Is this "shark" law true?

Question

Me and my father were deep-sea fishing on a boat with a bunch of other fishermen when suddenly, I caught a baby shark on accident. The captain came over to me and told me to kill it and THEN throw it back in the water. Apparently, this is some kind of law. Could someone tell me why?

By the way, it was off the coast of Cape Cod, Massachusetts, so I don't know if this "law" applies to any other states.

Answer 1

This is really sick? Why do that? sharks are going extinct now and that is actually bad because it messes up the food chain..

Answer 2

I don't know about fishing laws, perhaps you should contact the Massachusetts Department of Fish and Game.

Questions/Comments to: [e-mail] OR [e-mail]

http://www.mass.gov/dfwele/index.htm

http://www.mass.gov/dfwele/dmf/recreatio...

http://www.mass.gov/dfwele/dfw/recreatio...

Answer 3

This is complete garbage. The man was looking after his own interests and trying to kill sharks to have more game fish - but it is not that easy. Some sharks are now on the endangered species list because of idiots like him - and the thousands of Asians who regularly kill sharks for the sake of their fins to make soup. the body is thrown back!!

Answer 4

i dont know but i have a story about this

i live in hawaii and i was swimming at pinetrees

then i rubbed against something i turned around it was a shark that someone shot through the head

and that same day was a fishing tournament  

Answer 5

its not true, ur captain is just sick and he doesnt like sharks, did u actually kill it? humans kill over one hundred thousand sharks a year when sharks have only eaten or hurt 50 people in the last 100 years

Answer 6

Absolutely false.  In fact, it may well be illegal.  The shark may have been any number of species, but dogfish are very common there (dogfish are a species of shark).  The NE Atlantic population of dogfish is critically  endangered.

For many years dogfish were thought of as pests--stealing bait, fowling nets, and depleting commercial species of fish.  It was not uncommon for people to want to kill them, thinking of it as a public service.  This view is, however, very much outdated and downright wrong.  We now recognize tha dogfish are an integral part of a healthy, functioning ecosystem.  Killing them can cause more problems down the line.  It is much better to give them a friendly wave and let the dogfish be.

Answer 7

It is the "natural" law of the survival of the fittest.

Answer 8

to be honest that might be a tradition with the fisherman.