Milty said:

I love that song! "I gotta just letitigo, I need to let my feelings....."

OH wait, this isn't the lyrics thread....sorry!

MintyFresh said:

I know you're only a few guys who fish for sharks once in a while (as you said in the thread eariler) but, over-fishing is one of the biggest reasons for MANY species of sharks being put on endangers species lists. Whether you realize it or not, you are contributing to this. Here is a current list of sharks that are on the endangered species list:

http://eces.org/archive/e...arks.shtml


"(01/29/2002) Lawsuit filed against U.S. National Marine Fisheries Service for failure to act to halt rapid decline in shark populations due to overfishing. Environmentalists have sued federal fisheries managers, accusing them of catering to a shark-fishing industry they contend is driving many shark species to extinction to meet the growing worldwide demand for such delicacies as shark filet and shark-fin soup. In the lawsuit, three groups - National Audubon Society, Earthjustice and The Ocean Conservancy - charge the National Marine Fisheries Service with ignoring its own science and allowing severe overfishing of a number of species commonly caught off the Florida coast.

Sharks have become more popular at the dinner table in recent years. The increasing use of shark meat, coupled with the value of the fins as the key ingredient of Asian shark fin soups, has made sharks the prized target of commercial fishers along the U.S. east coast and the Gulf of Mexico. As a result, scientists say populations are declining rapidly. As an example, the sandbar shark, one of the most commercially popular species, has declined by about 80 percent since the 1970s, said Sonja Fordham, a fish conservation manager with The Ocean Conservancy."


Chances are that little guy you enjoyed for dinner is on the list.
[This message was edited Mon Jun 14 8:05:12 2004 by applekisses]

Just want to stick my head in and agree with the folks who have said that doing this is more humane than buying a hamburger. At least the shark got to live a decent life, by shark standards, before he died, his death was relatively quick, and the way he lived and died didn't harm the environment (unless he was an endangered species ). This is unlike the cows, pigs, chickens, farmed fish, and other critters that most people eat on a daily basis.

tackam said:

Totally...I agree with that too...but, it's the endangered species thing that bothers me. Who knows how many offspring that one shark could have contributed to a dying population.

overkill for $$$$$, society willing to pay the $$$ and the constant whirlpool of demand...

I see how many can cry NO, yet they are contributing to the very cause of why our ecosystem is in change, the food chain so disturbed and the climate in danger. Too many people, too many demands and not necessarily enough to supply the demand in actuality, so naturally a decline in the demanded areas will arrise.

I do my best... yet I too contribute in many ways as well due to certain products. Anal I can be... although I feel being aware is truly the first step for all and then deciding to live life as moderate as possible. We all contribute... whether we admit to it or not, although we can make changes if we believe strongly in a cause. Being judgemental would not be wise in anyones department, unless they lived totally isolated and by minimal means. Discussing views in a nonjudgemental way... is difficult at times, although possible I feel.

There has to be a balance somewhere...

Freespirit said:

I agree...and that's why I think avoiding intentional contribution to the problem could be a good solution.

I respect that you did this for food, only..

Everybody has a hobby, something they like to do.. be safe with yourself, and respect mother earth.

That is all one can ask for.

Natsume said:

Yes, it's very legal. And the reason we do it at night, is becasue that's when the sharks come in close to the shore.

OdysseyMiles said:

Werd! You guys need to stay longer next time...

MintyFresh said:

That's scary as shit! I was watching a show on this scientist who catches tiger sharks and tags them (he put this HUGE camera on the fin of one of them to film what they did and where they went, and it seemed very invasive and annoying to the shark, but anyways...) and I was wondering, how can you do the catch/release thing with sharks without severely hurting them? You must use some BIG hooks.

I love fishing anyway, so I can't be throwing stones... lol...

Natsume said:

The hooks are kinda big, but not enough to really damage the shark.

IMO, shark tastes better than steak if it's cooked right. Thanks for the pix, I never knew how people fished for sharks, I always thought it was from deep sea fishing boats.

Endangered Species? Isn't the earth 80% water and aren't there sharks all over the world? It seems strange that there would be a threat to the species off the coast of Florida.

MintyFresh said:

i'll be gettin all toe down and get eatin by a shark.....