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Article: HARVEST OF BLAME.(reasons behind increase in shark attacks)
- Article from:
- National Fisherman
- Article date:
- November 1, 2001
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2001 Diversified Publications. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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News media assertions that overfishing is behind increasing shark attacks fly in the face of common sense -- and the numbers.
In 1989, fishermen harvested 16.5 million pounds of sharks in the Gulf of Mexico and along the Eastern Seaboard. By 2000, drastic cuts in commercial shark quotas and other regulations had reduced the shark harvest to 1.8 million pounds.
During the intervening decade -- during which NMFS did an abrupt about-face, from promoting shark fishing to protecting sharks -- shark attacks in Florida increased by 240 percent.
Coincidence, say shark advocates. It's the sharks who are the victims. Follow a few common-sense rules and ...