Shark Abundance

[Threemuch]

Sharks-

Anyone else noticed a big increase in the number of sharks around this year? I have had a flatty grabbed by one, and hooked one salmon trolling.

Stories of people hitting them tuna trolling are a new one to me.

So I get my quarterly RFA rag in the mail and it says that due to social pressure, shark fin sales are half what they have historically been. Any correllation? Time will tell.

For me, I am happy about any resurgence in big feesh to wrassel with, even blue sharks, line rolling inedibles that they are.

Offshore shark tag and release tourney anyone?

KB

[craigc]

Growing up in Hawaii, I used to catch and eat the hammerhead sharks from my gill nets.. after you fillet the flanks, I'd carve out 2 inch steaks, soak the steaks in fresh water for about two hours [ to bring out the urea ], and then marinate the steaks in teriyaki sauce... then it was a matter of either grilling the steaks or slice thin & drying them in our dry boxes..

From what I've read, I'd speculate that most of the dried shark fins are coming from fishermen living in the poor areas of the world. The fins are sold as a cash crop. Unfortunately, fresh shark meat can not easily and profitably be distributed from such remote areas of the world to the current retail market. It's a shame.. On the flip side, sharks are generally like rockfish, in that they grow slowly... so any development of a retail market will probably devastate a shark specifies, as investors try to recupe their investment in the gear to harvest the sharks. IMHO..

as for tagging... sounds like a great idea, Kurt... but sharks can thrash a great deal on the deck... and I've found even grabbing a dead one isn't a walk in the park... and those devils open their mouths as they thrash.. and those teeth ARE sharp ! I can see an unforeseen accident occuring.... IMHO Craig

[Threemuch]

Craig-
You don't boat a fish to tag it, you do it in the side of the water. Not too dangerous. I boated a live 8' thresher in my boat once, never again. All sharks coming aboard will be bled on the gaff outside the boat.

And as far as shark finning, I think you are wrong about it being small poor third world fishermen. Big commercial gear is used, longlines and such and sharkes are finned and released. One such boat kills many more fish than any small island fisherman.

I lived in Malaysia and El Salvador. Fishermen in both places kept anything edible, and they ate what they could not market. Little to no waste. Plus these guys were all hook and line only fishing from small dory-like boats. These guys weren't depleting any ecosystem.

[puffins crew]

On one of Puffins Halibut trips, we had a bunch of cruiser blue sharks in the area. Big Jon got out one of his steel leader hooks, and put on a big lump of black cod. Then he started to beat the water with it, then cast it out behind the boat and let it drift.

Picture this: Big Jon, standing on the back of the Puffin, with one pole in the water deep for Halibut, hanging on to the other pole, with the lump of black cod on it, no weight, and him taking a nature call when the 6 foot blue took off with the hook.

You would have to have been there. We did not keep the blues, just had a real blast fighting them on rod and reel.

Peace, Tom

[craigc]

Kurt, I'll agree anyone using commercial gear and long lines will be much more destructive than single fishermen... but they all contribute to the same problem where fishing is not for sustainance, but making money to buy other things.. it's the big money working to get the best ROI that will potentially deplete the oceans.

Tagging in the water makes more sense than bringing the shark on board. The tagging process would appear easy, based on what I've seen on TV. But, how do you remove the hook while the shark is still on the line and probably ******/thrashing along side your boat ?

My compliments for having the opportunity to live in Malaysia and El Salvador. I'd like to have that experience, but not sure at what cost... I may have had a similiar experience living in Hawaii in the 60's....

so for tagging sharks, what gears does one need ? tags, harpoon for the tags.. anything else ?

[Lepper]

check out the thread about handling shark meet, they talk about the shark fins there....
dave