Could Sport Fishing Cause Shark Attacks? | When Sharks Attack: Tropical Terror

If tiger sharks are showing up in the shallows in greater numbers, then it's not because of deep blue. The reason for the attacks remains elusive, but while scouring the ocean for an explanation, experts come across something else that also ensnares large amounts of a tiger shark's prey. But it's not another sea creature; in fact, it walks on two legs.

I think the reason why we are having more sharks here actually is because of the amount of fishing that's been going on. This is one of the island's most popular activities: sport fishing. Every year, recreational anglers haul in more than two million pounds of fish. That means that on any given day off the Big Island, there are hundreds of fish being caught and reeled in.

And for scientists like Dr. Dan Huber, these hooked sea creatures may be attracting sharks. A struggling fish, as its body is twitching a bit, that motion is giving off low-frequency sounds, and shark hearing happens to be tuned into low-frequency sounds. This is definitely something that could attract a number of sharks to the same area.

So could sport fishing be drawing tiger sharks into the shallows, thereby increasing the risk of an accidental run-in with people? According to fisherman Rick Rieger, it comes down to where the best sport fishing takes place. To demonstrate, he heads out to an area well known for the popular pastime.

"Okay, so this is our bottom here. We have some of the steepest drop-offs in the whole world right here. This is where you're going to see your tuna, your mahi-mahi, your ono, your marlin." This location could hold a vital clue to solving the mystery called the pelagic zone. This open water abyss extends thousands of miles between the continental shelves. It's home to an array of large sea creatures: whales, manta rays, big game fish, and some of the most dangerous sharks on earth.