Guy Harvey and Shark Tournaments - Leadership

March 25, 2011
Written By: News Editor, Shawn J. Soper

OCEAN CITY -- In an effort to build on an already solid conservation ethic, organizers of the annual Ocean City Shark Tournament are partnering this year with the well-known Guy Harvey Ocean Foundation to increase payouts and prize packages for the release division of the popular event in June.

The Ocean City Shark Tournament returns to the host Ocean City Fishing Center in June with even stronger conservation measures in place than in years past. While there will still be some large sharks weighed at the scale during the four-day event in June, the cash payouts and prize packages for anglers and boats that opt to release their catches will be more than doubled, thanks in large part to the new partnership with the conservation-minded Guy Harvey Ocean Foundation.

The Ocean City Shark Tournament was started 31 years ago as a small club tournament with a few trophies and rods and reels handed out as prizes. Over the last three decades, the tournament has evolved to become one of the largest events of its kind on the east coast and last year doled out over $142,000 in prize money to the winners in several categories.

While much of the drama surrounding the event includes the weighing of large sharks at the scales at the host Ocean City Fishing Center, from the beginning the tournament has been rooted in a strong conservation effort. Last year, for example, just 18 sharks were brought to the scale, while 146 were released during the three days of fishing and the tournament boasts a 95-percent release rate in its three decades of existence.

“Just like sharks, the Ocean City Shark Tournament’s success can be attributed to long-term adaptation,” said tournament co-founder and director Captain Mark Sampson. “From the beginning, we made a commitment to run an event with an eye to conservation and serious effort not to adversely impact shark resources.”

Efforts have been made over the years to help ensure participating anglers are bringing back to the scales only the right size and type of sharks. For example, the tournament has maintained minimum size limits higher than what the federal government allows, made certain species eligible for catch-and-release points only, and increased the prize money payouts for the release division.

“By proactively adapting the tournament to address critical issues with sharks and within the shark fishery, we’ve been able to keep the event on a track that’s been fun for fishermen, educational for spectators and a little more successful every year,” Sampson said.

This year, however, tournament organizers, with the partnership of the Guy Harvey Ocean Foundation, are expanding on the conservation effort with greater incentives for the participating boats and anglers to release more sharks and bring fewer to the scales.

“We haven’t done away with the two divisions that allow anglers to bring sharks to the scales, but knowing the tournament anglers tend to pursue categories that offer the biggest payout, we’re looking to make the Release Division cash and prize packages so attractive that, by their own choosing, fishermen will opt to release more sharks,” he said. “That should be a win for fishermen and a win for sharks.”

Sampson said in discussions with Guy Harvey it became clear that his Ocean Foundation and the Ocean City Shark Tournament shared the similar goals of minimizing shark mortalities and maximizing educational outreach about shark conservation. It was determined the best way to encourage tournament anglers to release more sharks was to boost the prize packages in the Release Division. To that end, the Guy Harvey Foundation has offered to more than double the amount of guaranteed payouts in the release division.

“We’re really excited about this support from such a well-known and well-respected leader in marine conservation and wonder if this sponsorship might prove to be infectious as recently the makers of “Fish Bomb” fish attractant also signed up to be a sponsor of the Release Division,” said Sampson.

Sampson said while just a small percentage of the sharks caught during the tournament each year are brought to the scales and far more shark mortality is attributed to wanton slaughter internationally, tournament organizers hope altering the payout formulas will help in a small way and send a message about the importance of conservation.

“The take of sharks by sport fishermen is miniscule compared to what is killed about commercial vessels around the world, but if shark populations are to survive, no one who engages in the fishery can be exempt from the burden of providing at lease some additional measure of conservation,” he said. “Everyone needs to evolve in the right direction. That’s the message we at the Ocean City Shark Tournament and the Guy Harvey Ocean Foundation hope to get across during our event this June.”

Guy Harvey Tiger Tracks - Just The Facts

The Guy Harvey Tiger shark (Galeocerdo cuvier) tracking program is delivering the goods, and for folks like us who just love to know the "what,why and where" of the animals we are fortunate to encounter each year, this is just good stuff:

An important requirement for the proper management and conservation of any shark species is a robust understanding of its migratory patterns, how it uses its environment, and identification of what is termed its “critical habitat” – areas that are key to successful reproduction and feeding. To understand tiger shark movements and aid in conservation efforts, the GHRI/GHOF in collaboration with the Bermuda Shark Project and with financial support from AFTCO is investigating tiger shark movements in the western North Atlantic in a long-term study. The sharks’ movements are being studied by employing satellite tags that relay information on where the tiger shark is and/or its depth in the ocean.

Kudos to the entire Guy Harvey team and the good folks at the Bermuda Shark Project for helping us all learn more about these magnificent animals.

Study results so far.

