Proposal to Protect Florida Sharks

A ban on killing tiger sharks and three species of hammerhead will go for approval to the state wildlife commission next month.

Concerned about dwindling shark populations, the staff of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission has held a series of meetings around the state to gather comment on several proposals to protect them. Now that the meetings are over, the staff has recommended protection for four species, the tiger shark, smooth hammerhead, scalloped hammerhead and great hammerhead.

The primary threat to sharks comes from the growing demand in China and other Asian countries for shark fin soup, a delicacy that has generated a lucrative market for their fins. Although there’s little commercial fishing in Florida state waters, which have tight bag limits, there’s an extensive recreational fishery.

The commission, a seven-member board appointed by the governor, will take up the issue at its Sept. 8 meeting in Naples.

The commission’s staff decided against proposing a ban on chumming near beaches by shore-based shark fishing groups, a practice that had concerned some coastal communities. And it decided against requiring the use of circle hooks rather than the more conventional J-hooks, which experts say can make it harder for sharks to survive being caught and released.

The tiger shark, which can reach a length of 17 feet, ranks second only to the great white in attacks on people, with 90 unprovoked attacks worldwide, including 27 fatalities, according to the International Shark Attack File. All species of hammerhead rank lower, with a total of 17 unprovoked attacks and no fatalities.