Depoe Bay Shark Confirmed as Great White (PHOTOS)

Under State and Federal law, it is unlawful to take or possess Great White Sharks.

(NEWPORT, Ore.) - Oregon State Police Fish & Wildlife Division is continuing the investigation into the circumstances surrounding the possession of what is confirmed as a 12-foot Great White Shark in the Depoe Bay area this weekend.

OSP Sergeant Todd Thompson says an OSP Fish & Wildlife Division trooper was working on the Depoe Bay docks August 8, 2009 at 8:00 p.m. when a shark was brought in by a recreational tuna boat.

"The trooper says he contacted the boat occupants after they had already gutted the shark. They indicated the shark had become entangled in their crab gear and was pulled to the surface when they pulled in a crab pot," Thompson said.

He says the shark was released to the Hatfield Marine Science Center yesterday and positively identified as a Great White by the National Marine Fisheries Service and ODFW.

Under State and Federal law, it is unlawful to take or possess Great White Sharks. The investigation is continuing.

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Anonymous May 2, 2010 4:31 pm (Pacific time)

the people at "thedorsalfin .com" are liberal dumb a***

person February 16, 2010 10:44 am (Pacific time)

i know these people they didn't mean to do it (they named the shark Joe!)

steve January 2, 2010 11:18 pm (Pacific time)

Stupid laws like this one were made to be broken. If the shark attacked the OSP boat (they have been known to attack boats) and OSP shot it - would they have thought twice about this goofy law?

lucky January 2, 2010 6:09 am (Pacific time)

crap happens and it was no intent to harm the shark population. It was pulled in dead and retrieved brought in and would have been a good steak or two. Why not use the fish for good and not waste.

JD August 14, 2009 3:16 am (Pacific time)

Vince: Please read up on the Oregon fishing regulations (as well as federal endangered/protected species laws). Page 101 of the Oregon Sport Fishing Regulations states (with regard to offshore pelagic species limits): "25 fish in aggregate. White sharks and basking sharks are prohibited and must be immediately released unharmed."

Vince August 13, 2009 8:08 pm (Pacific time)

"A regionally protected species off South Africa, Namibia, Maldives, Australia, California, the US Atlantic Seaboard and Gulf Coast (including Florida)," The Shark is not protected off the coast of Oregon.

MattyB August 12, 2009 11:36 am (Pacific time)

In other reports it was noted that the fisherman contacted OSU and Fish and Wildlife and were instructed to bring the shark to Port. They were apparently skeptical about it being a Great White and believed it to be a salmon shark prior to seeing the animal....

"Skipper" Osborne August 12, 2009 7:39 am (Pacific time)

TheDorsalFin, I likewise appreciate your response to my response and was glad to see that you thought 'to the fullest extent' was a bit much. I agree with you that sharks do not lay in wait of humans to attack them, and I did not mean to sound that all creatures that attack people should be annihilated. I have difficulties with people (PETA FOLKS EXPECAILLY) who seems to care more about the survival of animal species than people or racial equality. I still do not believe that the individuals should be prosecuted, because the last I heard, if it is true; the shark got tangled up in crab their crab pot/net? Since the great white shark is a protective species, and if the individuals were crabbing illegal, then they should be prosecuted for breaking the law; and not because they were doing something legal and the shark got entangled in the net/pot. How they handled the sharks carcass afterwards, I really see nothing wrong with that. I see people who was caught up in a "wow dude this is unreal, people are not going to believe this" moment. Now, in reference to people killing people, "phewwww, that is another story, in human history."

TheDorsalFin August 11, 2009 10:52 am (Pacific time)

Skipper, Like you, I'd never want to see a person mauled nor killed by a shark of any kind. However, that doesn't mean I want to see a protected species killed either. If I thought that killing a shark would insure the safety of humans, then I would agree with you, completely. Sharks simply are not out there trying to eat people, despite what we see in the movies and on t.v. Yes, on extremely rare occasions sharks do bite people (as do many other wild and domesticated animals), but those instances are so rare, that it's impossible to guess which shark out there is going to be that "one in a million." If we wiped out every creature that has killed a person over the course of history, we'd have to wipe out just about everything in existence, including people. As for the guys deserving a medal, again, if I thought they were protecting lives by hauling the shark in, I would agree with you, but I don't think that what they did protected anybody. According to reports, The shark was already dead, and the guys in question of being fined dragged the carcass in, and then people posed with it, some even pulled its jaws open bare-handed. Non-fossilized white shark teeth can be quite sharp. The dead shark was less than a threat out in the ocean than it was in a parking lot with kids playing with it with their hands near its jaws. SLOW DOWN, Point well-taken. Perhaps, "to the fullest extent" is a bit much (although, my guess would be that even the "fullest extent" for hauling in a dead white shark is not all that severe). I do feel like the people who dragged this shark in should be prosecuted, if they, in fact, violated the laws protecting this species. I have read some conflicting reports at this point as to what the motivation was for bringing the dead animal in. If those in question did nothing wrong, then I've got enough faith in the justice system that they won't be punished for doing nothing wrong. However, if they knowingly broke the law, I feel like they deserve to be prosecuted accordingly. As always, I appreciate hearing both of your different points of view.

SLOW DOWN August 10, 2009 11:37 pm (Pacific time)

To "thedorsalfin.com" Laws are good and should not be broken. Your right, however accidents do happen. I don't think they should be prosecuted "fullest extent" Come on! I am a SCUBA diver and feel that all should respect and protect all these awesome creatures. I do, but they didn't go out on purpose to harm this shark. Lets spend our energy on people who do just that.

SLOW DOWN!!! August 10, 2009 11:34 pm (Pacific time)

Laws are good and should not be broken. However accidents do happen. I don't think they should be prosecuted "fullest extent" Come on! I am a SCUBA diver and feel that all should respect and protect all these awesome creatures. I do, but they didn't go out on purpose to harm this shark. Lets spend our energy on people who do just that.

"Skipper" Osborne August 10, 2009 11:18 pm (Pacific time)

I hope those who caught the shark get "The Medal of Honor." You thedorsalfin.com, rather see a "PERSON MAULED OR POSSIBLY KILLED BY A STUPID SHARK, or "a shark killed by a person.? Think about that for a moment my friend.

thedorsalfin.com August 10, 2009 7:26 pm (Pacific time)

I hope those responsible a prosecuted to the fullest extent for violating both state and federal laws protecting this species.

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