Fishers in California can no longer use shark bait, lures, or chum—chopped-up fish parts used as bait—to attract white sharks within one mile of the shore because of a new law that Gov. Gavin Newsom signed in September.
The law prevents the illegal killing or capture of white sharks near shore, as well as luring them to shore for viewing purposes. It will go into effect on Jan. 1, 2023.
“Sharks are one of California’s most iconic marine species, and it’s our responsibility to ensure that their populations are sustained,” Assemblyman Steve Bennett, the sponsor of the legislation, said in a statement. “At the same time, public safety is of the utmost importance.”
While the new law provides additional safeguards for the species—protected by the state since 1994—its purpose, according to the statement, is also to limit the number of sharks near human activity.
Doing so not only reduces the rare incident of a shark biting a person but allows sharks to swim in waters that are naturally further from shore. The white sharks that do come near the shore are often juveniles who are only there to feed on sting rays and small fish, according to John Ugoretz, a manager with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife.
With more protection put in place over white sharks, their numbers will grow.
Californians shouldn’t have to take extra precautions against white sharks since there’s no indication that the number of injuries involving the species has increased as the shark populations have increased since the 1950s, according to Ugoretz.
He said stingrays can be a bigger threat than sharks since roughly 500 people statewide were injured by stingrays in 2019 during Labor Day weekend.
“Shark incidents are extremely rare,” Ugortez wrote in an email. “When I go into the ocean, I’m much more likely to shuffle my feet to avoid stepping on a stingray, than to scan the horizon for a shark fin.”
The California Department of Fish and Wildlife will continue working with partners to address fishing activities that threaten the survival of white sharks.
“This bill represents a collaborative engagement between anglers, the scientific community, [and] the [department] to develop proactive, common-sense approaches to further protect California’s iconic white sharks while also protecting ocean users and preserving recreational fishing opportunities,” Charlton H. Bonham, director of the department, said in a statement.