Guy Harvey with PEW and BNT - Event

NASSAU, Bahamas -- The Bahamas National Trust are very excited to have as a guest speaker, Guy Harvey. Dr. Harvey has agreed to provide support for the BNT’s Shark Conservation Campaign that is being implemented in The Bahamas in partnership with the Pew Environment Group. In addition to his speaking engagement, Mr. Harvey has designed a poster promoting protection of shark and a special Guy Harvey T-shirt for the conservation campaign.

Guy Harvey is a unique blend of artist, scientist, diver, angler, conservationist and explorer, fiercely devoted to his family and his love of the sea. Growing up in Jamaica, Guy spent many hours fishing and diving with his father along the Island's south coast. He was obsessed with the creatures of the sea and began drawing pictures of the many different fish he observed. Guy captures marine wildlife animals in their natural environment with extraordinary detail and brilliant colors.

Harvey has traveled the globe to observe marine live and is passionate about its conversation. The BNT are thrilled that he has agreed to speak and support the Shark Conservation Campaign and hope that many of you will join in for what promises to be an exciting evening.

For the past two years, the Guy Harvey Ocean Foundation and the Guy Harvey Research Institute at Nova Southeastern University have been sponsoring and conducting an ongoing project to tag and track tiger sharks in the western Atlantic. The goal of this long-term study is to gain a better understanding of the migration of the tiger sharks in this region and to use that data to aid conservation efforts. Dr. Harvey will be speaking on the tagging and tracking process that has now been expanded to the Bahamas in an area known as Tiger Beach In Grand Bahama.

Space is limited to 300 persons for this event, therefore all members please RSVP by February 28th if they want to have a seat. Call 393-1317 or email sharks@bnt.bs

Guy Harvey Ultimate Shark Challenge Media

Florida based Paxton Brothers put together a video montage featuring media highlights of the 2010 GHUSC.

The Guy Harvey Ultimate Shark Challenge was an unparalleled success, changing shark sport fishing paradigms one event at a time:

SHARKS — Do We Really Need Them?

Dr Mahmood Shivji with the Guy Harvey Foundation penned an outstanding Op Ed this week:

For the longest time after the 1975 blockbuster “JAWS” gave us a spine-tingling ride, there was an often used saying that “the only good shark is a dead shark”. This man- against-beast thriller and its many progeny shark horror flicks still pervade the public’s psyche, anointing all sharks as human-eaters and keeping many beach-goers out of the ocean.

The public and media’s morbid fascination with sharks as killing “machines” continues today. There is a steady stream of media coverage when fishers catch and drag back a large shark for photo-ops. In some minds, catching and killing a large shark is almost heroic and fashionable, and a testament to man’s superiority in the “battle” against the beast.

Meanwhile, the enormous toll taken on shark numbers worldwide due to indiscriminate fisheries continues unabated. All this shark killing causes some to wring their hands in anguish about longer-term ecological impacts. Others say “what’s the big deal if sharks are killed?”

Who’s right? Should we care if many of the oceans large sharks are exterminated? Is there really enough of an impact on the marine environment to worry about?

Complete Post.

Understanding Tigers like Guy Harvey Does

Thanks to the Guy Harvey Foundation and tagging work being done in Bermuda through the invitation of veterinarian Dr. Neil Burnie, who has independently running a tiger shark research effort, the once elusive world of Bahamas tiger sharks is opening up.

Or are they Bermudas tigers?

Recent tagging data is showing a migration pattern that is interesting to say the least.

For the past decade the question of where these animals vanished to periodically was on commercial shark diving operators minds in the region.

Last year Guy Harvey's Dr. Mahmood Shivji, and company decided to find out. They reported back with an in depth discussion on conservation, marine protected areas, and current tagging with Dr. Neil.

Last month a tiger was sport caught in Bermuda setting off a storm of controversy, tigers are also sport caught with relative impunity in Bahamian waters as well.

With this latest data interesting questions about protection for these animals comes up. As commercial shark diving operators ourselves we have long advocated and enabled in depth shark research at the primary dive sites we operate in. Understanding the animals we work with is the key to working with the resource beyond just the commercial which leads to greater protections backed by in depth site data.

Local efforts to shepherd and steward sharks is the hallmark of commercial shark diving in many places worldwide. Kudos to the work being done by Dr.Neil, Guy Harvey, Dr. Mahmood, and others who are in a race to uncover the once secretive world of tigers.

Only good things can come of this latest discovery.

Concerns keep many away from shark-kill tournament

Guy Harvey Ultimate Shark Challenge resonating through the entire sport fishing industry.

By Terry Tomalin

Twenty years ago, Florida had a dozen or more fishing tournaments that targeted sharks.

But as shark populations declined worldwide, so did the number of tournaments that resulted in shark deaths. On the eastern shore of Tampa Bay, the 5-year-old Blacktip Shark Shootout has enjoyed success but not without controversy.

"We are not a straight slaughter shark tournament," said Phil Pegley, who helped organize the Apollo Beach-based event scheduled for this weekend. "We try to limit the number of sharks killed and only weigh in the ones that count."

Unlike many species of sharks, blacktips are not considered overfished.

