2018 sighting <\/a>at Shelly Bay to cause a sensation.<\/p>\n![](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/1754973851_671_\")
<\/p>\n
Inside the reefline: a small hammerhead shark, likely searching for crustaceans, was sighted at Shelly Bay in 2018 (File photograph)<\/p>\n
Mr Barnes said the plunge overall could not be blamed on local overfishing.<\/p>\n
\u201cQuite simply, none of them are as numerous as they used to be, and that\u2019s worldwide,\u201d he said. \u201cAlso, there was never that much of a directed fishery for them here.\u201d<\/p>\n
He added: \u201cTalk to 20 people and you\u2019ll get 20 answers. But with fewer fish in the ocean, you\u2019ll get fewer predators.\u201d<\/p>\n
Since the 2022 legislation came into effect, the number of commercial licences for shark fishing have fallen significantly in the handline and shark-specific line categories.<\/p>\n
Shark fishing by the numbers<\/p>\n
The Department of Environment and Natural Resources tracks shark handline licences, issued to fishermen to bring in Galapagos or gummy sharks, and shark-specific licences used to target the same species for the popular dish of shark hash.<\/p>\n
Vertical line licences are issued for deepwater snappers and lobsters. Each commercial lobster fisherman is also permitted to keep two six-gill sharks taken \u201cincidentally\u201d on vertical lines.<\/p>\n
\u2022 2023-24: Handline licences, 14; shark-specific licences, 10; vertical line licences, 7 with 6 to lobstermen<\/p>\n
\u2022 2024-25: Handline licences, 11; shark-specific licences, 8; vertical line licences, 4 with 3 to lobstermen<\/p>\n
\u2022 2025-26, to date: Handline licences, 10; shark-specific licences, 6; vertical line licences, 7 with 5 to lobstermen<\/p>\n
Shark fishing by the numbers<\/p>\n
The Department of Environment and Natural Resources tracks shark handline licences, issued to fishermen to bring in Galapagos or gummy sharks, and shark-specific licences used to target the same species for the popular dish of shark hash.<\/p>\n
Vertical line licences are issued for deepwater snappers and lobsters. Each commercial lobster fisherman is also permitted to keep two six-gill sharks taken \u201cincidentally\u201d on vertical lines.<\/p>\n
\u2022 2023-24: Handline licences, 14; shark-specific licences, 10; vertical line licences, 7 with 6 to lobstermen<\/p>\n
\u2022 2024-25: Handline licences, 11; shark-specific licences, 8; vertical line licences, 4 with 3 to lobstermen<\/p>\n
\u2022 2025-26, to date: Handline licences, 10; shark-specific licences, 6; vertical line licences, 7 with 5 to lobstermen<\/p>\n
Mr Barnes said restrictions would not necessarily equate to a rebound in species numbers, pointing to Bermuda\u2019s controversial 1990 ban on fish pots after the devices caused a plunge in fish populations.<\/p>\n
\u201cParrot fish have come back, but not to the same numbers,\u201d he said. \u201cWe have protected grouper species for a long time, but they are still fairly scarce.\u201d<\/p>\n
The veteran fisherman added: \u201cIt\u2019s very hard in a complex biological system to find a simple cause and effect. Is it global warming? There are dozens of things at play.\u201d<\/p>\n
What\u2019s being caught?<\/p>\n
Of the 20 or so shark species seen in Bermuda waters, just a few are game for fishermen. For the figures below, \u201cother\u201d includes the six-gill shark. The year 2022 marks the implementation of restrictions on shark fishing.<\/p>\n
\u2022 2015: Dusky shark, 192; gummy shark, 360; other, 14; tiger shark, 11, mako, 1<\/p>\n
\u2022 2016: Dusky shark, 196; gummy shark, 343; other, 40; tiger shark, 4; mako, 5<\/p>\n
\u2022 2017: Dusky shark, 122; gummy shark, 324; other, 27; tiger shark, 13; mako, 2<\/p>\n
\u2022 2018: Dusky shark, 113; gummy shark, 288; other, 20; tiger shark, 4<\/p>\n
\u2022 2019: Dusky shark, 89; gummy shark, 181; other, 12; tiger shark, 1<\/p>\n
\u2022 2020: Dusky shark, 81; gummy shark, 95; other, 3; tiger shark, 1; silky shark, 1<\/p>\n
\u2022 2021: Dusky shark, 69; gummy shark, 107; other, 22; tiger shark, 1; mako, 2<\/p>\n
\u2022 2022: Dusky shark, 17; gummy shark, 29; silky shark, 2<\/p>\n
\u2022 2023: Dusky shark, 21; gummy shark, 7<\/p>\n
\u2022 2024: Dusky shark, 64; gummy shark, 156; other, 1<\/p>\n
\u2022 2025, to end of July: Dusky shark, 26; gummy shark, 9; other, 1<\/p>\n
What\u2019s being caught?<\/p>\n
Of the 20 or so shark species seen in Bermuda waters, just a few are game for fishermen. For the figures below, \u201cother\u201d includes the six-gill shark. The year 2022 marks the implementation of restrictions on shark fishing.<\/p>\n
\u2022 2015: Dusky shark, 192; gummy shark, 360; other, 14; tiger shark, 11, mako, 1<\/p>\n
\u2022 2016: Dusky shark, 196; gummy shark, 343; other, 40; tiger shark, 4; mako, 5<\/p>\n
\u2022 2017: Dusky shark, 122; gummy shark, 324; other, 27; tiger shark, 13; mako, 2<\/p>\n
\u2022 2018: Dusky shark, 113; gummy shark, 288; other, 20; tiger shark, 4<\/p>\n
\u2022 2019: Dusky shark, 89; gummy shark, 181; other, 12; tiger shark, 1<\/p>\n
\u2022 2020: Dusky shark, 81; gummy shark, 95; other, 3; tiger shark, 1; silky shark, 1<\/p>\n
