Video of live shark being stabbed, cut open draws outrage. Why that’s legal in Florida
Warning: This story contains graphic details and media that may be upsetting to some readers.
Mariana Sabogal was walking along New Smyrna Beach in Florida when she saw something that made her stomach turn. She started filming.
Two anglers had dragged a blacktip shark onto the sand and stabbed it in the head with a knife, her video showed. The men posed for the camera as Sabogal approached them.
After the men are asked to let the shark go, one of them tells Sabogal that it’s a legal harvest. “There’s nothing you can do about it,” he says in the video. The shark writhes in the sand with the knife in its head.
Despite Sabogal’s graphic video showing the stabbing, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission says the men aren’t doing anything illegal.
“It is common practice for anglers to euthanize sharks after landing for ethical and safety concerns. This video is not currently under investigation as no violation of state law regarding the method of harvest occurred,” a spokesperson for the FWC told McClatchy News in an email.
According to Florida law, shore-based shark fishers must complete an online educational course and acquire the Shore-based Shark Fishing permit, which must be renewed annually. The FWC told McClatchy News that the requirement to have the Shore-based Shark Fishing permit would apply to the anglers in the video, and the permits are enforced by spot checks.
The commission recommends that people avoid shark fishing on crowded beaches, during high traffic times or near popular swimming areas. It appears in Sabogal’s film that the men are fishing at a beach connecting to several hotels.
Despite the anglers being within legal statutes, some viewers online are demanding a response from law enforcement or changes in harvesting laws.
“This is not a humane kill,” one viewer commented. “Plain and simple. Period. I wish I had not seen this.”
“There should be some laws about how to harvest a kill and/or in what area. Doing so on a public beach where families and kids come to enjoy the beach, sand, surf, etc doesn’t make any sense,” another commenter said. “It may be legal but they should change that law because people do not understand this is OK and for people who do not engage in this type of activity, it appears quite vulgar and inhumane.”
Others defended the men’s actions.
“They didn’t do anything wrong. We brain sharks after we catch them. Most ethical way to kill them,” someone commented on the video.
Sabogal shared the video in the hopes that it would spread awareness about sharks, adding that she wanted to see better laws to prevent similar behavior.
“There’s a lot of things that are legal, but they are not morally right,” Sabogal told WESH. “This is being done on a public beach where there’s a lot of people watching to what many people in the world is considered cruelty.”
Though the anglers are not under investigation, if anyone has information regarding the incident, they are invited to call the Wildlife Alert Hotline at 888-404-3922, the FWC told McClatchy News.
New Smyrna Beach is about 60 miles northeast of Orlando.
This story was originally published August 24, 2022 at 12:37 PM with the headline "Video of live shark being stabbed, cut open draws outrage. Why that’s legal in Florida."
