Record Hammerhead Shark

[Guest Ferret1959]

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QUOTE(Norm B @ May 29 2006, 06:43 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

A shame yes but it's an awesome fish and superb angling skill to catch it. The angler concerned wanted to keep it for a record, which is his right, if it had been caught on a Japanese longline it would have been just as dead without the kudos for the angler. By upping the record by such a large percentage he will probably have saved quite a few other sharks from being brought in to break the record, as I believe the IGFA rules mean you have to beat the existing record by at least 5 or 10% to claim a new record. No doubt somebody will correct me if I'm wrong, they usually do. It may not be everyones cup of tea to kill a fish for a record but it's only one fish, not dozens taken for the pot or fish market and the angler deserves credit for his catch, not criticism, we are after all supposed to be sportsmen.

 

 

 

Fishing isn't a sport for me more of a pastime.

 

VIDEO

[Ken L]

Sorry Norm but just as there are generally accepted (if rather arbitary) ethical limits on the size and species of fish that it's acceptable to use as livebaits, so there are ethical limits on what it's accepable for sport. Removing and killing a creature like that is in my view totally unacceptable.

It is all the more unacceptable because it wasn't caught and killed for food, It's death was nothing more than an act of vanity.

[severus]

Oops! Wrong forum - apologies.

 

Have to admit, even though he donated the carcass to science it is a bit disturbing that it was taken from the sea and destroyed. Too much of that and Hammerheads will go the way of Stellar's sea cow, the dodo, passenger pigeons, the Carolina parakeet, and thousands of other species lost forever.

[Norm B]

Sorry Norm but just as there are generally accepted (if rather arbitary) ethical limits on the size and species of fish that it's acceptable to use as livebaits, so there are ethical limits on what it's accepable for sport. Removing and killing a creature like that is in my view totally unacceptable.

It is all the more unacceptable because it wasn't caught and killed for food, It's death was nothing more than an act of vanity.

I accept we all have a point of view but what I don't understand is, if he killed it for food it's OK but as he killed it for a record and donated the body for science, that's not OK. The fish is dead, as are millions of sharks caught by longliners and nets strung across bays to protect swimmers. It's just as dead, at least the angler caught a fish of a lifetime and broke a record. All the time a fish has to be weighed to claim a record, and I don't know of another accurate way, then fish will be killed and landed. I think the conservation ethic is going too far if we can't kill the occasional fish, whether it's for food, bait or a record. We may not all like the idea of a superb fish like the shark concerned being killed but it's dead and can't be brought back to life, so can't we say " well done, what a superb feat of angling", instead of moaning about it.

[SandTiger]

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QUOTE(Norm B @ May 29 2006, 08:55 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

... so can't we say " well done, what a superb feat of angling", instead of moaning about it.

 

Yer, but what if I want to bag more than 3 Hammers and my limit is only 2?

[Snatcher]

Appears to touch a raw nerve this posting

 

Catch and release !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

That shark will have no more babies then I suppose!

 

The mentality of some anglers does my head in. I would gladly "spark" them for fun. And I can

[SandTiger]

Appears to touch a raw nerve this posting

 

Catch and release !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

That shark will have no more babies then I suppose!

 

The mentality of some anglers does my head in. I would gladly "spark" them for fun. And I can

 

Aye but can you knock me up some Hammerhead flys pleeeeeeze?

[Norm B]

--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Norm B @ May 29 2006, 08:55 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->

... so can't we say " well done, what a superb feat of angling", instead of moaning about it.

 

Yer, but what if I want to bag more than 3 Hammers and my limit is only 2?

I'd be happy with a bag limit of 1 in the Solent.

[Norm B]

Appears to touch a raw nerve this posting

 

Catch and release !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

That shark will have no more babies then I suppose!

 

The mentality of some anglers does my head in. I would gladly "spark" them for fun. And I can

I support catch and release but I also support an anglers right to take a fish or two if he/she wants to, as long as it's legal. We are in danger of being seen as sandel wearing whingers the way some are moaning about killing fish. If you can't handle the thought that a fish may die then you shouldn't fish, because fish do die, even if it's unintentional. Just because you put them back alive, it doesn't mean they'll live. In their tired, weakened state they are easy prey for a predator, or they may become infected from the hook or handling. I've seen loads of dead fish on the shore after a measure and return match so catch and release isn't the panacea that it's supposed to be. Yes more fish live than weight matches but not all of them.

[SandTiger]

Never worn sandeels b4, it'll be flares next