"As a species, blacktips are actually in pretty good shape," said Mote Marine Laboratory's Bob Hueter, one of the nation's leading shark experts. "But it is not the number of sharks these tournaments kill, it is the message that they send."

Many species of large coastal sharks, including the hammerhead and tiger, are in trouble, Hueter said. Years of overfishing and a poor public image thanks to the movie Jaws have put sharks on many anglers' hit lists.

"Kill tournaments are definitely not the way to go," he said.

Complete Story.

Guy Harvey Ultimate Shark Challenge - Impacts

Effective conservation change is often a battle of ideas. Changes to set-in-stone ways of doing business takes leadership.

One of the intended consequences of leadership is the transfer of new conservation ideas far and wide.

The Guy Harvey Ultimate Shark Challenge is over in Florida but the media effects now resonating on the East coast, home to the shark kill tournament model, is just beginning.

Here's to new beginnings.

(June 3, 2010) By Russell Drumm - Shark tournaments are an anachronism, critics say, at least the kind of kill contests inspired by the movie “Jaws” and by the exploits of Capt. Frank Mundus, Montauk’s own Monster Man, a fact he acknowledged with regret in retirement and worked hard to change.

Now, two self-proclaimed “shark huggers” from the East End have set out to inspire contest organizers here to abandon their old ways and adopt a “greener” catch-and-release approach to shark tournaments that seems to have gained a foothold in Florida.

Citing the differences between Southern and Northern fishing tournaments, local fishermen said this week that they had no problem with the catch-and-release concept, but questioned whether it was practical or economically feasible.

April Gornik and Rav Friedel, longtime environmental advocates from North Haven and Montauk, respectively, have joined with the Humane Society of the United States to introduce a model pioneered by Sean and Brooks Paxton, entertainers and conservationists known who call themselves “the shark brothers.”

The Paxtons are pushing a concept that involves a very fast chase boat, or boats, responding to the radio alert of “Shark on!” during a tournament. The boats speed to the location of a hook-up to videotape the action, including the successful tagging and release of the shark.

Sean Paxton was quoted as saying that the chase-boat-video approach was an effort to keep fishermen and spectators engaged by “taking the spectacle of dead sharks out of the sport and replacing it with a live video.”

On Tuesday, Ms. Gornik said the Paxtons helped host the Guy Harvey Ultimate Shark Challenge held off the west coast of Florida in April and May. She said they were working to replace the “strung-up shark money shot” with action videos.

The brothers have been working on a film about the late Frank Mundus, and following the success of the Florida tourney, they planned to visit Captain Mundus’s home port to share their ideas with the Star Island Yacht Club, the host of Montauk’s largest shark tournaments.

On Monday, Ms. Gornik echoed John Grandy, senior vice president of the Humane Society, who said in a telephone interview last week that the society’s more confrontational approach — banner-towing airplanes flying the society’s message over Montauk Harbor — was not getting the message across.

The Humane Society and Wendy Benchley, the widow of Peter Benchley, the author of “Jaws,” endorsed the Guy Harvey green tournament. Dr. Harvey is a trustee of the International Game Fish Association and founder of the Guy Harvey Ocean Foundation, a conservation group that promotes catch-and-release fishing.

Ms. Gornik said it was too late to change tournament plans for this year, but that she and Mr. Friedel had donated thousands of Mustad brand circle hooks to the Montauk Marine Basin for its 40th annual shark tournament scheduled for June 25 and June 26.

The snell, or shank, of a circle hook is curved as the name implies, and therefore less likely to snag in the gut or throat of fish. Circle hooks are more likely to be set in the jaw, causing less damage to the animal to be released back into the wild.

“Our main aim is to reduce mortality, not to keep people from having fun or making money,” Ms. Gornik said. She added that the traditional shark tournament scene was a jarring contrast to efforts to reverse the dramatic decline in shark populations around the world. Hawaii recently became the first state to outlaw the sale of shark fins, most of which are sold in Asia for shark-fin soup.

“Can America please not stand for that? We’re over the ‘Jaws’ thing,” Ms. Gornik said.

“Without taking on fishing per se, this approach supports the notion that sharks are in trouble,” the Humane Society’s Mr. Grandy added.

Carl Darenberg Jr. said the tournaments held from the Montauk Marine Basin had been billed as “tag-and-release” for years. “It’s always based on that. There are more releases than catches, and the weights are high,” he said, meaning that the minimum size for the various species has been kept relatively high to prevent the taking of juvenile fish.

“I think down the road we will go to more of the release type of tournament. The trouble is finding room for observers.”

He was referring to the fact that Southern tournaments run entirely on a catch-and-release basis use trained observers to ride on every boat to certify that landings are done by the book. All observers are trained and certified by the International Game Fish Association. Mr. Darenberg said finding rooms for 100 or more observers in Montauk during the summer would be a challenge.

“I think circle hooks are a good idea. We should all be using them,” he said.

