A gringo fisherman was telling me the other day when I was in La Paz that the big news is that a 3k lb. Great White was caught recently. I forget now
where he said, but it was either Bay of LA or Mulege. Does anyone know anything about that?Mula - 3-2-2012 at 11:53 AM
Sure, Sea of Cortez between Mulege and Loreto.
Jaws have already been sold.Trueheart - 3-2-2012 at 11:56 AM
Details anyone? Photos?Pompano - 3-2-2012 at 12:30 PM
We were told local panga fishermen out of San Nicolas killed them. A fellow showed us photos of the great whites and the jaws last night at Ana's and
related his observations at San Nicolas. The biggest set of jaws sold for a rumored 1000 USD. Others for a mere 25 USD. Seems there has been a lot
of shark activity near IlleDelfonso.
I mentioned the rarity of great whites and their protection..he said they were not a threatened species anymore and were quite numerous in the
Cortez..which is news to me? He also mentioned his opinion that the pangueros had to eat and feed thier families, thus justifying the killing of the
great whites and other sharks.
The fellow, a diver, reported that many have been taken there lately...over 15 in one episode. One great white female with 15 unborn pups. Plus a
few makos and other shark species??
I do not have any photos to show, as this is a distastful subject to me.
Perhaps he will read this and respond with further information to clarify all these unsubstantiated rumors?LaPazGringo - 3-2-2012 at 12:43 PM
I had always assumed that Whites wouldn't want anything to do with the warmer waters of the Cortez but since seeing that episode of the Shark Men
where those guys had tracked a White all the way north of San Felipe, I've seen several reports of apparently increasing populations of these guys. Do
scientists not know enough about the species to even know if populations are increasing, or if encounters are just more common?
My biggest question is why they don't feed at Los Islotes? I asked Arturo (of Marlin Adventures) about it and he's never seen one and he's been out
there virtually every day for 7 yrs. He said he heard a rumor that a small White had been spotted back in the mid-90s but nothing since then.Pompano - 3-2-2012 at 01:01 PM
LaPazGringo...it seems that from all these 'rumors' that the great white is indeed becoming more numerous in the Cortez..at least the areas near Ille
Delfonso. Again, I have nothing scientific or factual to back these rumors up.LaPazGringo - 3-2-2012 at 01:03 PM
But are they becoming more numerous, or are encounters just becoming more common? If they are multiplying here, is that necessarily good for the
ecosystem? I wonder if anyone is actually studying this?Cypress - 3-2-2012 at 01:34 PM
Quote:
Originally posted by LaPazGringo
But are they becoming more numerous, or are encounters just becoming more common? If they are multiplying here, is that necessarily good for the
ecosystem? I wonder if anyone is actually studying this?
More pangas, more nets, more hooks 24/7/364= more encounters. They'll study 'em on their tacos before their next bite.sancho - 3-2-2012 at 02:51 PM
Quote:
Originally posted by Pompano
He also mentioned his opinion that the pangueros had to eat and feed thier families, thus justifying the killing of the great whites and other
sharks.
There is the age old quandry, and it is hard if not impossible
to argue with that. I believe GW's are found in
many Seas, off No. Calif, Guadalupe Isle 250 mi.
or so southwest of Ensenada has a transient
population of large Whites, they do shark cage
diving there, So. Africa. They are protected by
Ca Fish and Game in Caangels4 - 3-2-2012 at 03:52 PM
Very interesting story. Could it be that the GWs are becoming hybrid sharks? There was a story not too long ago that the Australian Blacktip sharks
were changing to better adapt to warmer waters. Maybe the Great Whites are doing the same...
Yes...same photos as we saw at Ana's last night. I sure hope this does not start a new trend in shark slaughtering..again. The Cortez has taken too
much abuse already.willardguy - 3-2-2012 at 08:02 PM
true. and im a firm believer in "dont eat them and they wont eat you" karma.BajaBlanca - 3-2-2012 at 08:06 PM
boy, it would be nice if they were left along ...Islandbuilder - 3-2-2012 at 09:56 PM
For most of the 1900's, it was open season on seals and sea lions all along the west coast. Because large sharks primary food are these marine
mammals, as their populations fell, the sharks went along with them. In the 1940's and 50's, shark livers were in high demand to make vitamin E
tablets for military pilots. Between the loss of food supply, and predation by humans, shark populations have been at historic lows for most of our
lives.
In the last 20 years, marine mammals have been protected, and thier populations are exploding (except for sea lions in the Bering Sea). Shark
populations are rebounding along with the seals and sea lions, even though we have been very slow to grant them the protections they need to recover
to their historic populations.
So, as the shark population increases, they return to their former territories. We are seeing the same thing with Gray and Humpback whales, with them
showing up in annually increasing numbers in Puget Sound. There are reports of Grays spending at least part of the winter in places where they haven't
been seen for 50 years or more. There are also reports of Humpbacks who don't leave their summer feeding grounds in SE Alaska.
It looks like many things that we used to assume was "the way it is" were based on very incomplete experience and observation.
