Letters/Online Comments

Re: Santa Barbara: A Hot Spot for Juvenile White Sharks (Dec. 1-15 issue)

Illegal to catch and thriving
The article doesn’t address the fact that it is illegal to sport or commercial catch a White Shark in California. Commercial catch is also prohibited in Oregon and Washington. In addition, on June 4, 2014, consistent with the recommendation of the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW), the California Fish and Game Commission (Commission) determined that based on the best available science, listing the Northeastern Pacific population of white shark as a threatened or endangered species under CESA is not warranted.

Bottom line: White Sharks are illegal to catch in California and the species is doing well.
Will Dickens

Shark bait
Can we feed them some politicians? Or would that be endangering the sharks?
John W.

Dishonest scientists & shark conservation
Did anyone else catch that second-to-last sentence of the article?

“Lowe said his research and technology should not be used as an early-warning tool but instead as an educational opportunity.”

That’s what these scientists think of us – they could care less about us! They pretend they are about human safety, but they are only about shark conservation! The sharks are just being sharks. But dishonest scientists… they are dangerous!
Kevin Harris

Re: California crabbers harming whales, according to environmental group (Dec. 1-15 issue)

Crabbing ultimatum
The detrimental impact of crabbing on other sea life is not acceptable. Either find a way to catch crabs without killing other species or face boycotts from environmentalists.
Jennifer Maniar