State considers limits on shark fishing

The South Florida Sun Sentinel reported the state’s Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission will vote Feb. 20 on a plan to limit the practice of shark fishing from the beach. The proposal would ban the spreading of bloody fish parts in the water to attract sharks. Swimmers say the practice endangers them. The proposal would also require that fishermen get a shark permit, not haul sharks out of the water before being released and restrict the types of hooks used.

Fishermen say the restrictions will make shark fishing more dangerous because they remove the animals to safely take out the hooks before releasing them. Proponents say the sharks would be better off physically if the hook is left in rather than pulled into the air.