\u2022 2021: Dusky shark, 69; gummy shark, 107; other, 22; tiger shark, 1; mako, 2<\/p>\n
\u2022 2022: Dusky shark, 17; gummy shark, 29; silky shark, 2<\/p>\n
\u2022 2023: Dusky shark, 21; gummy shark, 7<\/p>\n
\u2022 2024: Dusky shark, 64; gummy shark, 156; other, 1<\/p>\n
\u2022 2025, to end of July: Dusky shark, 26; gummy shark, 9; other, 1<\/p>\n
As an example, Mr Barnes cited the shifting patterns of floating sargassum seaweed, which has come ashore in large quantities in Florida and the Caribbean. The drifting plant, from which the Sargasso Sea takes its name, is a key marine habitat.<\/p>\n
He said: \u201cLook at all the sargassum weed washing up on beaches down south. The amounts are unbelievable.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat seaweed carries a lot of planktonic fish and lobsters. Juvenile fish travel with it. Is that an indication of where things are being carried in the ocean? Who knows?\u201d<\/p>\n
![](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/1754973851_559_\")
<\/p>\n
A tiger shark in the open ocean off Bermuda (File photograph)<\/p>\n
A fisheries source, requesting anonymity because they were not authorised to speak on the matter, said shark numbers were \u201cquite a hot topic right now\u201d with the controversy over sweeping marine conservation plans under the Bermuda Ocean Prosperity Programme.<\/p>\n
He said: \u201cIt\u2019s hard to quantify fish stocks without going out and counting, which is unrealistic.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere hasn\u2019t really been that level of analysis of any species of fish in Bermuda. It\u2019s challenging, and I think getting an assessment of the shark species is really challenging.\u201d<\/p>\n
However, he added: \u201cIn general, we\u2019re seeing a decline in the top predators across the oceans, across the planet.<\/p>\n
\u201cWith sharks, you can absolutely with confidence say that they are not doing as well as they were.<\/p>\n
\u201cNow and then you will get extra activity, but it\u2019s never as simple as that. These little spikes in numbers are not saying a population is doing well.<\/p>\n
\u201cWith nurse sharks, old-timers used to see them everywhere. In the last couple of years, I\u2019ve seen one or two of them here and there.\u201d<\/p>\n
The source said that, despite the enduring popularity of shark hash and the \u201cmystique with eating a top predator\u201d, Bermudians in general appeared to be \u201cmoving away from eating sharks\u201d.<\/p>\n
He said one shark hash vendor had done well by substituting tuna for shark meat.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s still traditional, and I don\u2019t think we want to lose that,\u201d he said. \u201cBanning it, I think you\u2019re going to see a lot of pushback, and I can\u2019t see it making a huge difference. There\u2019s a balance that has to be struck. You can\u2019t blame Bermuda\u2019s fishermen.\u201d<\/p>\n
He noted that the crash in Bermuda\u2019s shark population has been blamed for an ecological imbalance.<\/p>\n
Sharks prey on turtles, and a spike in turtle numbers has been connected to the loss of sea grass beds that provide a crucial habitat for fish and crustaceans \u2014 including the lobsters that will be back in season as of next month.<\/p>\n
The source said the drop in marine species was part of a wider complex of interconnected environmental factors.<\/p>\n
He added: \u201cTurtle grass disappearing in Bermuda is one of the quietest but most tragic things happening to our environment.<\/p>\n
\u201cAs humans, we like to know whether something is or isn\u2019t. I think it\u2019s correct that there are more turtles and less sharks, but it\u2019s very hard to say it\u2019s one thing or another.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe oceans have been abused for a very long time, and I don\u2019t think it\u2019s down to one factor.<\/p>\n
\u201cJust as the shark population is down historically, I think there are a lot of factors at play. We need to do more science.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"An inquisitive tiger shark approaches a diver at Challenger Banks \u2014 one of several shark species to frequent…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":60821,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[26],"tags":[5264,32792,90,56,54,55,4407],"class_list":{"0":"post-60820","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-wildlife","8":"tag-fishing","9":"tag-fishing-industry","10":"tag-science","11":"tag-uk","12":"tag-united-kingdom","13":"tag-unitedkingdom","14":"tag-wildlife"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/60820","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=60820"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/60820\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/60821"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=60820"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=60820"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=60820"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}