ESPN unspeakable show

[alcina]

I have just had the misfortune to flip stations and see Monster Shark Tournament on ESPN. This is the nastiest piece of work I have ever seen on tv and can't believe that there are people out there who think it's just fine.

On this episode they happily tortured, and I use this term appropriately, a huge thresher shark. Then later had the audacity to narrate along the lines of "and the huge gaff hook is testament to a fight well fought." The hook was through the centre of the shark. The shark didn't fight the good fight. The shark was caught, cruelly gaffed, tied up, dragged behind the boat at speed to drown it and then dragged on board.

This is not acceptable behaviour by humans. I hope people see the show and/or read this post & similar ones and make their voice heard. Not much gets me livid, but this does...what next? Shark fin soup cook-offs?

 

[Mike Veitch]

I agree its absolutely sick, bunch of a**holes if you ask me.

That sad part is that they target the pelagic sharks which are the ones so badly at risk from shark finning.

I'm going to email ESPN right now and I suggest everyone else does too.

Mike

 

[onfloat]

I couldn't believe it so I went looking.

http://espn.go.com/outdoors/general/s/g_fea_ESPN_Monster-Shark_041001.html

 

[alcina]

Yes, please do email!! They have to know that this is simply not OK - no matter if there is advertising money in it.

There is an online petition form that some one could set up that many could sign and that could be sent to ESPN, too. I don't have time to do it but if someone did it would be a worthy project...

 

[Mike Veitch]

This is the line they give to make it all better:

Known as the nation's most environmentally regulated shark competition, most sharks landed during the tournament are released. The sharks that are brought to the docks for weigh-in, are fully utilized, with shark steaks being donated to senior centers and food pantries and the non-consumable portions of the fish refined into organic fertilizer.

The landed sharks also provide scientific data for the Apex Predators Program, the Massachusetts Department of Marine Fisheries, and the National Marine Fisheries Service.

EOE is developing a wide-variety of branded programming to add to the network's comprehensive event and sports news coverage. Using a collection of genres - original movies, reality-based shows, dramatic series, documentaries, game shows and more - ESPN's goal is to broaden its audience by more strongly appealing to newer and more casual sports fans.


Sorry, doesn't cut it. What they don't mention is how this tv show glamourizes the idea of shark fishing and sends unkown legions of "fishermen" out there who do not act responsibly and just slaughter the sharks for fun.
As if the long liners and shark finners aren't enough, do we really need to create more interest in this amongst sport fishermen? Over 100 million sharks are already killed every year, how long can populations sustain such carnage?
Perhaps we should ask the Cod fishermen out east?

Mike

 

[alcina]

And, frankly, they are still torturing the animal. It's not a clean kill and it isn't sporting.

What I saw is no different than wounding or trapping a bear or deer, tying it to your back bumper and driving along until it's so fatigued it can't fight anymore or is dead. And pretty much I think no one believes that would be acceptable.

BTW - have you ever eaten a large shark?? Not palatable.

 

[Wildcard]

It's a frikkin fish! 100 million a year? ROTFLMFAO! Do you just make stuff up as you go along all the time?

 

[Mike Veitch]

It's a frikkin fish! 100 million a year? ROTFLMFAO! Do you just make stuff up as you go along all the time?

Ahh the rant of the uneducated...

It sounds unbelievable but unfortunately true.

Try this link www.sharks.org
And thats just a start.

If you call yourself a diver perhaps you can learn a little something about the environment you visit.

 

[hecker-the-wrecker]

Don't forget where that burger came from, or how someone had to cut down some trees so you had toilet paper, (i'm sure you don't use plastic) and just how many vegetables had to give their lives for your delicious salad??? (before i get flamed, please realize the following were examples of stuff that happens EVERY DAY right in front of us) it is a very cruel world...........................................................

 

[justleesa]

Thanks for posting that link Mike

An animal is an animal - but that does not make us any better by tourturing it to death