BONITA SPRINGS, Fla. (AP) _ City Councilors in Bonita Springs want fishermen to stop throwing bags of oily, bloody fish parts into the water at or near the shore to lure sharks.
The practice, called “chumming,” is popular on the north end of Little Hickory Island.
The News-Press reports that city officials plan to ask the Legislature next spring to pass a law prohibiting the practice of chumming.
Some say they support people’s right to fish, but don’t believe they should chum where people swim while other bait and tackle owners say stopping the practice would cut into their business.
Nearby Sanibel Island bans chumming.
According to the University of Florida’s International Shark Attack File, Lee and Collier counties each had seven unconfirmed, unprovoked shark attacks between 1882 and 2011.
None were fatal.