Marco Island shark fisherman accuses councilor of targeting anglers

A well-known Marco Island shark fisherman says members of the fishing community feel unfairly targeted as a debate over shark fishing, sea turtle protections and beach enforcement continues.David Boggs, known online as "Marco Island Sharks," has spent the last three years taking families and visitors shark fishing on Marco Island beaches. He says the activity is about more than catching fish."We're not cruel to the animals. We release them properly," Boggs said. "We just caught a 14-foot fish. You better believe we're going to take a picture. But we do it the right way."Boggs' comments come as discussions continue over nighttime activity on Marco Island beaches during sea turtle nesting season.Earlier this year, Councilor Bonita Schwan pushed for restrictions on nighttime shark fishing. Those efforts later shifted toward concerns about sea turtle protections, including lighting and manmade objects left on the beach.Boggs said fishermen have adapted their practices to comply with those rules."We don't bring chairs, we just sit on the sand," Boggs said. "We use amber and red lighting."He said shark fishermen take sea turtle protections seriously and do not believe they are responsible for the problems they've been accused of causing."We take care of the sea turtles, we take care of the beach, we take care of the water, and we take care of the sharks," Boggs said.Boggs also believes shark fishermen receive extra scrutiny compared to other beach users.He told Gulf Coast News he has filed a public records request seeking messages between Schwan and the city manager regarding shark fishing and beach enforcement.Boggs, who says Schwan lives in a beachfront condo overlooking areas where shark fishermen often gather, believes complaints are frequently made to police when fishermen are on the beach.He said he wants to better understand how those complaints are being communicated and handled by city officials."FWC told them that we had more complaints filed against us than any other angler in the state of Florida, and there were no violations," Boggs said. "And so she gets mad that fishermen aren't getting tickets for doing things right. Like, that's insanity to me. And that's the real problem with this city council, is that they're always looking for a problem.The issue surfaced again Monday night during a Marco Island City Council meeting.While reviewing the Marco Island Police Department's May nightly beach report, Schwan questioned why officers were not issuing written warnings for violations of the city's Sea Turtle Protection Act."They did not issue a warning of a violation of the Sea Turtle Protection Act," Schwan said during the meeting.However, Chairman Darrin Palumbo said officers should have discretion when deciding whether to issue written warnings."I have a hard time giving a written warning to a ten-year-old because they didn't know they can't have a chair at the beach at night," Palumbo said.Boggs said the debate has grown beyond shark fishing and has become personal."That's why it's important for all of us to get in tune and value this way of life, protect it, and stop looking to cancel something just because someone doesn't like it," he said.Gulf Coast News reached out to Schwan for an interview but did not receive a response.DOWNLOAD the free Gulf Coast News app for your latest news and alerts on breaking news, weather, sports, entertainment, and more on your phone or tablet. And check out the Very Local Gulf Coast app to stream news, entertainment and original programming on your TV.