GH-USC in the News 04-01-11

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Note: We didn't have an opportunity to speak directly with this reporter so the piece is not entirely accurate, but it was published on April Fools Day. Nonetheless, we always appreciate the press and promotion.

GH-USC in the News 03-10-11

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Observer Program Training Dates Set

The date for the USC Certified Observer Training has been scheduled for April 9th, 2011 from 9am to 1pm at the Laishley Park Meeting Room located at Laishly Marina in downtown Punta Gorda.

For anyone interested in learning more about what this important and exciting role in the Ultimate Shark Challenge requires or if you're ready to apply, the observer application can be viewed, downloaded and submitted here. If you have any questions, don't hesitate to contact us.

For those who have already applied, we appreciate you doing so. As we draw closer to the training date, we'll be providing additional information about what to expect and how to prepare for the session.

GH-USC Miami Herald Article

SARASOTA - Theater-goers at this southwest Florida marine attraction and research laboratory (Mote) were attending a rare event: an all catch-and-release, big-money, science-centered shark fishing tournament broadcast from the water.

 Photo: Sue Cocking / Miami Herald Staff

The scientists on the big screen -- Robert Hueter, director of Mote's Center for Shark Research, and colleagues Jack Morris and John Tyminski -- were busy fitting the shark with a satellite tracking tag the size of a large cigar. After they finished drilling and secured the tag, they removed a lasso from around the shark's tail and set it free. It hovered disoriented on the surface for a few seconds, then swam away.

"Outstanding,'' Hueter said later.

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GH-USC Washington Post

We were joined on the water, during the qualifying round, by Juliet Eilperin, Washington Post Staff Writer. We'd like to thank her for making the trip down from Washington to cover the tournament and share this story with the many Washington Post readers around the world.

L-R: Brooks Paxton II, Sean Paxton, Juliet Eilperin, Bob Hueter

PUNTA GORDA, FLA. -- Most shark tournaments follow a similar ritual: Contestants haul up sharks and bring them back to the dock, where the by now dead animals are weighed and measured so judges can declare a winner. But in the Guy Harvey Ultimate Shark Challenge, which had a qualifying competition earlier this month and will culminate in a final round of fishing this weekend, the sharks get away with their lives.

The idea of catching sharks and freeing them for entertainment is a new twist on the old sport -- the latest effort by conservationists and scientists to protect dwindling shark populations.

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