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Since so many people are catching sharks we have been discussing the proper way to bring a shark to the landing. I have caught small sand sharks...6-12 lbs for the past many years. A few years ago I learned they are good eating....and I have kept most that I have caught....staying within the 1 per person or 2 per boat rule. I have been cutting the head off and letting the critter bleed before putting it into the icebox....reading somewhere that they have no kidneys and urinate thru their skins....thus the bad smell with one in the boat. Without this procedure the meat is ruined....it smells too.
My fishing buddy has been loping the tail off....letting them bleed....before iceing them down.
Question is....is this permitted?
My friend called the Marine Patrol Office in Panama City today....20June06....and was told it was against the rules to put a knife on a shark under any circumstances...could't even gut it....had to be brought back to the landing whole and untouched by a knife.
The above rule makes bringing a shark home to eat worthless to me.
Anyone ever heard of this?

[quote]68B-44.004 Practice of Finning Prohibited; Removal of Fins from Sharks Harvested in State Waters Prohibited;
Compliance with Federal Requirements; Filleting Prohibited.
(1) No person shall engage in the practice of finning.
(2) No person shall remove any fin of any shark harvested in state waters while in or on such waters or prior to the shark being
landed.
(3) Persons returning from federal Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) waters adjacent to state waters with sharks or shark fins
harvested there shall not stop in state waters to fish and shall land any shark or shark fins in the proportion specified in 50 C.F.R. §
678.21(a)(2).
(4) No person shall fillet any shark while in or on state waters. The possession while in or on state waters of any shark that has
been sliced, divided, filleted, ground, skinned, scaled, or deboned, is prohibited. Mere evisceration or “guttingâ€

Thanks Rodbow.....this is what I needed.....something in writing.

Is putting them on ice good enough, sorry but we have always gutted ASAP. Guess we no now.

Sometimes it's better to ask for forgiveness than permission.
I'd be hard pressed to believe the man would give you a hard time if you gutted a shark so it did not spoil the meat.

Correct me if I am wrong, but doesn't number 4 say:

Mere evisceration or “guttingâ€

PF wrote

The wording is kind of confusing

... with apologies where it applies... the thing was wrote by lawyers!! what'd ya spect!

that was my point - gut it and keeping fishing!

Sir reel wrote:PF wrote

The wording is kind of confusing

... with apologies where it applies... the thing was wrote by lawyers!! what'd ya spect!

Naw sir....ain't gonna let you get away with that cut...this thing was written by legislatures, some of whom may be lawyers, but all together they are a different breed of cat. Please do not give us lowly lawyers a worse name by lumping us indiscriminately with legislatures, politicians and polecats!

(4) No person shall fillet any shark while in or on state waters. The possession while in or on state waters of any shark that has
been sliced, divided, filleted, ground, skinned, scaled, or deboned, is prohibited. Mere evisceration or “guttingâ€