Blog: Shark Lover?

[TOP SHOT]

Recent news reports have showed 13-year-old angler Aidan Medley proudly standing next to a 340-pound bull shark, hanging dead on a dock scale at Sailfish Marina in Palm Beach, Florida. He cranked the fish in himself, noting to reporters that many anglers lack the skill to do what he did.


(http://www.wptv.com/news/local/story...w.cspx?rss=762)

And he did it last year with a 550-pound bull. And a 461 the year before.

Next in the angler's sights: hammerheads. Presumably we'll be seeing more shots of young Aidan posing proudly next to large, dead hammerheads.

What motivates this young man? According to comments made to the press, he (1) likes doing it and mounts his prizes for display on his wall, and (2) "he's fascinated by the ocean and wants to be a marine biologist" (WPTV.com).

Given that information, I'd like to hear what visitors to this blog think about this young angler's news-making big-shark weigh-ins. Right or wrong and why? Or put another way, what message would YOU like to send to young Aidan?

[Onemorecast]

Great... Is this the future of our sport? Killing slow growing long-lived fish to put them on the wall? Ironic that he wants to be a marine biologist. Someone should be teaching this kid to have some respect for the ocean and the life within it. I mean it's always great to see a kid his age so into fishing, but kind of sht just isn't right.

[Highlife]

I'm sure he will come to respect the environment in time and also get a 'healthy' respect for sharks.

Unfortunately some believe that killing predator fish is the only thing to do, and its great that more governments around the world are protecting shark species, because they have as much right to live as any other living thing.

John

[ebear]

If he's eating it.[not giving it out to familly,friends and anyone else he may run across]Well i guess he's no diferent than the rest of us. If he's just trophey hunting than.......He's just one more turd floating in the ocean

[tileman]

Ya know what it cost to mount a fish that size! hope he's got a good job.

[kirbychristian]

I hope if he does begin studies in marine biology, he will become more appreciative of the species and begin to feel remorse for these kills. He is just 13 right now and let's face it, there are plenty of adults that also think kills like this are "cool". There's still hope for young Aidan...

[TOP SHOT]

it would be easy for these comments to seem like "piling on" the kid; however, the outrage sends an important message, i think. obviously it's not one he's likely to get from the mainstream press who come out to ooh and ah and get a great pic and soundbite which would leave any 13-year old feeling mighty big for his age. but at what cost? sure there's hope for aidan. i hope he sees reactions like these and begins to have second thoughts before he kills more sharks for nothing. if his folks can afford the fishing trips and the price of a skin mount (and i DOUBT that ever happened, btw), they ought to be able to afford a decent little camera for some quick hero shots with an awesome shark boatside with the angler leaning over the gunwale before the release.