Bonita Springs residents concerned about sharks

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BONITA SPRINGS, Fla.- Fear is increasing in Bonita Springs as more videos showing sharks on local shorelines are being posted online.

A bull shark was caught swimming on the north end of Little Hickory Island. Now, people living there want stricter rules regarding sharks to keep somebody from getting hurt. But, city leaders tell WINK News their hands are tied.

“I’m worried. I won’t let our grand kids go in the water, someone is going to be attacked here.”

Similar sightings have residents frustrated and on edge. Just a few days after that shark was seen, video of another shark was captured by a WINK News viewer on Bonita Beach.

Over the weekend, a couple of guys fishing off Big Carlos Pass helped an endangered, protected carpenter shark, that was tangled in a net.

“I’ve never caught anything like that or helped anything like that, it was surprising,” said Kevin Turner.

Residents on the north end of Little Hickory Island want the area in front of their condos to be swimming only, meaning shark fishing and chumming would be banned.

“Our hands are tied as you said and so are the hands of the legislature, this is one you can’t have a special act, it has to be done by Fish and Wildlife,” said Bonita Springs City Attorney, Audrey Vance.

“I’m just one person, me dealing with FWC is a challenge, I think maybe the city with more power can get more headway.”

“FWC has to balance the rights of residents, the fisherman and the species,” said Vance.

People living in that area of Bonita Springs want rules similar to those on Fort Myers Beach Pier, where shark fishing and chumming is already banned. Homeowners are encouraged to call FWC to push for that change.

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