Two great white sharks battled from Manhattan Beach Pier

A fisherman on Manhattan Beach Pier hooked two great white sharks Tuesday, one estimated to measure 5-6 feet and the other 7-8 feet.

Both sharks were cut loose after being reeled to the surface and both catches were witnessed by Eric Martin, director of the Roundhouse Marine Studies Lab and Aquarium at the end of the pier.

White sharks are protected off California and landing them is illegal.

While the unnamed angler released both specimens, and may not have broken any laws, he might be perceived by some to be walking a fine line.

"He has steel leaders, and I looked in his bucket and saw that he's using large dead mackerel for bait, so he seems to be fishing for this stuff," Martin said.

These were the fifth and six white shark battles Martin has witnessed from the pier since mid-July. The first incident became tense because the angler was insistent on gaffing and hauling his catch onto the pier. He consented to let Martin cut the line only after a heated argument and a threat to call the police.

There has been a large abundance of market-sized squid in South Bay  waters in recent weeks. This could be attracting rays, small sharks and and other prey items preferred by juvenile white sharks.

"It's so weird because I've also seen two swim-bys recently, including one that involved about a 7-footer that ended up about 20 feet from a surfer," Martin said. "The surfer had no idea."

--Image showing second of two white sharks hooked Tuesday on Manhattan Beach Pier is courtesy of Eric Martin

Comments

[Plant Nursery]

I heard this news from the other blog maybe. But this information is quite true. I thought it was just a rumor. Luckily there are some other people who had respected our ecosystem,. this is very lucky sharks though. :D

[Sean]

Thank you for your prompt response.

Great White protection is necessary and good for the ecosystem.

Top pinniped predators are great.

I agree that poachers should be stopped every time. All of the fishermen that I know who use macs and the described terminal tackle target the larger game fish and practice C&R and would never take a Great White.

[Pete Thomas]

Sean, I see your point and, in fact, tweaked the wording a bit to soften the tone. But if that guy who works at the end of the pier hadn't been around, at least one of the six white sharks hooked since July would have been gaffed and hauled up. Who knows whether this latest guy, who has now hooked three of the six, would have cut his line or tried to bring any of the sharks up if the aquarium biologists weren't there keeping an eye out. I support the protection of white sharks, whose jaws are worth a lot of money on the black market, so I think targeting them (and he clearly is targeting them) is not the most responsible thing to do.

[Sean]

Pete,

Thank you for your work covering CA outdoors, but I am disappointed with your piece.

"While the unnamed angler released both specimens, and may not have broken any laws, he appears to have been walking a fine line.
"He has steel leaders, and I looked in his bucket and saw that he's using large dead mackerel for bait, so he seems to be fishing for this stuff," Martin said."

This implies the style of fishing is close to breaking laws when it was the angler reluctance to release the fish is once properly identified that is close to violating the law.

Please anglers suffer enough as is with the MLPA closures and public perception is against us. The juxtaposition of the quotes will lead more misunderstanding. Catch and release is a very effective for protecting prohibited species as well as a great fish management tool. Your tone sides with PETA not with the vast majority of law abiding anglers who enjoy the benefits of the great Pacific Ocean.