10 Ft. Hammerhead Shark Beached With Kiters Off Pompano
 

http://www.fksa.org/gallery3/var/res...g?m=1366811850

An approximate 10 ft. hammerhead shark landed last night just to the south of the launch in Pompano Beach, FL..
Photo: Pompano Beach Kiteboarding Facebook page

I think I was the blue kite about a half mile off to the NNE. I was out shooting a sunset session around the lighthouse in some nice 20 mph winds. Had no clue they brought this shark in until Dave told me about it last night on the Internet. It was reportedly released.

Shark populations are diminishing and regulations are changing as a result. It is now illegal to capture and kill Hammerhead sharks in Florida. This law came about on Jan. 1, 2012. Even bringing one into the beach could lay you open for a nasty fine depending on how things work out.


http://www.fksa.org/gallery3/var/res...g?m=1366811215


Here are the current regulations:

"**NEW** Shark Management Changes

The FWC Commissioners passed a rule that prohibits the recreational and commercial harvest of tiger sharks and great, scalloped and smooth hammerhead sharks from state waters at the Nov. 16, 2011, meeting. The rule took effect January 1, 2012.

Anglers may catch and release prohibited shark species in state waters. Anglers may also catch and take some species of shark in federal waters and land them in Florida but boats traveling through state waters carrying shark must not stop in state waters until the fish are landed.

Catch and release methods:

By using the following techniques when fishing for shark, anglers can greatly increase fish survival rates.

Use tackle heavy enough to land a fish quickly to reduce exhaustion, which could result in its death or weaken it making it more vulnerable to predators. (Prohibited species that die while on the line after being caught in state waters should be returned to the water.)
Release the fish while it is in the water when possible.
Use a de-hooking device to remove hooks safely.
Use non-stainless steel hooks - these hooks can dissolve if they remain in a fish.
Use non-offset circle hooks when fishing with natural bait to avoid gut hooking a fish - circle hooks tend to hook fish in the jaw, making them easy to remove.
Bend barbs down on hooks so they can be removed with less damage to a fish."

More at: http://www.myfwc.com/fishing/saltwat...tional/sharks/



https://scontent-b-mia.xx.fbcdn.net/...71&oe=553CCD7C
This is what things looked like further up the coast where I was around the time the hammerhead was beached.


Sharks are out there, take care of our oceans and the life that swims in them.


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