According to a Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission press release, the FWC has proposed new rules to prohibit the harvest of tiger (Galeocerdo cuvier), great hammerhead (Sphyrna mokarran), scalloped hammerhead (Sphyrna lewini), and smooth hammerhead (Sphyrna zygaena) sharks in Florida waters. According to the FWC, research indicates that these species have suffered population declines in recent decades, and the scalloped hammerhead is “overfished.”

The Sun-Sentinel is reporting that the FWC has already “approved a ban” on the killing of these species. However, the FWC press release states that a final hearing on the proposed ban will not take place until November.

While the proposed ban would prohibit the killing of these four species, catch-and-release fishing of the sharks would still be permitted.

UPDATE: CBS Miami has posted a video of the C. Megalodon going for a ride.

According to Florida’s Local10.com, a “life-size” C. megalodon replica was seen traveling south on Interstate 95 in Florida this morning. The enormous replica was being transported on the back of flat-bed trailer on its way to the Fort Lauderdale Museum of Science and Discovery. The replica body was missing its fins and tail region (fear not, it was not the victim of finning) and created somewhat of a spectacle while traveling down the road.

The shark replica will be on display as part of the Prehistoric Florida exhibit in the museum’s EcoDiscovery Center. The exhibit is scheduled to open in mid-November.

You can check out a video of the C. Megalodon en route at Local10.com.

California state senator Bob Huff (R-Diamond Bar) has posted his opposition remarks made from the Senate Floor regarding California’s AB 376 (Shark Protection Act). Huff was in the minority of senators who opposed the bill, which passed on Tuesday with a vote of 25 to 9.

While most of the opposition seen in the press simply stated that the bill was “culturally biased” (which Huff seems to agree with), Huff also presented the argument that the shark fin ban would not address the root problem of shark sustainability, because it would not necessarily alter the number of sharks that could be caught in California waters, rather it merely bans the fins of caught sharks.

Huff also states that photos of shark carcasses with their fins removed are “misleading.” He goes on to support this idea by generalizing immigrants with the statement that “they don’t waste anything” and “eat everything” on a shark. Huff based his generalization on the fact that he lives in and represents an immigrant community.

Huff concludes that the shark fin ban will result in shark fins, which would otherwise have been consumed, being thrown away (given the assumption that the number of sharks harvested would remain unchanged after the shark fin ban). Huff views this as a wasteful practice and goes on to point out that “education” would be a more effective approach toward the root problem of shark sustainability.

The bill is now on its way to California Governor Jerry Brown. If Governor Brown signs the bill into law it would go into effect on January 1, 2012.

The California Senate voted 25-9 in favor of the California Shark Protection Act.

The San Jose Mercury News is reporting tonight that the California Shark Protection Act was passed by the state Senate today. According to the report, the Senate voted 25-9 in favor of the bill.

The bill now goes to California governor Jerry Brown before being signed into law.

CNN’s Eco Solutions recently ran a feature focusing on California’s proposed Shark Protection Act (AB 376). If passed, the law will prohibit the possession, sale, and trade of shark fins in the State of California. While supporters of the bill argue that it will help preserve marine ecosystems by protecting sharks, opponents of the bill argue that it unfairly targets Chinese culture, due to tradition of serving shark fin soup at banquets.

The California Shark Protection Act is expected to go before the State Senate this week.

Hawaii’s KHON2 reports that a surfer had a close encounter with a shark off Hawaii’s Nimitz Beach. Moses Filipe was surfing with his son when he felt a crunching sensation on his board, when he looked down he saw the head the shark biting down on his surfboard. After being knocked off the board Filipe and his son paddled safely to shore.

Filipe was physically unscathed by the encounter, but the shark left teeth marks in his board. Based on the bite marks, Navy authorities determined that the shark responsible for the bite was a tiger shark (Galeocerdo cuvier) estimated at 7′-8′ in length. Filipe told KHON2 that is was going to “take some time” before he gets back in the water.

ABC’s Good Morning America featured an interview with shark attack survivor Lydia Strunk this morning. Strunk was bitten by a shark on her right leg last month while swimming off Isla de Vieques, an island-municipality of Puerto Rico, in Puerto Mosquito (aka Bioluminescent Bay and Mosquito Bay).

Puerto Mosquito is well-known for its bioluminescent aquatic life and Strunk was kayaking in the area at night with a tour group. Some of the members of the group decided to swim in the bay in order to experience the glowing wildlife firsthand. However, after about 10 minutes of swimming Strunk told GMA that she felt a strong impact on her right leg. According to reports a 6′ tiger shark (Galeocerdo cuvier) bit Strunk’s leg causing tendon and nerve damage.

Strunk had to kayak back to land after sustaining the shark bite and then had to endure travel along bumpy roads before reaching an emergency room. However, she credited those who tended to her and noted that she felt fortunate to receive “impeccable emergency response.” Strunk had four tendons repaired in addition and is expected to recover, although she may have limited mobility in her right foot.

Strunk seems to be taking her recovery in stride and noted that she and friends had nicknamed the shark “Chewy” whose name appears on her cast. Additionally, another friend wrote that Strunk was one-in-a-million to which Strunk said she is quick to correct to one-in-11-million.

Australia’s Ten News reports that a 21-year-old man was fatally attacked by a shark on Sunday while body-boarding in Bunker Bay. The victim’s friends were able to get him to the beach after the attack, but his injuries proved to be too severe too resuscitate him. Friends described the victim as having a passion for the ocean.

The beach has been closed and spotter planes are being used to search for the shark involved, which is believed to be either a white shark (Carcharodon carcharias) or a bronze whaler (Carcharhinus brachyurus). Ten News reports that some are calling for the shark responsible to be killed, but they went on to say that authorities are not likely to kill the animal.

Friends of the victim made a make-shift memorial to him on the beach using a piece of surfboard.

A photo taken off Encinitas, California has been making news as of late. San Diego’s CBS 8 reports that the photo was taken off Swamis beach, and that a “local shark expert who confirmed that the shark in the photo is a 10 to 12 foot great white.”

While the CBS 8 report seems to take the stance that the image does, in fact, show a large shark, Encinitas Lifeguard Sgt. Robert Veria told CBS 8 that he believes the image is that of a surfer performing a duck dive and that the “fin” seen in the picture is merely the bent leg of the surfer. Additionally, none of the surfers in the water, many of whom appear to be in close proximity to the shape that is being referred to as a shark, reported seeing a shark.

A report on the photo also appeared on The Early Show which airs nationwide on CBS.

Is this an image of a white shark’s caudal fin or just a surfer’s leg? Feel free to sound off in the comments, if you have an opinion on the photo.

According to the Monterey Bay Aquarium website, they have a new juvenile white shark (Carcharodon carcharias) on display. The male shark was apparently intentionally caught last month near Malibu, California by commercial fishermen using a purse seine net with the assistance of a spotter plane. The shark, which is the sixth white shark to be put on display at the MBA was put on display in the aquarium’s Open Sea exhibit yesterday.

Unfortunately, the last white shark on display at MBA was released only to end up dying in fisherman’s gill-net in Mexico months after her release.

Video by YouTube user daveshooey.