White Shark Rescue: SoCal surfers come to the aid of a juvenile shark

As California shark conservationists, supporters, and advocates wait for Gov. Jerry Brown to sign into law AB 376, the shark fin prohibition; we get reminders that perhaps the tide of public opinion is slowly turning in favor of the sharks. Pete Thomas' Outdoors, action, and adventure reported an unusual rescue at Venice Beach in Southern California:

"Sharks have many allies these days, as people, states and even nations are rallying behind efforts aimed at conservation.

But for a group of surfers and other witnesses at Venice Beach, Calif., over the weekend, one shark in particular needed rescuing, and it was a precarious job well done, as you can see in the accompanying video.

The juvenile white shark apparently was hooked on the city pier and became stranded on the shore with the fishing gear still in its mouth. It appeared listless and in bad shape, but at least its rescuers got the hook out and gave it a chance to survive.

The incident occurred one month after an angler reeled to the surface and gaffed a white shark from the Huntington Beach Pier. He became the subject of an investigation because white sharks are protected in California and it's illegal to kill them.

Southern California waters are a nursery area for juvenile white sharks, which prey on fishes, rays and smaller sharks until they grow large enough to begin preying on seals and sea lions."

I'll be back among the white sharks at Isla Guadalupe in two weeks. I'll be sure to let the big mommas and poppas down there know that their youngster is all right.