“It’s an economic thing,” said Jack Passie, former president of the Montauk Boatmen and Captains Association. “The Star Island tournament attracts a huge crowd in the middle of June when not many people are around. The bar and store business is phenomenal.”

“The people are attracted to the sharks that come in. In my own opinion, the few sharks that are brought in don’t make a big difference in the overall picture.”

“The thing that bothers me is the yahoo from the city who thinks he’s going to come out and win $500,000, catches the biggest fish he’s ever caught, brings it in, and it’s a 125-pound blue shark” that should not have been killed, Captain Passie said.

“It’s a different mentality around here,” said Michael Potts, captain of the Blue Fin IV charter boat in Montauk. Captain Potts has been taking anglers offshore to compete in shark tournaments for years. He agreed that observer participation in the catch-and-release scenario would be difficult for “six-pack” boats licensed to carry a maximum of six anglers.

“What if I have a six-person charter? Where would the observer go?”

“It’s a mindset more than anything,” Captain Potts said. “I’m not saying it won’t work, but things take time to catch on.” He said green tournaments would reduce the interest in a lot of charter boat customers because they would not have anything to take home.

“You catch a top-of-the-line mako, and you can’t take it home,” Captain Potts said. Such tournaments, he said, “are not going to be charter boat-driven. The economy is tough, and to get a lot of people to put up money with zero chance to take home fish to eat narrows the field.”

On the other hand, the veteran charter captain said he had participated in catch-and-release tournaments. “The people enjoyed it, participants enjoyed it, and we did, too. It was enjoyable not to have to attempt to kill anything, no gaffs, harpoons, guns, just pliers. I would do it,” Captain Potts said.

The Star Island Yacht Club hosts the largest shark tournaments in Montauk. The first is scheduled for June 18 and June 19. Rich Janis, the tournament organizer, said yesterday that changing the tournament format, although perhaps inevitable — “obviously it’s headed in that direction” — was a complex issue.

He said the demographic of the participants was different than at the Southern tournaments, meaning that contests lasting more than two days are precluded here.

“They come from all walks of life,” he said of those participating in the Montauk tournaments. “There’s the retired guy with a lot of money, but also the 8-to-5 blue-collar guy who either can’t get an extra day off work or who arranges his vacation around it.”

Mr. Janis said the video boat idea would be a challenge in the Star Island contest with 200 boats fishing over hundreds of square miles of ocean. But mostly, he said, the hoisting of dead sharks, although the tournaments’ draw, gave a false impression.

“Two hundred boats fish two days. That’s 400 boats fishing to bring in maybe 20 or 25 sharks. The makos and threshers are consumed,” he said, and the blue sharks, not high on the menu in most households, are nonetheless donated — cut, packaged, and frozen — to Long Island food pantries. “These groups lose sight of that,” he said.

Mr. Janis said Star Island had accepted Mr. Friedel’s donation of 5,000 circle hooks and that they would be made available to tournament participants.

Winners declared in Guy Harvey Ultimate Shark Challenge

The Guy Harvey Ultimate Shark Challenge wrapped up Sunday at Mote Marine Laboratory and Aquarium with the presentation of a $10,000 grand prize check to team Pole Dancer.

The team's anglers - Wayne Nichols and Zac Gerzeny - won the Challenge by collecting the most points for the types and sizes of the sharks they caught and released Saturday and Sunday during the final round of the Challenge. (The first round took place April 30-May 2 from Burnt Store Marina in Charlotte Harbor.)

Gerzeny, who boosted his team's score by catching his first great hammerhead shark, said "This is my dream, ever since I can remember."

But the real winners in this all-release shark fishing tournament were the sharks, said the organizers, scientists, anglers and conservationists who came together to create a successful event. The Guy Harvey Ultimate Shark Challenge was designed to be a "next generation" model for shark fishing competitions that supported shark protection while still providing spectators and anglers a thrilling event.

"I love the idea of catch and release," said co-winner Nichols. "There's no sense in hanging up a dead shark if you don't have to. With Mote and Guy Harvey it's a winning combination all around."

Full press release here.

Guy Harvey Ultimate Shark Challenge - Media Coverage

Ongoing media coverage of the Guy Harvey Ultimate Shark Challenge which made history this week in Florida:

Guy Harvey Ultimate Shark Challenge - NBC News

Changing conservation paradigms are never easy. It takes out of the box thinking and those that are willing to lead - putting reputations, careers and personal relationships together to effect lasting conservation change.

The diverse group of thinkers and industry folks behind the Guy Harvey Ultimate Shark Challenge are members of a unique cadre of conservation game changers. The GHUSC went off without a hitch this weekend to acclaim both within the conservation world and with tournament fishermen up and down the East coast of the USA and beyond.

The goal? Change the way the sport fishing world considers sharks.

One of the reasons why the Shark Free Marinas have been full supporters of this new conservation paradigm along with partners at the Humane Society USA.

Tonight NBC News had full coverage of this event with reporter Kerry Sanders:

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Guy Harvey Ultimate Shark Challenge - Grand Championship Finale

Five teams will soon cast their lines in the Grand Championship Finale of the Guy Harvey Ultimate Shark Challenge, an innovative shark tournament uniting sport fishing, science, business and humane interests as never before.

