Brunswick County Commissioners support bill limiting shark fishing tournaments

BOLIVIA, NC (WWAY) — The Brunswick County Board of Commissioners voted unanimously on Monday night to support a bill limiting shark fishing tournaments.

House Bill 544 was introduced by Representative Charlie Miller.

If passed, it would amend N.C.G.S. 113-192 to make it unlawful, between May 1 and October 31 of each year, to take sharks as part of a recreational fishing tournament where the person landing the shark is on the shore or on a structure attached to the shore of Carolina Beach, Caswell Beach, Holden Beach, Kure Beach, Oak Island, or Bald Head Island.

Commissioner Marty Cooke says the bill would help keep people safe.

“[The sharks are] there year-round and you can fish for sharks year-round. We’re just saying it’s not a problem if you fish for sharks, especially since most people fish offshore for them, but the point is we don’t want anybody fishing for them in a tournament perspective while people could possibly be endangered by it,” Cooke said.

The bill comes after a Brunswick County man tried hosting a shore-based shark fishing tournament last July. After being postponed following some backlash, the tournament ultimately did not happen.