Photography Jay Fleming on 19 Dec 2009 03:16 pm
Shark Tagging
Importance of Ethical Catch and Release Techniques
As more anglers are starting to participate in the Shark Fishery off Delmarva’s beaches it is important to bring into light proper catch and release techniques that can help ensure survival of released fish. The waters from Cape Henry, Virginia to Cape Henlopen, Delaware have one of the largest concentration of sharks in the Atlantic during the spawning season (May to July). Different species such as the Sandtiger, Sandbar, Dusky, Bull and Blacktip shark are drawn to shoals near the Atlantic’s confluence with estuaries to give live birth to pups. These large concentrations make the sharks especially vulnerable to recreational and commercial fisheries, where fisherman can easily target them.
Currently the Sandtiger, Dusky and Sandbar (the three most common Large Coastal Sharks (LCS) of Delmarva’s inshore waters) are classified as prohibited by the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS). Harvest of these species is strictly prohibited and anglers are instructed to immediately release these fish upon landing. Other sharks indigenous to the same waters are Bulls, Nurse, Spinner, Black-tip and Hammerheads, none of which are protected but are subject to the same pressures put on the protected species. Based on tagging data collected from 2007 to 2010, we found that approximately 80% of fish caught at Herring Point, Delaware were classified as prohibited species’. We did not specifically target these prohibited species, rather all Large Coastal Sharks were targeted for the purpose of tagging with the APEX Predator Investigation.
Hooking, fighting, landing and releasing a shark from the beach is a stressful process for the fish, especially during the breeding season. Anglers using the proper gear and landing techniques can reduce catch and release mortality, and in turn help ensure the health LCS stocks in the Atlantic.
Hooking and De-Hooking Techniques: Anglers are in direct control of the type of hooks they fish with. Circle Hooks are specifically designed for catch and release.
2010
Ben Fleming, Sean Kane, Keith Betts and 99″ Sandtiger Shark
Ben Fleming releases 80″ Sandbar Shark
Harper Cullen and friends examine our first Nurse Shark (94″) in the first state
Adam Dinouvo, Ben Fleming and 103″ Sandtiger
Jay Fleming and 98″ Sandtiger
Karli Rogers, Jay Fleming and 87″ Sandtiger
Sandbar (Brown)- 1
Dusky- 1
Nurse- 1
Sandtiger- 9
2009
This summer marks the second season tagging for the APEX Predator Investigation. We caught and released 48 sharks this season, with a greater species diversity than previous years. Scroll down for more pictures and last years report.
Jay Fleming
Barratt Cullen
Sean Kane
Harper Cullen and Payton Kulina
2008
We took a break from spear-fishing this summer and started taking tagging a little more seriously after several close encounters while diving. The National Marine Fisheries Service’s APEX Predator Investigation, based out of Narraganset, Rhode Island sent us tags and instructions as part of their cooperative shark tagging program. The program uses data from tagging to asses migration patterns, abundance, mortality, and behavior of over 50 different species of sharks on the Atlantic and Gulf Coasts of North America.
We released a total of 46 sharks this year, tagging as many as possible before we ran out of tags. The largest Sandtiger measured 9.5 feet (114″).
Carla and Ben Fleming
