MENACE OF SHARKS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21972, 1 December 1934, Page 16

MENACE OF SHARKS

CATCHES IN HAWKE'S BAY FISHERMAN'S WARNING HINTS FOR SWIMMERS The habits of sharks in and near Hawke's Bay and the degree of danger they present to swimmers was the subject of interesting information given a da\ or two ago to a Hawke's Bay Herald reporter by Mr. M. Burden, of To Awanga. He has had about 30 years practical experience of fishing in local waters, particularly in the area between Cape Kidnappers and Haumoana.

Mr. Burden's advice to swimmers who might find themselves in shark-infested, waters was that they should keep on swimming. "'The shark," he said, "is as unreliable as a bull and just as strong proportionately.'! have seen a 401b. stingawe halved at ono bite and an Bft. shark disembowelled by two bit-os from another of these cannibals." Mr. Burden was emphatic in stating that sharks present a decided danger to swimmers who might happen to bo in their neighbourhood. He said ho considered that his opinion that "shark" and "danger" were synonomous should he followed by those who are in the habit of bathing in places which are the haunts of these denizens of tho dec n Personal Experiences Questioned regarding the contention that where there are porpoises there will be no sharks, or vice versa, Mr. Burden stated that such was by no means the case. Each preyed on lesser sea-life. As many as 50 young had been found inside a female shark, but in the smaller species half a dozen was more common. Those may range from eggs to swimmers, that is, those that will

swim away upon the opening up of tho parent fish. Speaking of some of his personal fishing experiences, Mr. Burden said that on one occasion he alone caught 100 sharks in ono night, the sizes being from Sft. down to 2t"t., with a preponderance of six-footers. On another occasion 77 wore taken in a night in set nets. Being unable to see the net in tho dark the fish were readily taken, but one had to be wary owing to the fact that they had a habit of pretending to bo dead when netted under these conditions, and to treat these monsters without respect was to court disaster.

The only sure way to despatch ft shark speedily was to club it on the nos0 — ;i very vital spot. On one occasion when Mr. Burden was fishing with his father a six-foot shark was hooked and jumped into tho boat. "He had charge of the ship for some time," said Mr. Burden, "until put to rest by the club method." Sharks Attacking Whales

Sharks had often been known to snap at the oars of a boat and to jump up at fish as the latter were being landed from lines. He had also seen a school of sharks in the bay attack a fin-backed whale, which, faced with overwhelming odds, turned on its back where the heavier thickness of blubber provided greater protection. Floating thus and lashing the water with its fluker, the whale was able to hold its m jlr. Burden said that he had landed a six-foot specimen on a 3oz. line Ca herring line). "But," he hastened to explain, "it's a matter of knowing how to use tho line."