Fishermen, beach towns clash over bill that would ban shark fishing during summer

Whether you love or hate sharks, most people don't want to swim near them.

But that’s what nearly happened last summer in Brunswick County. Local tackle store owner Marty Wright decided to host a shark fishing tournament from the beaches and piers in July, the height of tourist season.

"A lot of people came to me as Mayor of Holden beach and said, 'we don't want that here,'" said Holden Beach Mayor Alan Holden.

Holden and other local mayors convinced Wright to delay the tournament until early October. They eventually took it to court, where the tournament was blocked by a judge who agreed it would pose a threat to other beachgoers.

"Shark fishermen primarily enjoy and feel like they need some kind of a bloody bait to attract the sharks, and blood in the water and people in the water don't seem to be what is a good idea," Holden said.

Wright didn't respond to our interview request, but his attorney argued North Carolina’s public trust doctrine said the shore is public property and people can fish anywhere, anytime they want.

A bipartisan bill filed recently would ban shark fishing tournaments from shore from May through October in Brunswick County. Holden thinks it will solve any potential problems in the future.

"Who wants to take their family to a beach that is sponsoring or allowing to be sponsored a fishing tournament from the beach, right?" Holden said. "Where are you gonna take your family? That just does not bode well with the tourism industry."

The Division of Marine Fisheries provided a statement to WRAL, noting they don't consider the bill a fisheries bill.

"The Division of Marine Fisheries does not consider HB544 a fisheries bill. It is a bill that pertains to the use of the beach in specific areas for a shark tournament. The Division of Marine Fisheries provided input prior to the bill’s introduction to ensure that it would not require changes in shark fishing regulations. North Carolina’s Atlantic shark fisheries are managed under the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission Coastal Sharks Interstate Fishery Management Plan."

Rep. Pricey Harrison is a cosponsor of the bill that would outlaw the tournaments. She wishes the ban would cover the entire coast and feels sharks are essential apex predators that are in decline worldwide.

"Sharks are a really important part of the ocean ecosystem," Harrison said. "And I sort of blame Jaws, for making folks scared of sharks and making it seem like it's okay to just slaughter them, but it's a real problem."