This has been going on now for a while. You have a group of folks who don't fish, don't understand fishing and who have a persistant loud voice. IMO (and I repeat MY OPINION) I think most of these voices come from environmental whackos who are out of touch with anything connected to fishing. They think these shark fisherman are out of control drunkin trouble makers...ther may have been issues in the past that could be tied to some fishermen but in the summer OB is a meca for party animals...fishermen or not. I think the fisherman are pretty tame and not troublemakers. There is not that much trouble from the event. I like the event but think there should be some improvements. I think the cutting up of the fish by the scientists on the dock should be done elsewhere, this creates a blood bath in the parking lot that turns a lot of people off who take a peek at the event
. This should be done off sight in a warehouse someplace. The weigh in is very exciting but haul them away to do the autopsy. The harbor is packed and there is limited space now. I think they could use other island harbors to support the growth of the event.
You know how most ploverlovers are...they want to STOP this because it is WRONG! These are people who drive hybrids and gag at the sight of a 60'er pulling up to the fuel dock. In their eyes fishermen are overweight lazy beer drinking loud troublemakers. You are not going to change thier minds. Further, that new TV show that shows west coast shark fishing I think puts a negitive spin on the sport. It is not quite like that on the boats I have fished on.