Sharks have become an ‘overwhelming problem' in the Gulf, Florida anglers say
It's been making waves on social media with anglers complaining about the sheer amount of shark run-ins they have been seeing in recent years, and for good reason. Depredation is the act of a hooked fish being partially or completely removed by a shark, something almost all anglers deal with on a daily basis while targeting their favorite offshore species.
'Man, I don't know how you offshore charter boat captains deal with this shark problem every day,' a Bradenton-based inshore charter captain posted on social media. 'I went offshore today and fished six spots between 140 and 150 feet and got sharked on five of them. Probably lost 20+ fish to them today.'
This report, and many more like it, are constant across fishing communities. Countless other anglers are posting similar stories. Even when talking with those fishing offshore who don't post, they experience similar situations when fishing from nearshore waters for hogfish all the way to deep waters for grouper and red snapper.
Captain Zac Sturm, host of Tampa Bay Fishing Radio, posted some advice for anglers seeking help from lawmakers in June.
'Sharks have become an overwhelming problem in the Gulf. We had a good haul yesterday, however, every other fish at one point was hit. Moving is not the answer as it repeated at every spot we hit in 200 feet,' Sturm wrote.
'This is a common problem that occurs more frequently than ever before,' he added. 'They need to be managed. I would encourage anyone that agrees to write your congressional representative and the White House directly.'
Sturm's words, and those from across the fishing community, seem to have not fallen on deaf ears.
On Wednesday, the SHARKED Act passed a vote before the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation after passing through the US House in January.
If signed into law, it would create a task force that would have two years to improve coordination and communication across the fisheries management and shark research communities. This would aim to put science behind the issue of shark depredation.
While anglers are hopeful this will eventually lead to dealing with the issue of a booming shark population, opposition groups will continue to fight against the potential of shark population control.
'Depredation is a complex issue, one that reflects the health of our ocean ecosystems as a whole,' said Jasmin Graham, president and CEO of Minorities in Shark Sciences. 'As fish populations decline, both sharks and fishers are competing for the same limited resources. Sharks are becoming habituated to areas with fishing boats, chum and bait, while increasingly effective fishing gear is putting pressure on the system and increasing the possibility of interactions.'
I have also experienced shark problems offshore on almost every trip. It's a constant struggle to try and beat them to the surface with hooked fish. I normally try to fish light tackle, but when sharks are around that is impossible.
A few things I now do:
Don't chum when pulling up to a spot. While it seems sharks are now trained on the sound and vibrations of outboard engines and trolling motors, their sense of smell is their No. 1 trigger to a spot. When catching fish, there will no doubt be blood and other things bringing sharks in, but chumming will almost always bring them in.
Fish heavier tackle. Crank as fast and quickly as you can. One struggle from a fish and it can be over. I utilize the rod holder to help me solely crank and not lift the rod.
Coordinate drops and keep a shark hooked. If all anglers drop at the same time you may hook multiple fish simultaneously. If one angler is attacked, the sharks will most likely all keep with that fish, and if it remains hooked, they may follow. This seems to help other anglers bring in fish without attention.
If the sharks are that bad and the bite stops, move immediately. There is no recovering from a shark swarm. It's unfortunate but the only hope is to move along.
While the shark problem will continue to be an issue for the near future there are at least signs that people are listening. As an angler it is frustrating to deal with seeing these populations boom unchecked.
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