North Carolina Sharks in Marine Protected Area

Natural Born Conservative ^ | July 3, 2015 | Larry Walker, II

[NaturalBornConservative]

Mid-Atlantic Shark Area

Swim At Your Own Risk

:: By: Larry Walker II ::

If you follow the mainstream media, you would think the recent surge in shark attacks off the North Carolina coast is due to unusually warm water, a lack of rain causing increased salinity, or because more people are in the water than ever before, all of which is nonsense.

In other words, they don’t have a clue. It might be more helpful to the public if the mainstream media simply stated the obvious and moved on to its next barrage of misinformation.

So what is causing the uptick in the number of coastal North Carolina shark attacks? Well, unbeknownst to many, the area just off the North Carolina coastline is known as the Mid-Atlantic Shark Area (pictured above). And as if this isn’t clue enough, it also happens to be the most protected marine area in the United States.

According to the Marine Conservation Institute, “The area includes Essential Fish Habitat and Habitat Areas of Particular Concern for sandbar and dusky sharks, serving as nursery and pupping areas for these species. The area is closed to vessels using bottom longline gear from January 1 through July 31.” And according to the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), a division of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), fishing of Atlantic Sharpnose, Blacknose, Blacktip, Bull, Tiger and other Shark species is strictly off limits in this area.

Sorry to break the news, but since no one is allowed to fish and therefore contain this shark infested region for the first seven months of every year, nor allowed to capture the most dangerous shark species thereafter, if one wishes to visit a beach in early Summer (for recreational purposes), their last destination of choice ought to be the North Carolina coastline.

Why are sharks important ecologically? According to the Virginia Institute of Marine Science, “Sharks sit atop the food chain as apex predators. As such, they play an important ecological role in keeping prey populations healthy by removing weak, old, and infirm individuals. When shark populations decline due to over-fishing and habitat loss, prey populations can increase unchecked, leading to an overall decline in ecosystem health.” Great, but then who’s supposed to keep shark populations in check, the federal government? Yeah, right! If you’re sitting around waiting on them to act, it might help if you woke them up first.

Commercial Longline Fishing For Sharks

[gorush]

It’s synonymous for a gun-free zone and seems to work equally well.

[Da Coyote]

If only Dorkbama would swim there.

[NaturalBornConservative]

"It’s synonymous for a gun-free zone and seems to work equally well." - Good one.

[null and void]

It would be pretty bad news for his body doubles if he lost an arm...</recycled Saddam joke>

[Sasparilla]

Surf water temperature is 85○. Just as it always is at the first of July. It will get to 86○ to 88○ as it always does by August. Are there sharks here close to shore feeding? You bet. Just like there have been for millions of years. There are signs posted for swimmers to stay 400' from large fishing piers because of live and dead bait being used. Do swimmers stay away that far? Are you kidding?

[Sasparilla]

Surf water temperature is 85○. Just as it always is at the first of July. It will get to 86○ to 88○ as it always does by August. Are there sharks here close to shore feeding? You bet. Just like there have been for millions of years. There are signs posted for swimmers to stay 400' from large fishing piers because of live and dead bait being used. Do swimmers stay away that far? Are you kidding?

[Sasparilla]

Surf water temperature is 85○. Just as it always is at the first of July. It will get to 86○ to 88○ as it always does by August. Are there sharks here close to shore feeding? You bet. Just like there have been for millions of years. There are signs posted for swimmers to stay 400' from large fishing piers because of live and dead bait being used. Do swimmers stay away that far? Are you kidding?

[RegulatorCountry]

Those ocean temps are very dependent upon location. On Hatteras Island, mid-eighties are the norm on the extreme southern tip of the island at Hatteras Village. Midway up the island you start to see upper seventies. Occasional bouts in the upper sixties in summer are not unheard of on the northern end of Hatteras. Go further north still to Duck, Corolla and Southern Shores, and ocean temps that are downright cold by southern standards are the norm. Little to no influence from the Gulf Stream, which veered out to sea at Hatteras is the reason.

[Viking2002]

I'd go fishing at the public pier on Anastasia Island (St. Augustine), and you couldn't get a bite for all the damn college kids in the water - they'd surf right up under the pier. I'm surprised more of them don't get gut-hooked with a frozen shrimp.

[KoRn]

We went to Corolla on the Outer Banks in early June a few years ago and the ocean water was COLD. We stayed in the cement pond. Nice area though. We were wondering when in the hell the water actually gets warm....

[RegulatorCountry]

My answer would be that the ocean never actually gets warm north of Nags Head. If you want warm ocean water on the NC Outer Banks, Hatteras Island is as far north as it goes, and fairly chilly even there north of Avon. No more Gulf Stream at that point. Labrador Current.

[Samwell Tarly]

“It’s synonymous for a gun-free zone and seems to work equally well.”

Obviously these are assault sharks.