Florida is the Fishing Capital of the World, hosting the biggest recreational fishery in the U.S. It’s also a regional hub for Gulf and Atlantic sharks. After the Shark Fin Sale Elimination Act of 2022 banned the sale and import of shark fins entirely, the commercial shark fishing industry effectively died — yet threats to Florida’s coastal sharks continue to imperil their populations.
Marlowe Starling
Posted inSharks on the Line
Sharing the Oceans
Sharks are more sought-after than ever. Yet, recreational anglers have become increasingly irate toward these species, complaining that too many of them are eating their hooked catch. Meanwhile, the diving industry says they are more valuable alive than dead. In Part III of this three-part series, The Marjorie journeys across the state of Florida exploring a crucial question: Where do sharks fit into Florida’s future?
Posted inSharks on the Line
Tight Lines
As the recreational fishery chips away at shark populations outside the boundaries of scientists’ data books — and as a new constitutional amendment loosens restrictions on anglers across the state — Florida faces an uncertain future for sustainable shark management. In Part II of this three-part series, The Marjorie embeds with recreational and commercial fishermen to parse through the industries’ varied interactions with and attitudes toward sharks.
Posted inSharks on the Line
On the Menu
Sharks worldwide are imperiled by overfishing. Yet experts disagree on whether policies in Florida and the U.S. aimed at protecting sharks have in fact done the opposite. In Part I of this three-part series, The Marjorie investigates how a federal ban on shark fins shrunk a commercial fishery and satisfied shark advocates — but did little to curb shark deaths.
Posted inFlorida Development
Pining for the Rocklands
How a decades-long water park plan mobilized a conservation uproar in suburban Miami
Posted inFlorida Features
Chasing Orchids
Roger Hammer has spent decades documenting the state’s native and rare orchids before they disappear. Florida boasts the greatest diversity of orchids in the continental U.S., but today, three-fourths of its orchids are listed as endangered or threatened. As the rarest orchids become increasingly difficult to find each year, Roger stays vigilant with the hope that there may be more out there to discover.
