✅ Bay Head is using an existing state law to stop drones from dropping bait for sharks
✅ Fishing operators deny the mayor’s claim that they are chumming waters
✅ Beach officials say they hope to find a compromise
BAY HEAD — A Jersey Shore town has come up with a way to thwart companies whose mayor says are “chumming” the water to attract sharks to the beach.
Several companies are running land-based shark fishing charters that give people the chance to get up close to a shark or catch one from the beach. Bay Head Mayor Bill Curtis said the companies are luring sharks with bait at night, which he says could put swimmers at risk of a potential shark attack during the day.
Curtis told ABC News that the companies are using kayaks and drones to drop bait into the water. Bill Gagne, president of the Bay Head Improvement Association, says police are using a state law to stop the use of drones.
The BHIA maintains and operates the public beaches in Bay Head.
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East Coast Shredderz customer with a shark (East Coast Shredderz)
Bay Head turns to New Jersey law to stop bait drops
“There is a state law prohibiting unmanned vessels from dropping bait in the water to catch wildlife. It’s not something that’s a new statute, a new law; it’s simply a law that they weren’t quite aware of at the time and now they’re going to enforce it,” Gagne said.
The law applies whether or not the prey is being released, which is the case with the sharks since they are protected under federal law. Gagne said that overall, it’s not a good idea to bring predators to the beach.
“We believe very strongly that it’s a safety hazard to be bringing in predators, man-eating sharks, into swimming areas. It’s still a bit astounding to me that this is a controversial topic to some people that we want to keep dangerous animals away from our swimmers,” Gagne said.
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Shark fishing operators dispute claims of widespread chumming
The operators of the land-based fishing companies deny doing the large-scale chumming Curtis claims.
A.J. Rodondella of Middletown, owner of the guide service Apex Predators, told the Asbury Park Press that no one is chumming the water with large amounts of bait as Curtis describes. Rodondella says small amounts of bait are being dropped several hundred yards off the beach at night when no swimmers are present.
Gagne said that is just as bad because a shark only knows an area as a food source and can’t tell time.
“If a shark determines that there is a food source in this area, they’re not going to go away just at 9:30 in the morning because we happen to start having people going and swimming in the ocean,” Gagne said.
Gagne is hopeful that some kind of compromise can be reached with the fishing companies that is safe for swimmers and allows fishing.
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Significant or historical events in New Jersey for August (in chronological order)
Here are some of the historical or significant events that impacted New Jersey or happened in the Garden State during the month of August. Is there an event missing? Let us know with an email to dan.alexander@townsquaremedia.com.
Gallery Credit: Dan Alexander
