Anglers, Sponsors, Patrons. It has been brought to our attention that there are groups and individuals in protest of our decision to bring shark back as one of our 33 categories in the 89th Alabama Deep Sea Fishing Rodeo. While we respect the opinion of any and all animal rights groups, we would like to clarify any misinformation that has been passed around. At the request of our anglers and spectators, we chose to bring back Shark as a category. Officials worked hand in hand with Marine Scientists to ensure bringing it back was ecologically sound. Dr. Sean Powers with the University of South Alabama and Dr. Marcus Drymon with Mississippi State have been extremely influential in our decision making process. Anglers participating in the Shark category are required to possess an Atlantic HMS (highly migratory species) permit with a specific shark endorsement. The benefit of harvesting sharks during the rodeo is