Shark Fishing Awareness

On Monday, March 2, 2026, the public is invited to a Shark Awareness morning session being held at the Police Department Community Room on 51 Bald Eagle Drive at 10:00 AM. This is an informative session organized by the Marco Island Police Department at the request of members of the Marco Island City Council. A representative from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) Law Enforcement will speak to the laws and rules established by the State of Florida on land-based shark fishing, including what licenses and permits are required and safety considerations for beachgoers.

On January 12, 2026, early beachgoers were surprised to encounter a deceased 12-foot shark on South Beach and according to Marco Island Police Department’s public response, “land-based shark fishing is legal in Florida and officers do check for proper permits and compliance with state law. Fishing laws are governed by the State of Florida and the City of Marco Island cannot supersede state law.” The deceased species was a Tiger shark and according to FWC, “this is a prohibited shark species and if one such species is caught, it must remain in the water with the gill submerged and be released without delay.” For prohibited shark species, you cannot delay release and it may be difficult to identify the species in the dark. In those cases, treat all sharks like they are prohibited and according to experts, avoid hauling a shark onto dry land just to take photos.

It is also not uncommon for early beach walkers to encounter leftover cut baits from shark fishing the evening before. Bait is aimed to attract sharks to the hook, and beach-facing residents question the use of drones with bait attached while fishing for sharks. Drones are a new technology and there may be some legislation to prohibit its use in shark fishing - a good question to ask the FWC officer, as it was not found on the FWC website.

Prior to the use of drones, many shark anglers paddled their baits out using kayaks and many still do, as the drone is limited in the size of the bait and weight. Are drone users required to register their drones with the FAA? During sea turtle nesting season (May-October), anglers will need to be in compliance with using amber lights on the beach.