The event runs from May 21-23 at Mote Marine Laboratory and Aquarium, 1600 Ken Thompson Parkway in Sarasota. Aquarium visitors onshore can enjoy educational talks along with video feeds from the heart of the action.

The Challenge is a catch-and-release only competition off the Southwest Florida coast in which fishermen compete by catching sharks and Mote scientists tag the sharks for conservation research purposes to learn more about the animals' travels in the wild.


The Challenge is designed to be a "next generation" model for shark fishing competitions, supporting shark protection while providing the excitement that spectators and anglers have come to expect.

Nine teams competed in a qualifying round out of Burnt Store Marina in Punta Gorda. Their catches included an 8-foot, 2-inch bull shark, which Mote scientists tagged with a satellite transmitter to monitor its movements in real time.

To attend the Grand Championship Finale, please RSVP to Hayley Rutger, Public Relations Specialist, at 941-374-0081 or hrutger@mote.org.

Guy Harvey Ultimate Shark Challenge - Video

The Guy Harvey Ultimate Shark Challenge represents a radical change in shark tournament modelling.

Combining shark research and best shark fishing practices the ultimate goal for this tournament is to promote "change from within" the sport caught shark fishing industry.

A recently tagged female bull shark (perhaps gravid) is now making tournament shark fishing history in Florida waters as she reports her position to Mote Marine Labs and waiting researchers.

Video of this tagging was released today, more coverage from the Paxton Blog and Dorsal Fin Blog:

Mote Marine Labs - Press Release Sharks

Five teams won the right this weekend to compete in the final round of the Guy Harvey Ultimate Shark Challenge - an innovative shark tournament uniting sport fishing, science, business and humane interests as never before.

The Challenge is a catch-and-release only competition off the Southwest Florida coast in which fishermen compete by catching sharks and scientists tag the sharks for conservation research purposes to learn more about the animals' travels in the wild. The Challenge is designed to be a "next generation" model for shark fishing competitions, supporting shark protection while providing the excitement that spectators and anglers have come to expect.

A select group of nine teams was chosen to fish in the qualifying round on May 1 and 2 out of Burnt Store Marina in Punta Gorda. The five high-scoring teams will fish the Grand Championship Finale on May 21-23 at Mote Marine Laboratory and Aquarium in Sarasota.

The teams caught and released bull, lemon, blacktip, Atlantic sharpnose, blacknose and nurse sharks. With help from trained observers and guidance from Mote scientists, the teams fitted all qualifying sharks (five feet or longer) with conventional ID tags for research, including bull, lemon, blacktip and nurse sharks.

"I honestly feel we're making history here," said Sean Paxton. He and his brother, Brooks, known as the Shark Brothers, are creators and directors of the event along with co-Director and Associate Producer Capt. Robert Moore. The directors said: "Our vision was to combine the goals of sport, science and conservation collaboratively and effectively. We've already achieved that in the qualifying round, and this is only the beginning."

The 8-foot, 2-inch female bull shark was fitted with a satellite-linked tracking tag by scientists from Mote's Center for Shark Research on the morning of Saturday, May 1. By the following Tuesday, May 4, the tag had sent a number of transmissions showing that the shark was about three to four miles offshore of where it was caught, tagged and released. Mote scientists will continue to track the shark's movements and a website displaying the tracks will be available for the public very soon.

"It's especially important that we satellite-tagged a mature female, because she may lead us to where she's mating or giving birth to pups," said Dr. Robert Hueter, Director of Mote's Center for Shark Research, who oversaw all scientific aspects of the tournament. "When it comes to mating grounds for bull sharks, we know zero."

Finding and protecting these mating grounds and "nurseries" where shark pups shelter and grow is important for conservation and management of shark populations. The tournament's scientific goals include satellite tagging a mature female great hammerhead shark - considered "endangered" by the World Conservation Union (IUCN).

High winds and choppy seas may have lessened the chance for catching great hammerheads and other target species during the qualifying round. Also, unusually cold weather this year may have delayed movement of the sharks' prey fish into the area. Tournament organizers are optimistic that more chances for satellite tagging will arise during the Grand Championship.

