Manhattan Beach announced a 60-day ban on fishing from its pier on Monday, just two days after a man was attacked by a distressed great white shark hooked to a fisherman’s line from the end of the pier.
The temporary prohibition will “give city officials an opportunity to evaluate impacts to public safety from allowing fishing from the pier,” according to a press release.
City officials will consider changing regulations after consulting with the state coastal commission, the county and other regulatory agencies. During the temporary prohibition, violators may be subjected to civil and criminal penalties, according to the press release.
A few hours after the shark attack Saturday morning, the Manhattan Beach Police Department issued a notice banning fishing on the pier until Tuesday, but witnesses said it was not enforced very stringently.
In a video on his Instagram account, locally-based photographer Bo Bridges showed a row of people fishing along the pier that evening, some with buckets of chum.
“Saw 20-30 people fishing as the sun was setting,” he wrote.
