shark fishing ban

[7GillOutfitters]

Just a heads up.  Just received an email that the state is proposing a complete ban on shark fishing in Washington.  They have absolutely no data or research to support the ban.  We will supplying dAta to support a catch and release fishery.  We intend to fight this full on, and could really use help. To directly get involved feel free to contact me at kbarnum@nwsps.com.

[Special T]

Do you have nay clue as to why? We definatly don't need to protect dog shark!  I doubt we need to protect the others either...

[Fishstiq]

"Hi, I'm with the gubment and I'm here to help!!"

Guess I better book a trip with you before it gets put to a vote.

[hambone]

does this have anything to do with calif. trying to put great white sharks on the endangered list just a thought

[7GillOutfitters]

I don't want to share too much on here as we are building our case with the help of many researchers, Phd's and elected officials.  But to our knowledge there is not enough data to support an all out ban, they are claiming high mortality rates of catch and release fishing.  Though they have never done a mortality study.  In less than twelve months sharks have went from no regulations, to a bottomfish regulated 12 fish limit, to a proposed ban to fishing, with no studies or research done.  7 gill outfitters and the Nw Shark Preservation Society are currently conducting the only shark research in the state.  They would not know that because the don't talk to NOAA, and have turned down countless offers to join me on my boat.

[oldcamper]

Can you eat a shark? I would ask what do they taste like but i'm pretty sure I know what the answer would be. 

[Special T]

You can eat dog shark, but it takes a pretty good sized one to make a meal. In th eUK they are often used for fish and chips as they are a white meat that is fairly firm. I have not caught one bigenough to make it worth my while, as i have not been fishing in some time. 

[JimmyHoffa]

Can you eat a shark? I would ask what do they taste like but i'm pretty sure I know what the answer would be. 

I think shark tastes awesome.  Just gut it as soon as possible, if not it gets a certain flavor to it.  How much better does a game animal taste when the animal was field dressed within a normal time frame?

[Huntbear]

Just a heads up.  Just received an email that the state is proposing a complete ban on shark fishing in Washington.  They have absolutely no data or research to support the ban.  We will supplying dAta to support a catch and release fishery.  We intend to fight this full on, and could really use help. To directly get involved feel free to contact me at kbarnum@nwsps.com.

Sounds like something the WFW might want to get involved in.... 

[7GillOutfitters]

We will take all the help we can get, the ban calls for a stop to fishing of 7 gills, 6 gills, and Threshers. 

[Wenatcheejay]

There is not a shark/saltwater section for WFW. Join and petition for one.   

[TONTO]

 All threshers? I believe the big eye thresher is alredy protected as well as the 6 gill and the greatwhite. So salmon shark and mako would still be fair game?
 This reminds me of the marine reserve ppl, regulation without research, based soley on emotion. The PEW foundation have anything to do with this?

[7GillOutfitters]

Funny part about great whites and threshers are that they are protected at the federal level, not the state level, so potentially it could put them in a case such as growing marijuana.  The state says it is legal, but the feds say otherwise.  They are making a list of sharks to be protected in washington and don't include an endangered species that frequents washington waters. Can you see that fact they they hurried this proposal.

[bearpaw]

I agree with you in trying to prevent a total fishing ban. Is a complete ban of consumptive fishing in order if there is no data suggesting a reason to not allow some sharks to be kept?

Sounds like they need to get busy with some studies or data collection and fishing reports could help wuith that. 

[7GillOutfitters]

Absolutely, the Northwest Shark Preservation Society, of which I am a member has been pushing for a catch and release only classification. I also agree that fisherman are the way to get the data we need much quicker and cheaper than a state ran operation.  You are reading my mind exactly.  That is going to be our argument.  We all know the state doesn't have the budget to research anything, that is where us sportsmen come in.

[oldcamper]

I have allways been throwing them back, guess I will be trying them out here in the future.

[magnus100]

Don't know much about bottom sharks but we ate fresh mako shark for dinner last night  and it was awesome. Took a trip down to southern Cali and  my 14 year old son caught 2 small makos.  Thresher is also delicious. I have caught  somewhere around 50 makos in my lifetime and a 2 threshers. Killed and ate about 10 of the makos and both threshers. Also support catch and release where there is data to support it but I get crazy when it is pushed based on emotion. Just the data please.
Mike

[sebek556]

tip for dogfish, soak the meat in a vinegar brine, then you can cook how ever you want and it turns out great 
the vinegar neutralizes the ammonia in the meat and brings out the flavor

[buckhorn2]

There have been guys fishing 7 gill in grays harbor for many years but it has been a local secret and as soon as wdf heard they were being caught they jump in and want to regulate. The exact reason I don;t like to talk to biologists there is not one thing they write down that would help us. It;s to many fish or not enough fish or wrong kind of fish now they are even measuring sea bass. I got a talking to for telling a biologist I did;nt like them next day fish cop meets our boat and says heard you had trouble with a biologist and I said no I just told him I don;t like them and he said if I do it again I will be in front of judge Brown. When they say ity;s confedintial information and no one will see it there lying the next year noaa will have a telephone directory full of there findings published.

[BigGoonTuna]

sounds like what happened with 6 gills in puget sound.  they were a species that nobody really fished for about until some guy started catching(and keeping) one after another off a pier in seattle.  apparently some local divers were up in arms about it, and almost immediately WDFW banned sixgill retention on the premise that they didn't know enough about the status of the shark population.