Posted on 03/01/2013 1:06:50 PM PST by nickcarraway
On March 1, great whites are protected by the California Endangered Species Act
Great white sharks off the coast of California will be protected by the California Endangered Species Act beginning March 1.
Three environmental groups asked the California Department of Fish and Wildlife to protect the fish at the beginning of February. The groups said there are only around 340 great whites in the Northwestern Pacific region, making them in danger of extinction.
Beginning March 1, great whites may not be hunted, pursued, or killed under CESA. Anyone caught harming or killing a shark could face criminal prosecution.
Commercial fishing for great whites has been banned in California waters for nearly 20 years, but some exceptions previously existed for research purposes. Starting March 1, the Fish and Wildlife department will issue permits for scientific research. Fishers will also have to obtain a permit in case of accidental capture of great white sharks.
With CESA protection for great whites, Fish and Wildlife may also decide to deem the species endangered. The department will conduct a status review of the sharks to determine whether or not it is threatened and expect to make a decision by early 2014.
Let them eat sea lions ‘til they puke.
Surfers and swimmers, meanwhile, have just become an endangered species.
But, hey, ask the envirowackos and they’ll tell you people don’t matter. There are too darned many of ‘em, anyway.
Jaws nth
Environmentalists are a menace.
Between slow sea lions and foolish humans that ignore the warnings posted on the beach, I dout the sharks will see a single hungry day...
I’ve never understood the obsession with swimming/surfing/whatevering in an area inhabited by sharks or barracudas-it just isn’t smart.
Pardon me-that should be “doubt”.
Maybe we can get "Barry" and congress to vacation at the California beaches.
I never understood the obsession with living in an area where lightning strikes. Better chance of that being killed by a great white.
I’d like to see more great white sharks and fewer California surfer types anyways.
“The groups said there are only around 340 great whites in the Northwestern Pacific”
Moving to Texas like everyone else here.
I WANTZZ MY OBAMAFONEZZ!!!
I don’t live near the ocean, so I’m sure you are right, but we do have storms with dangerous lightning and hail in these hills-if there is a weather warning for my area concerning lightning, wind, hail, etc-you don’t go out until the warning comes down-it just makes sense. And yes, I actually have been struck by lightning...
Looking at the numbers, 118 people were attacked by Great Whites worldwide in 2011. 17 of those died. By contrast, 24,000 are killed by lightning and ten times that many are hit annually. 51 are killed every year in the U.S. alone.
Oh Gawd, yes! Last time I was in Khalifornistan, those damned sea-lion were getting way out of hand. The emotionally-driven desire to over-protect sea mammals is destructive to the environment and the sea lion population.
Hungry super-sized “fish” with great big teeth get protection from politicians, the only more dangerous species on Rock3.
I’m surprised the shark attack number is that small, given the way the media screams over every animal attack in a human, be it bear or shark-they act like it is an epidemic. Trouble with mountain lions can be avoided by not hiking alone in the woods, and making a lot of noise-but I don’t imagine that works in the ocean with sharks...
In California, they are mostly liberals and attorneys, so go for it.
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