Tough fishing conditions didn't dampen the anglers' spirits. "You guys really shined," said Co-director Moore during the awards reception Sunday evening. "We've got some real professionals here. I want to thank and acknowledge all the teams and observers. These guys are the stars of the show."
The public can watch the five remaining teams compete in the Grand Championship on May 21-23 at Mote Marine Laboratory and Aquarium. Spectators onshore can enjoy an exciting and educational multimedia experience, including video feeds from the heart of the action. Learn more at the tournament website: http://ultimatesharkchallenge.squarespace.com/

Media: Low-res photos of catching, tagging and releasing of sharks are available, along with high-res photos of the tournament participants. Please contact Hayley Rutger, Mote Public Relations Specialist, 941-374-0081 or hrutger@mote.org.Media are welcome to attend the Grand Championship Finale at Mote, 1600 Ken Thompson Parkway in Sarasota, Fla. Please RSVP to Hayley.
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About the tournament: The Guy Harvey Ultimate Shark Challenge was developed in 2009 when Sean and Brooks Paxton approached Mote's Dr. Robert Hueter about the idea of an innovative catch-and-release shark tournament. Together with Capt. Robert Moore, the group then teamed up with renowned marine wildlife artist, scientist and conservationist Dr. Guy Harvey to present a model for responsible sport fishing that promotes shark protection. This "next generation" shark competition has been endorsed as a more humane alternative to traditional catch-and-kill tournaments by the Humane Society of the United States and is also supported by the Shark-Free Marinas Initiative and Fishpond USA.

Guy Harvey Ultimate Shark Challenge - Tagged Shark Moving Fast

The Guy Harvey Ultimate Shark Challenge represents a radical change in shark tournament modelling.

Combining shark research and best shark fishing practices the ultimate goal for this tournament is to promote "change from within" the sport caught shark fishing industry.

A recently tagged female bull shark (perhaps gravid) is now making tournament shark fishing history in Florida waters as she reports her position to Mote Marine Labs and waiting researchers.


Background

On the first day of the Guy Harvey Ultimate Shark Challenge (May 1, 2010), a large bull shark (Carcharhinus leucas) was caught by tournament competitor Bucky Dennis. This adult female was possibly pregnant and an ideal candidate for satellite tagging by Mote Marine Lab's research team. The tag was attached to the shark's first dorsal fin such that it would be able to transmit whenever the shark was at the surface of the water. These transmissions provide precise location and movement information that will contribute to our understanding of the habitat preferences of this important marine predator.


For more information and to view her daily track go here.

Guy Harvey Ultimate Shark Challenge - Research Tracking in Action

The Guy Harvey Ultimate Shark Challenge has revealed the science behind its new shark fishing tournament model with a tagged female and possibly gravid Bull Shark (Carcharhinus leucas) reporting back to Mote Marine Labs this week.

"Bucky's Baby" is on a long distance swing outside the tournament area and providing real time data to waiting researchers who have launched an interactive website providing website viewers with:

- The option to subscribe to a daily project update by email (works great if you're interested in the day-by-day movements)

- Additional tournament info with links

- Specifics on Bucky's Baby and general information on bull sharks

- An option to "Adopt" Bucky's Baby to help fund the research

Shark conservation initiatives take many forms and are often lead by industry leaders willing to step out from traditional molds to create new conservation paradigms. The team behind the GHUSC are a unique group of thinkers and industry folks, from Mote Marine Labs, The Humane Society, to well known oceans advocate Guy Harvey who are trying to change the way we catch sharks, run tournaments, and ultimately treat the resource as a sustainable effort.

After three decades of protests and efforts to educate fishermen, shark kill tournaments are still the tournament of choice in the sport fishing industry. The GHUSC is one way forward to address sport caught shark take.

In tandem with other initiatives like the Shark Free Marinas these "out of the box ideas" to address shark conservation will effect real and lasting change. There are no silver bullets in the shark conservation world, just smart thinking, planning and execution.

Kudos to everyone involved.

Guy Harvey Ultimate Shark Challenge - Industry Change

Bucky Dennis. This name was synonymous with an outpouring of anger last summer as professional angler Bucky Dennis hunted down and killed a 1060lb pregnant Great Hammerhead.

The second biggest of his fishing career.

Enter the Guy Harvey Ultimate Shark Challenge and industry lead change to the perception of sport caught sharks and regional shark tournaments.

Shark conservation initiatives take many forms and are often lead by industry leaders willing to step out from traditional molds to create new conservation paradigms. The team behind the GHUSC are a unique group of thinkers and industry folks, from Mote Marine Labs, The Humane Society, to well known oceans advocate Guy Harvey who are trying to change the way we catch sharks, run tournaments, and ultimately treat the resource as a sustainable effort.

After three decades of protests and efforts to educate fishermen, shark kill tournaments are still the tournament of choice in the sport fishing industry.

Having Bucky Dennis become an early adopter and ambassador for this new kind of shark tournament is a good first start.

Controversial? You bet.

With recent dead sharks washing up again on beaches in Florida (great coverage) attributed by conservationists to "shark fishing from shore" the need for some sort of industry change is now. This effort is the first of what will inevitably be a series of efforts to change the sport caught shark model, evolving, and educating along the way.

As we have long said. Shark conservation begins with "One."

One person. One idea. One initiative at a time.

Full coverage.

Catch, Release, Conserve: The Guy Harvey Ultimate Shark Challenge

Sport fishing, science, business and humane interests are coming together for the first time in support of a new kind of catch-and-release fishing tournament for sharks that demonstrates that a fishing competition really can support shark protection while providing the excitement that spectators and anglers have come to expect.

