Officials consider ban on generations-old coastal tradition: 'Trying to ... stop hungry, dangerous animals from being drug into the surf zone'

Yahoo

25-07-2025

Officials consider ban on generations-old coastal tradition: 'Trying to ... stop hungry, dangerous animals from being drug into the surf zone'
A South Carolina community is considering banning a longtime practice on its beaches in the name of safety.
According to News 2 in Charleston, the city of Isle of Palms, located off the coast of South Carolina, is considering banning shark fishing from its beaches and piers in the name of keeping sharks away from waters where people swim.
"What I'm trying to do is stop hungry, dangerous animals from being drug into the surf zone where people are swimming," said Blair Hahn, a member of the Isle of Palms City Council.
The Public Safety Committee of Isle of Palms initially proposed a motion that would restrict the times and locations at which shark fishing would be allowed in the area, saying it would be prohibited on any beach or pier between the hours of 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. from Memorial Day until Labor Day.
"That's what we're considering, if you're a hobbyist or you do it certain times of the year, certain hours of the day that may be okay, that's what we took to council," said Isle of Palms Councilmember Rusty Streetman, a member of the public safety committee. "But when we had the council discussion there was the other side of the story too that said maybe we should just consider banning shark fishing totally."
However, recreational beach fishermen won't be impacted by the ban; only those specifically fishing for sharks. If a recreational fisherman accidentally hooks a shark and releases it back into the surf, they'll face no penalty.
"The big thing here is it's a discussion about making sure that people still have the ability to fish," said Isle of Palms Police Chief Kevin Cornett. "We're not trying to prohibit anybody from doing something like that. I fish, many of our council members fish, we see a benefit to that but it's trying to make sure we weigh everybody's rights, everybody's safety."
The legislation is being debated as a result of an uptick in shark attacks in other South Carolina beach communities. Two shark attacks were reported on Hilton Head within a week of each other in late June.
Sharks are a vital and important part of the marine ecosystem; as apex predators, they help keep fish populations in check and transport nutrients, and they seldom bite humans.
CBS News reported there were just 69 confirmed shark bites in 2024, a slight increase from the five-year average of 63 but "within the range of the normal number of bites," according to Gavin Naylor, director of the Florida Museum of Natural History's shark research program.
Ultimately, though, efforts to protect people swimming and playing are a good way to keep both the people and the sharks safe. In the long run, that will help protect our ocean ecosystem.
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