Mark the Shark: Sadistic fisherman slammed after posting video of battered and bloody hammerhead shark
Warning: Distressing Content
MIAMI, FLORIDA: Outrage over the cruel capture of an endangered hammerhead shark in a fishing boat has led to the entire episode being labeled "legal torture" for it's gory scenes. Notorious "shark hunter" Mark the Shark from Florida, recorded the frightened animal after it had been caught to promote his shark fishing company and uploaded the horrifying footage to his social media.
The hammerhead shark, which is protected in some areas of the US and Australia, is shown in the video thrashing around in the back of a boat covered in blood and looking like it was in terrible pain. It seems to have spent some time out of the water. The footage, which lasts for more than a minute, shows another man approaching the shark and seems to provoke it before attempting to latch the back of the boat to prevent its escape. But, the shark thrashes once again and escapes through the entrance.
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Mark the Shark, who promotes "recreational fishing" as a family-friendly pastime in the name of tourism, posted the horrific clip. The controversial fisherman wrote on his Instagram profile that he "takes bookings daily" and "kids [are] welcome" to observe as he tries to "capture sharks." Despite the fact that the footage is "terrible," Florida-based shark enthusiast and photographer Scott Fairchild claimed in an interview with Yahoo News that his actions are "technically lawful" because they are being carried out "offshore" where local laws don't apply. Mark the Shark is not well tolerated, he added.
According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, hammerhead sharks are "prohibited from recreational and commercial harvest in Florida state waters," although they can still be caught. Uncertainty surrounds what occurs outside of this region, and residents have long fought for a law change, according to Mr. Fairchild. The shark is seen "thrashing about bloodied, presumably banging its eyeballs against the deck because they're on the side of his head," according to shark expert Dr. Leonardo Guida of the Australian Marine Conservation Society, who spoke about the incident.
"Hammerheads are known by scientists to suffer extreme amounts of stress when they are caught on line," he explained. "I don't know whether that shark would survive. But suffice to say it doesn't look to be in a good condition." He also mentioned the duty fishermen have, whether an animal is released or consumed.
