New law shaking up shore-based shark fishing takes effect today

A new measure impacting people who enjoy shore-based shark fishing is shaking up beach leisure is starting up July 1.

Jessica Veatch is a Florida mom, and less than two years ago she was in the ICU with her toddler after the child was attacked by a shark while swimming at a beach. After the attack, Veatch learned a person had been recently shark fishing the area from the shore, shortly before the attack on her daughter.

Luckily, Veatch’s daughter has made a full recovery, but since then Veatch has been fighting to bring attention to the need for new laws impacting the lives and leisure time of both Florida sport fisherman and other beachgoers.

On July 1, one such law will go into effect. “They made steps in the right direction, like, this is huge,” Veatch told WPTV in West Palm Beach.

What steps exactly?

The new law requires shark fisherman who want to fish from the shore to watch an educational video and take a test to receive a permit. It also stipulates equipment and applies to anyone aged 16 or older.

In a statement to Bay News 9, Amanda Nally of Marine Fisheries Management said:

“So we had a lot of workshops, we talked to a lot of people, both those who fish for shark and those who don’t, and this was some of the things that we came up with to try to work with those stakeholders and make sure that people that are out there fishing for shark from shore are aware of what the best practices are and what the regulations are — that they know how to ID sharks while they’re out there. That’s really what the education course is for.”

Shark fishing has long been a contentious topic for Floridians because the activity makes up a controversial industry with practices like finning that have had their ethics questioned by lawmakers.

At least one fisherman believes video education makes things safer for both people and sharks.

A fisherman, who goes by Tim, told Bay News 9, “It was learning experience, and it taught me a lot. I’m glad I did it and passed the test and it’s a good thing for people to know what the laws are and what the rules are to do it, so the fish don’t get hurt and the people don’t get hurt.”