RIVIERA BEACH, FL - Beaches were closed for a third day on Singer Island as two fisherman reel in a nearly 10 foot beast. Caught at the north end of Ocean Reef Park, the fisherman released the predator back into the waters
alive, after snapping a few pictures.
There have been shark sightings most of the week with packs of various varieties swimming right up to the shore. (See the chopper 5 video on the top right)
Ocean Reef Park is known by locals as being very sharky, limiting surfing crowds in the water. The reefs along with abundant fish keep the predators coming back.
Hammerheads along with spinners, reef, and bull sharks are very common off south Florida this time of year. They follow schools of migrating fish along the Florida coastline.
Hammerheads are known to migrate to warmer waters during the winter. They are the most maneuverable of all sharks and are usually bottom feeders in shallow water. They are known to attack other sharks, skates, and stingrays. They are considered potentially dangerous sharks to humans and should be treated with respect and caution. The great hammerhead shark is the largest and most aggressive of the species, which this particular shark seemed to be.
According to the International Shark Attack File "The world record great hammerhead was caught off Sarasota, Florida weighing 991 pounds. The largest reported length of a great hammerhead is 20 feet. Expected life span of this species is approximately 20-30 years of age. "
For all species of sharks, according to the
International Shark Attack File, there have been 58 documented shark attacks on humans in Palm Beach county from 1882-2008. No fatalities. One of those attacks was on a 27 year-old Jupiter woman who was surfing behind the Jupiter Reef Club in back in November.
(read story)Earlier in January, a Miami man was bitten on the arm by a shark while out fishing on a boat.
Shark fishing isn't illegal in south Florida, as long as you do it in certain areas...and have a $9 annual license.
Last July however, Delray Beach city commissioners approved a ban on shark fishing at the municipal beach or within 300 feet of it.
