The Vote Is In---Shark Fishing Banned In Virginia Beach

This just goes to show the ignorance of people who know little or nothing about fishing. Myrtle Beach has a law against shark fishing, and so does Tybee Island, two of my favorite places to fish. One of the reasons why they are doing it is to keep tourists from seeing anglers pulling in sharks. I remember one time in Georgia when I caught a 3 ft. blacktip, and as I threw it back in the water, alot of people got out of the surf and retreated to the safety of their beach towels.

Here's the way I see it, people shouldn't be doing things to draw in sharks in an area where people are swimming. However, there's nothing wrong with fishing for them. I would think that people would feel better that there are anglers "protecting" them from the sharks. One pier down here has dozens of sharks in the summer, drawn in by the lights and the cleaning of fish.

I think eventually the mindless powers that be will force fishermen off the piers, off the beaches, anywhere in the vicinity of tourists. The reason for that is that they know they can get far more money out of the tourists than they get out of the majority of anglers.

That's my two cents

Altough I am sure that they could get it . . . it is not clear that VA Bch has the athourity to regulate recreational fishing from a boat or once you are in the water below mean low water. That lies with VMRC. We went down this road a few months ago with boating/fishing next to a fishing pier. The same applies to coastal waters. The certainly can make rules concerning fishing when you are standing on the beach or maybe even on a pier (as an extension of the city.)

A city can work on boating but it looks like they have to mark a specific area. . . .

§ 29.1-734. Authorization for and placing of markers in waters of the Commonwealth used for public swimming areas; no motorboating, waterskiing in marked area.

A. Any owner of real estate which touches any of the waters of this Commonwealth or the agent of the owner may petition the Board <DGIF> to authorize the placing of markers approved by the Board around a public swimming or bathing area.

I'll look into it some more but it may be a few weeks.

Tom

Tybee Island is one of those hint-hint, wink-wink deals when you catch sharks. Not supposed to do it, but then there is that one guy with the massive reel and heavy action rod with about 6-700 yards of 200 lb braided Dacron that has a 2-3ft tailless dead shark or stingray that has been motored out about 500 yards. I kid you not, he's the one that caused the ban in the first place. You can catch them, just don't ask the cops or game warden to take your picture with the 9 ft. hammerhead.

Myrtle Beach, you catch a shark, you're supposed to cut the line as soon as you realize it's a shark. However, people complain about it alot, who wants to lose a drum rig for a shark? I usually catch about 4-5 sharks for every drum.

Now, I'll be fishing in VA Beach alot this summer and I am curious how these new regulations are going to be applied and whatnot. Any word?

I din't think CBBT/Sea Gull is privately owned.
But is WAY OUT THERE -- on the bridge. What
swimmers will that affect? Knowing the dummies
that wrote the law, they made a blanket state-
ment like "No shark fishing off a pier in VA
beach because it scares the tourists. Anyone
caught will be subject to ...." Now how are
they to know all the possible places where
piers are, if they don' go searching for a
better place to fish? Thus I propose that
SEA GULL is an illegal place to shark fish
unless proven otherwize.

Howmany other piers are there like Sea Gull?

No shark fishing is allowed anytime in the city of Va Beach. Not just the Little Island area but all areas of the city. Whether by line or by tackle, sharks are off limits. Seems the ban includes jetties, structures, boats, shore, etc. I was able to find this info relating to the shark fishing ban. It comes directly from the city council "minutes of meeting" sort of speaking. It basically is an overview of the changes the VB city council voted to/made during their last/ November 26, 2002 meeting. It's a rough draft showing the changes that have been made. An updated completed draft will probably be made once the holiday is over.
This link requires adobe acrobat reader but it should load okay. Page 5 is where the shark regulations begin. http://www.vbgov.com/dept/clk/citycouncil/agendas/112602.pdf

Or use this link and click on the Nov 26, 2002 agenda. The summary/minutes portions should be available for viewing at a later date. http://www.vbgov.com/dept/clk/citycouncil/

Hope this helps.

Here is the critical sections.

6-31 Shark Fishing Prohibited
a. No person shall:
(1) Place in the marginal adjacent ocean or bay within five hundred yards of mean low water line any chum blood or free floating bait for the purpose o attracting sharks, or

(2) Fish for sharks withing the city limits and the marginal adjacent waters within five hundered yards of meean low water line.

These prohibitions shall include fishing or chumming from any beach, structure, jetty or boat, utilizing tackle, bait or chum intened for or commonly used to catch or attract sharks.

(B) Any person who shall violate any provision of this section shall be guilty of a class 3 misdemeanor.

COMMENT
This ammendement prhohibits shark fishing in the City of Virginia Beach throughout the year deleting provisions the permitted shark fishing at little Island Park and in Virginia Beach between Labor Day weekend and Memorial Day Weekend.

End of Quote. (BTW excuse any typos, etc.)

I still do not know if a city can regulate fishing in the bay and coastal waters 1/4 mile off shore. It has always been my understanding that that has been under the control of VMRC. Like I said I'll look into it the week after next when I intend on spending a few hours in a car with some people from VMRC.

Tom