Letter: Take shark's picture, then release it alive

I read the recent story regarding the tiger shark that was caught offshore. With all due respect to the folks who caught the shark, I was disturbed to read it was disposed of when they returned.

I have been scuba diving for many years with hundreds of dives and on many occasions have had the awesome experience to observe and swim with these incredible creatures. Hundreds of thousands of sharks per year are caught, their fins are cut off, and then sharks are thrown back in the sea to die so an Asian delicacy can be put on the table or used as a stimulant.

I dive on reefs that some years ago were bountiful with sharks, and now it is a rare occasion to come across one of these incredible creatures.

Sharks are critical to the health of the reefs and the overall ecology of the oceans. I would ask all anglers to think about that when they hook a shark. Take a picture that will last a lifetime and release the shark.

Mitch Brach Hilton Head Island

This story was originally published September 29, 2015 at 4:48 PM with the headline "Letter: Take shark's picture, then release it alive."