Shark Fishing Banned

April 28, 2008

Release from: Pat Peterson
WKRG News (Mobile, Alabama)

The Orange Beach City Council voted at their worksession Monday to adopt an emergency resolution banning shark fishing along the immediate coastline. Council members have been discussing the issue for the past few months, after shark fishermen were spotted "chumming" near a public pier.

"We're also concerned about this following the shark attacks in Florida over the weekend and in California last week," says Orange Beach Mayor Pete Blalock. "Sharks draw sharks and if you're chumming, you're drawing in more sharks. It just doesn't need to happen right near the coastline. What we're saying is to get a boat and go do it out in the Gulf."

The city council will formally vote on the shark fishing ban at next week's council meeting. If approved, shark fishing, baiting and chumming will be illegal within 300 feet of the coastline. City leaders will work with state officials in enforcing the ban.

"The Gulf is state water," says Blalock. "We've actually approved this emergency resolution sent to us by the state. We're trying to have a little teetch in our law down here to tell people you can't do this here."

Once approved and passed, the ordinance will go into effect in about 90 days.