As the executive committee of South African Shore Angling Association, we have been recently approached by the Department of Marine and Coastal Management to give a statement regarding the intentional hooking and landing of Great White Sharks on the South African Coast Line.
The executive committee has as far back as 2007 added to our angling rules that if a Great White Shark is unintentional hooked and landed the fish can not be measured and points allotted as it is illegal in terms of South African Law to intentional hook and land such a shark.
At our AGM held on 23rd July 2008, in Port Elizabeth, it was unanimously agreed that as of that date, all slides would comply with the hooks being barbless hooks as suggested by the Department of Marine and Coastal Management.
As it is illegal to intentionally target, hook or land a Great White Shark, our organization clearly does not accept any of our members participating in this activity. We also confirm that we will act in strict compliance of any Departmental Marine and Coastal Management Acts or Regulations and further that we will assist with monitoring and self regulating such incidents.
Dated 19th August 2008
President and Executive Committee