Posted by Kimberly on May 02, 2002 at 10:10:37:
In Reply to: Re: Sport Fishing posted by Mario on May 02, 2002 at 09:44:28:
Mario:
Then I apologize for having relayed incorrect information, based on more than a dozen e-mails who purported eyewitness accounts. Where was the shark gutted, though? Back at Valentine's dock, or on a private dock?
I'm sorry that you think that so many folks on the board have been judgmental of the way you handled the situation. I know that folks on the island are terrified of sharks, and respond accordingly. I can only note that I have dived for more than twenty years, and have encountered the most gentle nurse sharks, sand sharks and hammerheads while underwater, whether diving off of Harbour Island or Kauai. I really respect their strength and grace, and was hurt to hear of a mommy shark being taken. I'm glad that we've had this discussion, though, as so many species are in danger of being similarly overfished, such as conch and grouper. When I was a kid, you couldn't sail through South Bar without passing over hundreds of conch and starfish. You couldn't body surf on the oceanside without running into hundreds of angelfish and minnows. The waters these days, though, are awfully quiet, and I hope that discussions like these help us correct the situation.
Thanks for understanding --
Kimberly