The Dorsal Fin » shark hunter

Steve Shirley: shark hunter turned shark researcher

TheDorsalFin — Tue, 23 Nov 2010 15:20:10 +0000

Spot.us posted an article today about a group of shark fishermen, led by Steve Shirley, who have turned their efforts from killing sharks to promoting catch and release tagging efforts. Team Fish Finders have joined up with researchers and filmmakers in effort to collect data on catch rates and travel ranges of tagged sharks.

A documentary about Shirley’s transformation from shark hunter to shark conservationist was shot by filmmaker David McGuire. According to Spot.us, the documentary, titled “Shark Hunter,” will be screened at aquarium and film events, in addition to being distributed online to reach a wide audience.

St Pete Times runs feature on Bill Goldschmitt: The Sharkman of Cortez

TheDorsalFin — Fri, 23 Jul 2010 21:38:28 +0000

The St. Petersburg Times will run a print article on Bill Goldschmitt (aka “The Sharkman of Cortez”) in this Sunday’s edition of the paper. The article details many of Goldschmitt’s “strong opinions,” which include the belief that there are too many sharks in the oceans, and that scientists’ claims of decreasing are unfounded based on his own personal observations. Goldschmitt comes off as rather tame in the video above compared to the print article which is already available online at TampaBay.com.

If nothing else, the article is an “interesting” glimpse into the mind of Goldschmitt.

Vic Hislop’s “shark show” vandalized

TheDorsalFin — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 03:00:51 +0000

According to the Fraser Coast Chronicle, “shark hunter” Vic Hislop has been repeatedly victimized by vandals at his Hervey Bay “Shark Show.” The latest act involved five men ripping the tail off of Hislop’s fiberglass shark. According to the article, Hislop “accosted” and apprehended 3 men and a woman several years ago, whom he suspected of vandalizing his museum, and "took them to the police station where they admitted offenses." The following day Hislop was visited by police who "read out six charges" against him that were punishable by up to 6 years in jail. Hislop went on to say that local hoteliers who were tired of the vandalism rallied behind Hislop and "eventually no one was charged."

Hislop claims to have killed over 1,100 sharks, and has called for a national cull on sharks, according to a 2005 Earthdive article. Hislop’s museum features a frozen carcass of one of the great white sharks he has killed. If you’re not familiar with Mr. Hislop, check out this 2009 Edit International article for some insight into his views on sharks.

While I certainly don’t see eye to eye with Mr. Hislop, I don’t condone acts of vandalism against him and hope the local authorities will deal with the perpetrators appropriately