Every day, thousands of people visit Miami Beach, peacefully coexisting with scores of sharks. Divers and drone pilots wake up before dawn to catch a glimpse of these beautiful creatures, from the cosmopolitan blacktip to the elusive great hammerhead. But now, this population has come under attack.

Fishermen are targeting Miami’s sharks, killing the blacktips for their jaws and illegally dragging threatened species like lemon sharks from the water for social media photos. Research shows that over a quarter of all sharks dragged onto a beach die, with up to 50% mortality in species like the critically endangered hammerhead. In fact, one of these rare creatures was found dead on Miami beach in April, a massive fishing hook still lodged in the jaw. In addition, the baiting of sharks puts beachgoers in danger, conditioning sharks to seek food in public swimming zones.

We, the undersigned, a coalition of environmentalists, scientists, divers, surfers, tourists, and local business owners, implore the City and County Commissioners of Miami Beach and Miami-Dade to introduce legislation to prohibit land-based shark fishing in Miami, following the example of municipalities across Florida, including Delray Beach, Indian Shores, Redington Shores, and states like Massachusetts and Hawai’i. Banning shark fishing can and has been accomplished without affecting other forms of fishing, by explicitly prohibiting baiting and chumming, assisted casting by aircraft and watercraft, and equipment used to target sharks, such as harnesses, fighting plates, as well as reels, hooks, and wire leaders exceeding specific sizes.

Please act with urgency to protect our beaches, our community, and our sharks. Thank you.