Giant hammerhead shark catch: Is Florida angler hero or villain?

There's an interesting story in today's St. Petersburg Times about Capt. Bucky Dennis and the negative reaction regarding his recent catch of a 1,060-pound great hammerhead shark off Boca Grande, Fla.

Dennis shattered the 80-pound line-class world record. He already held the all-tackle world record, for his capture of a 1,280-pound hammerhead in the same area in 2006. That 14-foot shark was about  50 years old and contained 55 baby hammerheads.

Was Dennis, who had two clients aboard, within his right to catch and kill such a remarkable predator? Absolutely. Shark fishing is legal and the International Game Fish Assn. still accepts world record submissions for most species of sharks.

But was Dennis right to haul the shark aboard and kill it, merely for the sake of another record? That's debatable. This is an era of shark conservation and shark numbers around the world -- including hammerheads in the Gulf of Mexico -- are severely depleted.

Dennis, who releases most of the sharks he catches, could not even donate this latest catch for research. The Mote Center for Shark Research rejected the specimen because it did not want to encourage the killing of sharks--particularly large breeding females.

Bloggers and e-mailers assailed Dennis. They labeled him a coward and moron, those and other words not fit for print. One said, "A real fisherman wouldn't have killed such a beautiful machine."

Said Dennis: "Times have changed, I understand. A lot of people want to save the world."

--Pete Thomas

Photo of the 1,060-pound hammerhead courtesy of Julie Deibler

Comments

[James]

Humans won't be happy until they've killed and destroyed everything.

[Whatever]

Wow what a record - he killed a threatened animal! Yay for cruelty, stupidity, and complete lack of respect for nature. This is the attitude that is bringing our planet to the sad state it is today.

[Andrew Miller]

Its not a save the world attitude that people have the guy is a moron he just doesn't get it. What a shame the shark came across his line. The first time I read the story he was given all the glory or hauling in this giant hammerhead but all I could think was what a shame.

[Stanley]

He is definitely a villian. That Hammerhead is probably 50 years old, and it's life time has probably spawned numerous other sharks to be at the top of the food chain in the ocean, and now is dead "no thanks" to this sport fisherman. Killing just for sport and trophy is NO LONGER ACCEPTABLE. Just as killing these magnificent creatures for "shark fin" soup. Just as we passed laws to protect dolphins during "tuna fishing" in the tuna nets. We need to protect these fish that don't spawn that often and are now endangered and "OVER FISHED".

[Chan]

I think it's absolutely disgusting that, if in fact, he did kill this animal for the sake of another record. He needs to be hooked in the mouth for punishment!

[pedro guy]

what a catch. Im going to Alaska next month for fishing. hopefully i can also catch some big stuff. fish is so tasty.

[Gig]

I'm no fan of sharks. But to slaughter a pregnant animal that was hungry and trying to get some nutrition for its unborn - just to satisfy an egotistical desire - I will never understand this mentality.

[Phebe]

Just for the sake of ''glorious light'', he killed in total of 56hammerheads in total which 55 r potential baby hammerheads!?!!! cruelty!!!
its similar to killing a pregnant women who has 12foetus in her.. jeez..

[Why?]

Killing for the sake of killing. Is this what America wants to be known for?

[Joe]

Your going to need a bigger brain.

[PK]

Dennis = MURDERER!!!

[jad]

No one wants to save the world. They just don't want idiots like this slaughtering what little is left of it.

[david]

Why does it matter what size it is? Never heard anyone protest the catching of a trout. . . instead of getting so worked up about the killing of a few baby sharks your time would be better spent protesting the murder of millions of unborn human's in the USA every year.

[Brian]

Only the LA Times would have readers that equate killing a hammerhead shark and its babies to killing a woman and her child.....Wow...now I know why this country has lost its way.

[P3143]

These sharks are not endangered! Why are people so sensitive to this; it's a fish! I imagine that most of the people who have left comments ripping this world-class angler have never given hammer head sharks a second thought, but because we are supposed to be a kinder gentler people to nature, it's now vogue to pile on fishermen, hunters, etc. And enough with the whole, "This is why our world is falling apart," garbage. This is a pretty amazing planet that has always and will continue to sustain itself. Should we be good stewards, yes! Should we be so bold as to think we, man kind, will kill the planet? C'mon!

