City of Manhattan Beach Bans Fishing For 60-Days, After Shark Attack

The City of Manhattan Beach has placed a 60-day ban on fishing from its pier after the weekend's great white shark incident, where a long-distance swimmer was bitten by a shark entangled in a fisherman's line.

The move will allow City officials to evaluate the public safety of swimming near the pier. Officials will work to educate the public about the dangers of chumming, as well as safety measures that will help prevent another shark attack.

The ban comes after a Great White Shark viciously attacked Steven Robles on Saturday. The shark was aggravated by a fisherman, who wrestled with the Great White for over 40 minutes.

Robles was swimming in the water near the pier where the Great White Shark was being wrangled by a pier fishermen.

Witnesses on the pier give conflicting accounts on whether the fisherman was chumming the water or not, but there is some suspicion of it. From a safety perspective, chumming can attract sharks from over three miles away. When there are swimmers in the water, this creates a hazard that the City of Manhattan Beach will have to address.

A statement posted on the City of Manhattan Beach website reads, "During the 60 day period, the City will consult with the State Coastal Commission, County of Los Angeles and other regulatory agencies to help evaluate impacts to public safety from allowing fishing from the pier, and determine if a change in regulations is necessary."

The 60 day fishing ban is by no means a permanent measure. The objective is to research and evaluate future risks that may present safety issues for beachgoers in the area. 

PETA has contacted the City of Manhattan Beach and requested that fishing be outlawed altogether.

"As long as people continue to fish it's only become more likely that more sharks are going to enter these shallow areas," said Liam Cronin of PETA. "Sharks don't want to come that close to shore, they're only coming because they smell blood."

Surfers have also consistently complained about fishing from the pier. Many have been hooked or have to navigate around fishing lines that causes a safety hazard. There is little regulation by authorities over fishing from the pier.

The fishermen accused by Robles of negligence has denied all wrongdoing in the case. He claims that he did everything in his power to keep the shark away from the swimmers.

Over the next 60 days swimmers and surfers will not have to deal with the problem, but after that it is unclear what will happen.