The new Guy Harvey Ultimate Shark Challenge series is a catch-and-release only competition off the Southwest Florida coast, beginning with a qualifying round April 30 - May 2 at Burnt Store Marina in Lee County and concluding with a Grand Championship Finale May 21-23 at Mote Marine Laboratory and Aquarium in Sarasota. During the tournament, fishermen will compete by catching sharks and scientists will tag the sharks for conservation research purposes to learn more about the animals' travels in the wild. Spectators will be able to watch the action live via video from the boats.

"For the first time, what we call a ‘love 'em and leave 'em' shark tournament will be transformed into a true spectator sport," said Sean Paxton. He and his brother, Brooks, known as the Shark Brothers, are creators and directors of the event. Along with Co-Director and Associate Producer Capt. Robert Moore, they said: "Our shared vision for this tournament is to effectively combine the goals of sport, science and conservation. By leveraging modern broadcast technology, we'll also be providing spectators onshore with an exciting and educational multimedia experience."

The Humane Society of the United States views the Guy Harvey Ultimate Shark Challenge tournament design as a significantly more humane alternative to traditional catch-and-kill shark tournaments. "We know shark species are in decline and that we need to better understand their life histories in the wild," said John Grandy, Ph.D., senior vice president of HSUS. "We think this tournament format will help support necessary protection for sharks that would have died in a traditional kill tournament."

The tournament was developed in 2009 when the Paxtons approached Robert Hueter, Ph.D., director of Mote Marine Laboratory's Center for Shark Research, about the idea of an innovative catch-and-release shark tournament. Hueter had run a successful all-release, research-oriented shark tournament from 1989 to 1998 along the southwest Florida coast. Together with Capt. Moore, the group then teamed up with renowned marine wildlife artist, scientist and conservationist Guy Harvey, Ph.D., to present a model for responsible sport fishing that promotes shark protection.

Harvey, a longtime marine conservationist and founder of the Guy Harvey Ocean Foundation, said the tournament will increase global awareness of the important role that sharks play in the world's oceans and our ecosystem. "The Guy Harvey Ultimate Shark Challenge Tournament Series will be a uniquely exciting event for participants, spectators and everyone who cares about the future of our oceans," he said.

Hueter and staff from Mote's Center for Shark Research will oversee the scientific aspects of the tournament, including tagging operations. Anglers will attach identification tags to as many sharks as possible and scientists will outfit a number of sharks with satellite-linked transmitters that will track shark movements after release. Hammerhead and bull sharks will be the focus of the satellite tagging efforts, but other species may be tagged as well. The satellite tags are designed to transmit location and other information about the shark's travels when the animal's dorsal fin breaks the surface of the water.

Once the satellite tags are deployed, the public will be able to follow these sharks' travels on the Internet for as long as one year or more.

"This project will provide a breakthrough in collaborative research involving the marine science and recreational fishing communities," Hueter said. "The fishermen deserve great credit for embracing this new approach. By working together to develop a 21st-century, conservation-oriented alternative to the more traditional kill tournament, the Mote Center for Shark Research and tournament organizers hope to provide a national model for the responsible use of marine resources."

Supporting tournament organizers in this collaborative effort are Lee County Commissioner Ray Judah; Luke Tipple, director of the Shark-Free Marinas Initiative; and John Land Le Coq, co-founder of Fishpond USA, a prominent outdoor and fishing equipment retailer. All involved share a view that this event should become the "next generation" model for shark fishing competitions.

"Shark-Free Marinas has been involved with the Guy Harvey Ultimate Shark Challenge since its inception and is in full support of its methodology," Tipple said. "Sharks need protection and we need to manage the ways we utilize their stocks. In the past, some shark fishing tournaments have killed reproductively capable sharks, which are a dwindling resource. This catch-and-release format offers the best of both worlds, allowing the sport of shark fishing to directly contribute to our scientific understanding of their population status and functional life history."

Le Coq and Fishpond are also concerned about the status of sharks. "Fishpond must lead by example to influence the destructive perceptions of the magnificent sharks that roam our oceans in peril, and to help end the kill-oriented tournaments that have traditionally existed in ports around our country," Le Coq stated.

Sharks will be caught using heavy conventional tackle, to reduce time between hook-up and release of sharks, and the fishermen will use inline, non-stainless steel circle hooks that minimize injury to the sharks. Sharks will be measured in the water and then outfitted with either conventional ID or satellite tracking tags. Tail snares and other special equipment will be used for angler and animal safety, as well as for humane handling and release of the sharks.

Qualifying Round

* When: April 30 - May 2
* Where: Burnt Store Marina, 3192 Matecumbe Key Rd., Punta Gorda, Fla.

Grand Championship Finale

* When: May 21 - 23
* Where: Mote Marine Laboratory, 1600 Ken Thompson Parkway, Sarasota, Fla.

Shark conservation facts:

* Many shark species are imperiled worldwide. According to the World Conservation Union, about one-fifth of the 547 species of sharks and rays evaluated are considered threatened with extinction.