[Cale Karanovic]

Very Nice. Hopefully this guy can find a living T-Rex and kill that too. Very Nice!!!! Way to Go!

[Crash Burn]

While this guys is probably not a bad guy, its probably right that he sees that times have indeed changed. Trophy hunting is no longer seen as acceptable and is properly scorned by most. He was obviously looking to be the hero and turned out the villain. Hopefully lesson learned.

[Rep. Steve Lindsey]

Seems the open season on hammerheads should be closed when the females are pregnant...Especially since this species is a shadow of its former self...Now is the time for Florida and Federal authorities to bring forth new regulations to protect this species during its most vulnerable time...

Rep. Steven Lindsey
Ches-3
Keene, NH

If they act, "Bucky" the trophy fisherman may have actually helped the species, through not by design...Write letters to Florida newspapers demanding better protection of breeding individuals.

[Susan Shaulis]

I'm appauled at the disrespect for nature that people have. This man ought to be ashamed of himself for killing a beautiful creature as such. And for what? Did he need it to survive? Probably not, although you can eat shark meat and wear it's skin. But seriously, couldn't he at the very least have stopped at catch and release? Seriously, I hope this man is burdoned with volumes of guilt, sleepless nights, and bags full of mail agreeing with me.

[Shark-Free Marinas]

This story on Bucky stands as an example f the senseless waste of breeding size sharks that is occurring on our local coastlines. It's true that 60-80 million sharks are killed worldwide but at least 1/2 a million of these are caught for sport on the East coast of the United States, many of these share the same fate as Bucky's catch, winding up in the dumpster.

While we respect the right of a hunter to hunt this scenario is simply unacceptable and one that we are moving to make a thing of the past.

Please visit and lend your support to www.Sharkfreemarinas.com.

[anOPINIONATEDsob]

Living here where this took place, I am also somewhat angry that these trophy sports continue while morons like myself spend a literal fortune to preserve and understand one species or another for most of an adult lifetime. While my species of work is the Florida Panther, a subspecies of the Cougar, the principles are the same. This planet will be a very boring place indeed if humans are the only life remaining. We already consume an unsustainable amount of animals just to feed a population far beyond the capacity of the planet to subordinate over time.

[whatever]

that a idiot why would u kill it wat a fool

[t. d. jakes]

most of you people are jelouse. you see where this guy strong armed a beast with fishing line, and all you can do is barely reach for the remote to change the tv channel. relax take a qualude, and if you don't like something, stay away from it. fish on my brother.

[Mary]

I am a former commercial fishermen and a current fisheries biologist. One thing I disdain is taking these animals for fun. I am involved with the commercial fleet but they are heavily regulated and are feeding families and supporting a local economy with the catches of shark. When recreational guys catch and kill large Highly Migratory Tunas and Sharks all they see one guy killing one thing for fun, and that is his right. But when you multiply that by 5,000,000 (recreational fishermen) it adds up. Recreational fishermen need to accept that they have a massive and serious impact on fisheries resources and at the very least practice catch and release. This 50 year old Hammerhead was about to add 50 pups to a shark population, that's significant. She wasn't slaughtered to feed a family or for scientific research she was slaughtered so a very small man could feel important for a few minutes. That's not good enough.

One last point. It's been proven that large old fat females produce not only more offspring but that the offspring are healthier than those with a young small momther. A large old female fish should probably be returned to the water no matter who catches her.

[Git R Dun]

The commercial longline fishing fleets kill thousands of sharks like this every day while fishing for swordfish and tuna. Most of the time, these commercial longliners pull the sharks onboard, slice off their fins for shark fin soup, and discard the sharks (usually still alive) back into the water, where they slowly starve to death because they can't feed.

Ranting and raving over a single shark caught by a guy trying to set a world record is pretty ridiculous considering the thousands of sharks caught and killed incidentally and discarded like trash so people can enjoy their sushi lunches. Oh wait ... that happens far out at sea where there are no cameras. Out of sight, out of mind, I guess.