Shark Fishing Banned

Florida Alabama Orange Beach City Council adopts emergency referendum banning shark fishing chumming and "blood-baiting" near beaches and along immediate coastline

by Pat Peterson

Published: Mon, April 28, 2008 - 4:52 pm CST

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.

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rosepetal Says:

Mon, Jun 30, 2008 at 6:55 pm

working4u , i agree with you and thats just what you are swimming in the ocean, fish bait.

working4u Says:

Mon, Jun 30, 2008 at 2:34 pm

rosepetal-I can see that at Dauphin Island. How goofy can some fisherman get? Like you, I will stick with the pool too. I guess you can say I have something against being fish bait.

rosepetal Says:

Mon, Jun 30, 2008 at 1:26 pm

working4u , i have seen them shark fish from the pier at dauphin island. of course that was before katrina. i love to fish, but no way would i swim in any ocean, gulf, etc. God gave the sharks the oceans for homes, God gave us swimming pools to swim.

working4u Says:

Mon, Jun 30, 2008 at 11:50 am

I hope this does not give folks useing those beaches a false scense of security. The trick is to stay out of the water a couple of hours after sun up and a couple hours before sun down. My condo is 17 floors up overlooking the beach. Very far and between have I seen sharks swimming at the shoreline and we spend a lot of time on the deck. I have never seen a boat chumming and shark fishing right off the beach. Personnally, I would not get in the water at all. The heck with the sharks, my worry is stepping on a stingray. I have never caught a shark fishing off the beach but I have caught a ton of stingrays.

rosepetal Says:

Mon, Jun 30, 2008 at 10:43 am

justme, was not that little boy fishing in knee deep water a couple of years ago that was attacked by a bull shark. seems he had his bait in his pocket or something. i do not think that little boy from mississippi that almost died and his uncle wrestled the bull shark and got his arm from the shark was out 300 ft.,. i think this is a good idea because sharks drive away the good fish.

atbman Says:

Tue, Apr 29, 2008 at 5:46 am

How can a city control the gulf waters?

justapit Says:

Mon, Apr 28, 2008 at 10:55 pm

so now these people own upto 300 feet of the water also. they own the beach anyway just give them the gulf so they have total control.

justme Says:

Mon, Apr 28, 2008 at 10:05 pm

Are they for real, 300 ft. How dumb of me, the sharks want come closer, they will stop at 300 ft. so now only those that swim out 301 ft. or more will be the only ones who have to Worry. Oh and I almost forgot the chum and blood want come past the 300 ft line. Why don’t you add jelly fish to they know they can’t come closer to shore than 300 ft. Don’t forget the manta’s and hurricanes lets stop them at the 300 ft line.