* Threshers, tigers, makos and blue sharks are all targeted in shark tournaments, along with hammerhead and bull sharks.

* There is still insufficient information available to evaluate the conservation status of about 100 shark species, many of which are also caught in tournaments.

* Anglers can be important collaborators in shark conservation efforts. Mote scientists have tagged more than 20,000 sharks over the past 20 years along Florida's Gulf Coast, with most tag returns by sport fishermen. Tagging allows Mote scientists to study shark abundance, movements and population dynamics, providing data for better management of shark populations.


Media Contacts

Tournament Directors: 941-416-1788 / 5073, Directors@TheUltimateSharkChallenge.com
Mote Marine Laboratory: Hayley Rutger, 941-374-0081, hrutger@mote.org
Guy Harvey Ocean Foundation: 1-800-288-1227, info@guyharveyoceanfoundation.org
HSUS: Liz Bergstrom, 301-258-1455, ebergstrom@humanesociety.org

About Guy Harvey Ocean Foundation

Founded by marine biologist and artist Guy Harvey, the Guy Harvey Ocean Foundation is an organization of philanthropists, conservationists, scientists and educators focused on developing sensible strategies for promoting the conservation of our oceans and nurturing the next generation of marine scientists and guardians of our seas.

About Mote Marine Laboratory

Founded in 1955, Mote Marine Laboratory is an independent nonprofit marine research organization. Mote is dedicated to advancing the science of the sea through the study of marine and estuarine ecosystems, through our public Mote Aquarium and through an education division that provides unique programs for all ages. Throughout 2010, Mote is celebrating its 55th Anniversary with special events highlighting its groundbreaking ocean research and outreach. Learn more at www.mote.org/55.

About The HSUS

The Humane Society of the United States is the nation's largest animal protection organization — backed by 11 million Americans, or one of every 28. For more than a half-century, The HSUS has been fighting for the protection of all animals through advocacy, education, and hands-on programs. Celebrating animals and confronting cruelty - On the Web at humanesociety.org.

About Shark-Free Marinas

The Shark-Free Marina Initiative supports shark conservation at sport fishing and resort marinas by prohibiting the landing of any shark at the participating marina. Registered marinas will encourage sport shark-fishermen to exercise catch-and-release techniques. The acceptance of catch-and-release fishing techniques represents an incremental step in protecting valuable marine resources as well as providing valuable data for research organizations. SFMI also works with the community through it's Regional Ambassador program. For more information visit www.sharkfreemarinas.com.

Shark Conservation - Tournament Models

Question: How do you effect conservation change with shark kill tournaments?

If you are like many in the shark world protesting shark kill tournaments seems like the answer.

Unfortunately after a decade of protests by some of the largest NGO's and shark groups, tournaments are still going strong and tournament organizers have successfully characterized eco groups as "bomb throwing media loons."

Our effective rate for the cessation of these tournaments hovers at about 1%.

Of course there's another way, one that embraces the sport but leaves the sharks in the ocean. One that is guided by some of the best minds in the business, and one that will soon become the tournament model of choice for all shark tournaments nationwide.

This strategy is called change from within.

Welcome to the Guy Harvey Ultimate Shark Challenge, doing for sharks what the Marlin tournament model did for sustainable sport fisheries management almost 30 years ago.

Effective conservation change starts with new ideas, and smart thinking. This is what the folks over at the GHUSC are attempting to do this year with a certified catch and release model for shark tournaments. Gone are animals that will be caught and killed, gone also lightweight tackle and hooks that damage animals and gone are the images of animals that are strung up for waiting audiences.

Smart conservation change starts with a few brave and determined individuals willing to try something new, staking reputations and experience on outcomes that ultimately save sharks.

These folks do not build websites and send petitions. These folks dedicate 24 days to changing the way sharks are treated by the sport fishing industry.

As shark conservationists we can protest, petition, and create as many web pages as the Internet will hold. In the end it is boots on the ground efforts and real grunt work that effect conservation change.

Kudos to the entire team behind the concept and the Guy Harvey Ultimate Shark Challenge.

Guy Harvey - The Future, One Tag at a Time

Here is the quote of the month from Guy Harvey returning from a recent hybrid shark diving and research trip to Tiger Beach, Bahamas aboard the Gulf Stream Eagle:

''We should tag every one of these animals to see where they go,'' Harvey said. ``The ultimate would be to have the species protected or -- if not -- this area of the Bahama Bank could be [designated] no shark fishing. This is the beginning of what will hopefully be a 20-year study where we involve the Bahamian government, researchers from various institutions [and] dive operators.''

A concise reading of the future of commercial shark diving and of shark conservation. Some operators have come to understand and accept this future, some have even embraced it with local conservation and science initiatives that return much needed tracking data for conservation.

Tiger Beach, Bahamas is at a crossroads. It is impressive that industry leaders are now coming forth to set the conservation agenda, leveraging partnerships with research and tourism to seek a better future for one of the worlds most remarkable shark sites. Kudos.

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