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Random Quote: she wasn't much of a fighter but you should have seen her box
I am trying to find a good way to tell the difference between blacktips, sand, spinners, etc. In the size range that we catch them...2-3-4'...it is very hard to tell them apart when they are beside the boat. I don't want to gaff a shark only to find out that it is just under the legal size. The blacktips are the main worry. As a large coastal they have to be over 37" and you can only keep one per person. There are the other sharks I mentioned that look about the same, but they can be a bit smaller and you can keep 4-5...can't remember without looking at the book. The problem is that several of these sharks get the black tips on their fins...not just actual blacktips. I like fishing for them, but I don't want to get in trouble.
I have looked online on some sites and still have a hard time telling the difference.
Does anyone have a better site they can point to or a specific way to tell them apart?
I am not too sure, but a problem you will run into is the Marine Patrol doesn't always ID correctly either. Then you have to try to prove your case to them. I have heard of this when people catch lesser vs greater amberjack and also almaco jacks.
Cool thanks. I worry about DMR identifying it incorrectly. Sure makes it difficult to fish. There are SO FREAKIN MANY out there and the limits are so low..or so it seems.
Crap...what is up with Federal waters and LA? We go South of Cat island and that gets close to LA waters...
Crap...what is up with Federal waters and LA? We go South of Cat island and that gets close to LA waters...
Looks like they have you boxed in. I guess they could get you for bringing illegal fish across state lines.
I catch all my good blacktips in federal waters, had to release a good mako in closed season ... that sucked.
If you look at the photo posted by redweiser, the second anal fin (single fin behind anal pore) is black. I know it sounds backwards, but if this fin has a black margin, then it is a spinner. If not, it is a blacktip. This is the fundamental way to tell the differance without counting gill rakers.
They say; the black on their fins can vary, I'd be more concerned about game wardens.
TWO MEN CITED FOR SHARK VIOLATIONS
Release Date: 08/01/2006
On June 30, Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Enforcement Division agents cited two Mississippi residents for alleged shark violations in Louisiana waters near the Chandeleur Islands.
The agents observed two men and a juvenile fishing with rods and reels in the Gulf of Mexico. The agents stopped the three in order to perform a license compliance inspection. During the course of the inspection, agents discovered they were in possession of two spinner sharks and a blackfin shark. The season on sharks was not set to open until July 1.
Alan Daughtery, 43, of Lumberton and William McQueen, 43, of Gulfport, were cited for allegedly taking sharks during the closed season and not possessing Louisiana non-resident basic and saltwater fishing licenses. Daughtery was also cited for allegedly taking an undersized blackfin shark. The minimum size limit of blackfin and spinner sharks is a fork length of 54 inches.
Taking sharks during a closed season and possessing undersized sharks are violations of the Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Commission rules and regulations. Angling without non-resident licenses and violations of commission rules are Class 2 violations, with each carrying a penalty of a fine between $150 and $350, or 60 days in jail, or both plus court costs.
Agents participating in the investigation were Senior Agents Jason Russo and Kris Bourgeois.
I have been one of the game wardens to be "concerned" about for over nine years. That is in addition to 12 years as a Coast Guard boarding officer for twelve. The lack of black on the anal fin is a primary means of comparing the two species and ID the blacktips. This is well documented in various NOAA ID literature which is available on-line.
I have been one of the game wardens to be "concerned" about for over nine years. That is in addition to 12 years as a Coast Guard boarding officer for twelve. The lack of black on the anal fin is a primary means of comparing the two species and ID the blacktips. This is well documented in various NOAA ID literature which is available on-line.
"Well,Whoop-dee-doo" Don't get your panties in a wad.
My preference for female undergarments is a matter of necessity. Panties don't chafe as bad in the heat.
- I will be the first to admit that there are conservation officers out there who don't even know what gill rakers are. I just like to give folks a leg up against getting an over-priced ticket if at all possible. There is a LOT of mis-leading and confusing information floating around out there, including in the regulations themselves.
I hear you ichthusman, I was stopped at Fourchon and asked for my fishing license, I gave'em my drivers license (I'm 72). They said; "We don't want to see your drivers license! .. we want to see your fishing license!". I had to explain to'em; If you were (60) years of age prior to June 1, 2000, you don't have to have a fishing license. I couldn't believe this, (basic) I wouldn't want these people making a judgment on something important. This is true, I have 4 witnesses.
Wow...looks like I missed out on a good conversation here. I did find (on Wikepedia) that the spinner tends to have black tipped anal fins and an obvious white stripe on its sides. We were very careful last time we went out and I do believe that we caught only spinners (aside from some small sharpnosed sandsharks). Three of us fishing...three good sharks..one cooler full of shark steaks.
I seem to get checked almost every time I go out...luck of the draw I guess...and I have never been in the wrong...I don't ever want to be...gas is expensive enough.
...and 54"???? Why so damn big in LA too? There are so many sharks out there. I don't want to bring a 54" shark on my boat...that is getting a little large.
54" comes from a combination of the average size for sexual maturity, and some really bad statistical analysis of dockside/boarding surveys. The surveys are the primary reason that you are getting checked so frequently. All of the Gulf coastal states have overtime contracts with NMFS. NMFS supplies funds for state officers' overtime and patrol boats. In exchange, everytime a state officer checks a gulf boat, they fill out a detailed sheet of lbs./species you have on board. This data then goes to the number crunchers at NMFS who then tell us that there aren't enough sharks out there. A good spearfishing friend of mine recently was bit by one of these "overfished" sharks about three weeks ago. She had just shot a nice flounder south of Dauphin Island that apparrently a large bull thought she had no right to.
Cripes that sucks. Bulls are dangerous...so I hear. I'm cool with getting checked. I totally understand and agree with limits and research. I just think that is is a pain in the ass at times.
I have been stalked many times by sharks while wading in the LA marsh. There are plenty of 6 footers out there. They'll help themselves to the trout on your stringer. Down around freemason, they were eating the trout off our lines as we reeled them in. Ya...we need more of that.
Shark identification??? 
