and great hammerhead shark, S. mokarran. Overall species distribution varied by area (Figure -). The Atlantic sharpnose shark and bonnethead were the most abundant species captured in Crooked Island Sound. In Apalachee Bay, the Atlantic sharpnose and blacktip shark were the most frequently encountered. The bonnethead and Atlantic sharpnose shark were most commonly caught in St. Joseph Bay and St.
Andrew Bay. The blacktip and finetooth shark were the most abundant species found in Apalachicola. ...
A total of 1,117 sharks have been tagged and released since 1993 and 50 have been reported recaptured. This represents a recapture rate of 4.5%. The longest time at liberty was 2,461 days for an Atlantic sharpnose shark. This shark was recaptured in the same area, Crooked Island Sound, that it was originally tagged in. The largest distance traveled was for a blacktip shark that was recaptured offshore southwest of Tampa, FL. This shark traveled 205 nautical miles from Apalachicola Bay in 102 days. ...
Juveniles were the dominant life history stage captured in all areas sampled. It appears that species with larger juveniles and young-of-the-year (>50 cm TL) were found in Apalachicola. These species being blacktip, spinner and sandbar sharks. Species with smaller juveniles and young-of-the-year (<50 cm TL) (e.g. Atlantic sharpnose, bonnethead, and blacknose) were captured in more protected areas such as Crooked Island Sound and in the shallower areas of St. Joseph Bay and Apalachee Bay. The difference in spatial distribution among juveniles of different species may reflect an attempt to avoid predation (Springer, 1967; Branstetter, 1990) as all areas appear to have a high forage base. Crooked Island Sound is a small, semi-enclosed sound were few larger adult sharks were found. Thus, species with small neonates and juveniles may be selecting this area as a nursery based on low predation levels. Moreover, larger bull sharks where found in greatest abundance in Apalachicola and tiger sharks were captured only in the deeper areas of Apalachee Bay. ...
Shark nurseries in the northeastern Gulf of Mexico
John K. Carlson
NOAA, National Marine Fisheries Service, Southeast Fisheries Science Center
3500 Delwood Beach Road, Panama City, FL 32408
...
In general, shark nurseries are areas hypothesized to be where gravid females give birth to young or lay eggs, and where the young spend their first weeks, months or years (Springer 1967). Castro (1993) reported that nurseries are usually located in geographically discrete areas in highly productive shallow waters, such as coastal marshes and estuaries, where the young can find abundant food. ...
Along the Gulf of Mexico coastline there are many bays and estuarine habitats which may serve as nurseries. Habitats range from near-oceanic conditions to shallow-brackish water seagrass beds. ...
Sharks were sampled with gillnets and longlines from March 1993-October 2000 as part of various studies on the distribution and abundance of sharks in the northeastern Gulf of Mexico. ...
The objectives of this study were to report on the occurrence of shark
nursery areas from coastal areas of the northeastern Gulf of Mexico. ...
Sampling sites were located in five major areas along the northeastern portion of the Gulf of Mexico, Apalachee Bay to St. Andrews Bay, FL ...
Over the study period, a total of 15 species of sharks were collected with gillnets and longlines. For all areas combined, the Atlantic sharpnose shark, Rhizoprionodon terraenovae, a member of the small coastal management group, was the most abundant shark captured and the blacktip shark, Carcharhinus limbatus, was the most abundant species captured in the large coastal management group, using longlines and gillnets. The bonnethead, Sphyrna tiburo, was the second most abundant species captured in the small coastal group and overall was the third most encountered species. The remaining species commonly captured in decreasing abundance were the finetooth shark, C. isodon; spinner shark, C. brevipinna; blacknose shark, C. acronotus; scalloped hammerhead shark, S. lewini and sandbar shark, C. plumbeus. Other species caught but not consistently captured were Florida smoothhound, Mustelus norrisi; bull shark, C. leucas; lemon shark, Negaprion brevirostris; nurse shark, Ginglymostoma cirratum; tiger shark, Galeocerdo cuvieri; dusky shark, C. obscurus and great hammerhead shark, S. mokarran. Overall species distribution varied by area (Figure -). The Atlantic sharpnose shark and bonnethead were the most abundant species captured in Crooked Island Sound. In Apalachee Bay, the Atlantic sharpnose and blacktip shark were the most frequently encountered. The bonnethead and Atlantic sharpnose shark were most commonly caught in St. Joseph Bay and St.
Andrew Bay. The blacktip and finetooth shark were the most abundant species found in Apalachicola. ...
A total of 1,117 sharks have been tagged and released since 1993 and 50 have been reported recaptured. This represents a recapture rate of 4.5%. The longest time at liberty was 2,461 days for an Atlantic sharpnose shark. This shark was recaptured in the same area, Crooked Island Sound, that it was originally tagged in. The largest distance traveled was for a blacktip shark that was recaptured offshore southwest of Tampa, FL. This shark traveled 205 nautical miles from Apalachicola Bay in 102 days. ...
Juveniles were the dominant life history stage captured in all areas sampled. It appears that species with larger juveniles and young-of-the-year (>50 cm TL) were found in Apalachicola. These species being blacktip, spinner and sandbar sharks. Species with smaller juveniles and young-of-the-year (<50 cm TL) (e.g. Atlantic sharpnose, bonnethead, and blacknose) were captured in more protected areas such as Crooked Island Sound and in the shallower areas of St. Joseph Bay and Apalachee Bay. The difference in spatial distribution among juveniles of different species may reflect an attempt to avoid predation (Springer, 1967; Branstetter, 1990) as all areas appear to have a high forage base. Crooked Island Sound is a small, semi-enclosed sound were few larger adult sharks were found. Thus, species with small neonates and juveniles may be selecting this area as a nursery based on low predation levels. Moreover, larger bull sharks where found in greatest abundance in Apalachicola and tiger sharks were captured only in the deeper areas of Apalachee Bay. ...
Beach Fanatic
I like sharks, unless they are chasing me or biting me. They taste like Gator meat, which tastes like chicken.
And if you live in Curacao (or Bonaire & Aruba) they eat Sopa di Iguana (Iguana Soup). I was told that tasted like chicken, too. They just shoot them with slingshots, hang them (carefully) up by their tales on long sticks and sell them on the side of the road. I passed on that delicacy during my numerous trips down there.
Beach FanaticAuthor
http://www.epaperedition.com/Defaul...Sun/2007/03/03&EntityId=Ar01601&ViewMode=HTML
Dr. John Grandy did not accomplish what he?d hoped to on his trip to Destin.
Grandy, the senior vice president of the Humane Society of the United States, hoped during a meeting last week to convince the Destin History and Fishing Museum?s board of directors to cancel the newly-resurrected shark tournament. But no such action was taken.
Beach Fanatic
Quote:
Dr. John Grandy did not accomplish what he?d hoped to on his trip to Destin.
Grandy, the senior vice president of the Humane Society of the United States, hoped during a meeting last week to convince the Destin History and Fishing Museum?s board of directors to cancel the newly-resurrected shark tournament. But no such action was taken.
Should be clarified that the Humane Society of the United States, is not the same as the National Humane Society. http://www.nationalhumane.com/index.php?option=com_frontpage&Itemid=1
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