Writer/Surfer

The Inertia

There’s been a lot of talk about sharks as of late. And it’s not just because it’s Shark Week. Interactions between humans and sharks of all kinds seem to be on the rise – not to mention, sharks are great for news. To most, they’re frightening sea creatures that lurk beneath us as we swim, surf, and play in the ocean. They’re dangerous, frightening, and, for media outlets, good for ratings.

This week in shark news, a marine in North Carolina– along with a group of researchers – reeled in an 11-foot 7-inch tiger shark at Topsail Beach on Wednesday.

David Schmidt, based just north at Camp Lejeune was working with the Apex Predators Program, an initiative of NOAA’s Fisheries Service Division. Researchers regularly catch and tag sharks to gather, “baseline biological data for the management of large Atlantic sharks,” according to the program’s website.

In this case, Schmidt and the team say they did not tag the 600 to 700-pound shark, however they did take photos and send information back to NOAA before releasing it back into the ocean.

The video of the encounter quickly went viral – reaching upwards of 800,000 views. It points to the general public’s obsession with sharks. And while it’s not like fishermen are reeling in 12-foot tigers every day at this North Carolina beach, you can bet local residents may think twice before going for a swim this holiday weekend.

 
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