The Taxman Never Stops Collecting
I’d long heard stories about sharks slicing anglers’ catches In half, but until our trip to Islamorada last May I didn’t experience it firsthand. There we had to abandon several fishing area that were productive, but where our hooked fish were easily targeted by other predators.
Indeed, while there are threats to sharks in some areas due to practices like “finning,” in many sport fisheries they have become an uncontrollable nuisance. They’ve learned that hooked fish are easy prey, and hooked fish tend to be in close proximity to fishing boats. There is even legislation pending to deal with this issue going forward.
The problem became more widely known earlier this year when a team competing in the Big Rock Blue Marlin Tournament missed out on several million dollars in winnings because their otherwise largest fish was missing a chunk due to a shark bite.
Because my exposure to this problem has been minimal, my ire was limited to that one trip to Florida. Those who have to deal with it all the time (or lose seven figure checks), however, experience greater ire. There is even an Australian company called FTTM (F The Tax Man), who make a whole lineup of apparel both glorifying and vilifying sharks. No matter how you want to show your disdain, they’ve got something that fits.
They’re not the only ones. There are lots of other shirts that serve as a personal billboard for your shark-based animosity. For example:
If you’d like to learn more about the Tax Man, or develop strategies to avoid him, check out the following articles:
How to Avoid Sharks While Fishing: Best Tips to Deter the Saltwater Tax Man
Dodging the Taxman: Keep Your Catch Clear of Sharks, ‘Cudas, Pike, and More
Amid Great Fishing the Taxman Cometh – Great Whites Take Their Cut at Guadalupe
Miscellaneous Tax Notes
There’s even a Facebook group called “Fish the Taxman Has Taken”
On a related note, on several of the rivers of the Rio Negro region of the Amazon River, pink dolphins have learned to follow boats containing sport fishermen. Release a peacock bass and they’ll swoop in for an easy meal.
I don’t know if they really work, but a company called Shark Banz claims their products deter sharks and rays by disrupting their electroreception.
No word on whether the boys from Liverpool liked to fish, but if you need background music for your angling adventures, consider the Beatles’ Tax Man.
