http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/earthnews...in-Ireland.html

Was in the tackle shop yesterday where the 100% opinion was that this fish should have been returned. What say you?

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This will tell you a lot.

I nearly lost my job once because I point blank refused to fillet a shark (already dead) when working as a chef. The head chef and the boss thought I was being a bit over the top but I stood my ground and told them I refused to be any part of the shark problem. I told them it may as well have been a Siberian Tiger they wanted me to fillet.

I've gutted and killed plenty of fish. I'm not going to dent it but a shark was a sad thing to see with lifeless eyes and the amount of wastage was ridiculous. It doesn't even taste nice.

After a serious talk about my stance, I was given 3 tons of spuds to deal with but I was far happier knowing they were sustainable.

I think any dead shark just looks pathetic.

Should have been measured, photo taken, tagged alongside and released.
Richard on the Shy Torque tagged two portbeagles the other week and several have been seen of Whitby.

sell the bugger to cover costs ,not got a freezer big enough for the whole thing but its fins would sell down china town i bet

Hear hear!

If it was still alive boat side, then of course it should be still swiming and breeding.
I blame the skipper, how can someone from Switzerland make an educated decision,
when all they have seen are the Jaws movie's

Just double checked the article......35 minutes.....blimey would not like to meet
that 70 year old in a dark alley

This post has been edited by n4lly: Jun 27 2009, 03:53 PM

35 mins for a 7o year old to land on 8o lb line..............what a load of old baloney

The yanks often pull in the big tarpon and sailfish and stuff and kill them just for the pic (this has been discussed here before i think). Not a fan of such a practice but it does demonstrate the arrogance of man when we think the life of such a magnificent mammal is worth little more than a photograph.

Happy with my 8 inch schoolie Bass tonight..........was a beautiful evening, the sunset was exquisite and the sea clear and calm. Just being there is often enough...........

Phil, I don't follow what you mean by baloney.

80 lb line .....Its what I would use if after big fish
70 year old..... Last year at age 74 I beached a 9ft shark - exhausting, but I managed it. (Measured, photographed and released)
35 minutes.... Sharks such as mako would take far longer, but six-gills are very weak and sluggish for their size. Bernard Venables caught one in 1959 off Madeira - from a rowing boat !! It weighed 1500 lb and took him between two and three hours, but considering a shark can tow a rowing boat more easily than a charter boat that is not surprising.

So I see no reason to disbelieve the figures, even if the 35 minutes might be a slight exaggeration on the short side. Norma boat-sided a 900 lb Atlantic Blue Marlin in 20 minutes, and they are a damn sight more lively than any shark!

What IS baloney is bringing the fish in. I, and everyone I know who fishes for big sharks, would have measured, photographed, tagged and released, but unfortunately that ethos is far from universal.

This post has been edited by Vagabond: Jun 29 2009, 05:53 AM

That, folks, is what is known as standing up to be counted.

Bet that made the boss think twice before purchasing any more shark.

....and Norma and I, in our turn have returned alive many £1000's worth of marlin - restaurants pay huge prices for them.

Puts into perspective the criticism flying about if anyone takes the occasional perch for the table.

Your just too modest Phil. Don't know if i could live with an eight incher.





Me and the shark, we'de be mates.