The Shark Killers

AMERICA'S SHARK mania was born on Martha's Vineyard 30 years ago. It's time for it to die there -- and everywhere else.

We were afraid to go into the water in the summer of '75, thanks to the hit movie ''Jaws." It was filmed on the Vineyard and raised goose bumps and an often-morbid fascination with sharks around the world. It was good for the box office but terrible for sharks.

The movie spawned a whole industry of shark films and created a new class of fisherman, the shark hunter. Sharks became popular as food and prized as trophies. It was the beginning of hard times for the world's shark populations.

Global shark populations are in steep decline. Like many other fish species, they are overfished and undermanaged. The shark may be a fierce and magnificent predator, but it is no match for humans' high-tech fishing gear. Overfishing has reduced shark populations by as much as 90 percent in the last several decades. Despite that, relentless fishing pressure continues.

Sharks' worst nightmares are contests like the Oak Bluffs Monster Shark Tournament, held on the Vineyard last month. Organized by the Boston Big Game Fishing Club, the tourney drew shark hunters from as far away as Florida. More than 125 boats entered, vying for a $130,000 grand prize. Entrants caught thousands of sharks and brought 46 to the docks as contest entries, including a 1,191-pound tiger shark landed minutes too late to qualify for the contest but big enough to win worldwide publicity for the tournament.

The organized shark-killing melee will get another publicity boost in the fall, when the cable channel ESPN plans to air the tournament.

Tom Here- Since the Boston Globe is owned by the NYT I assume I have to excerpt the article.

This battle could get very interesting since it involves PETAfile types , fishermen and Stae and Federal researchers.

I am involved since I regularly fish the tournament,and have been seleced along with one other person to settle disputes among the fishermen if they arise.

The tournament is a 2 fising day afair and the total weight of the two day catch decides the winner. This tournament has a high weight requirement of 300 lbs minimum for a blues shark and 200 lb minimun for others (mako, thresher ,tiger , porbeagle etc.)

Last year approx 2,500 sharks were caught and about the same amount released since only 40 or so were qualified to be brought in. (Less than 2%)

State and Federal biologist come to this tournament to do their shark research. This saves them from going out and catching their own. They are not part of, or directly affiliated with the tournament but use the opportunity to do some research.

Here is an answer I gave to a PETAfile :
During our most recent tournament, we assisted several scientists in the study of the shark's inner ear which continues to grow over its entire life. Human ears stop regenerating once we mature so a study in under way to understand this and attempt to use this knowledge with the hearing impaired.

When the inner ear is removed, do you suppose the shark is still alive? The inner ear is located behind the eye and nose of the shark must be cut off to get to the inner ear tissue. Would you prefer that these scientist use our sharks or go out and kill their own?"

In any event because of the 1191 tiger being caught and missing the weigh in by 6 minutes,it got national attention and it has afforded the PETAfile types an oportunity to mouth off to a larger audience..

The tournament directer is a friend and he is a battler and will fight back.

The bootom line is the thinking of these people is any interaction between people and animals / fish where the fish/animals sufer any discomfort is unaceptable and that includes research. - Tom

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