Martin County commissioners heard strong public opposition during Tuesday morning's meeting as residents, local surfers, and marine experts urged local leaders to keep strict limits on beachside shark fishing. The debate centers on potential language changes to local ordinances regarding land-based shark fishing, a practice where anglers deploy lines from the shore using heavy gear, kayaks, or drones to drop bait and chum into deeper waters.
During public comments, speakers warned that chumming, releasing fish parts and blood into the surf to attract sharks, endangers swimmers, surfers, and families. Local surfer Jay Noyes said he has been caught in shark fishing lines. Dottie Lanci, a member of the Hutchinson Island Preservation Initiative, strongly opposed any effort to loosen existing restrictions that ban shark baiting on lifeguard-protected beaches.
Lanci called on commissioners to prioritize safety and extend the ban across all county beaches, citing an incident she witnessed outside her home where anglers used drones to drop chum in the water. She noted that other Florida municipalities, such as Miami Beach, passed local bans on land-based shark fishing earlier this year.
Safety concerns over shark activity on local beaches carry weight with many residents. In August 2017, a 3-year-old girl named Violet Veatch was bitten on the leg by a suspected bull shark while wading in shallow water at Bathtub Reef Beach in Martin County. The toddler's mother, Jessica Veatch, later pushed for stricter local beach safety regulations, believing the shark was drawn to the crowded swimming area by spearfishermen carrying bloody fish through the water.
Justin Grubich, a marine conservation expert and local surfer who moved to the area from Fort Lauderdale, urged the commission to maintain strong local restrictions. Pointing to recent research presented at statewide conservation forums, Grubich warned that regular baiting near popular beaches conditions wildlife. Commissioners did not take immediate action on the ordinance during the meeting, but requested further review of local public safety boundaries alongside state FWC regulations.