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Martha's Vineyard Times is a weekly publication.
June 9 - June 15, 2005 Edition
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Like most of the other successful and efficient designs for life on the planet, sharks have evolved specialized roles that have allowed them to operate as anything from inshore shallow-water scavengers to ferocious top predators of the open ocean. Now man has moved out onto the sea and into the top spot. Previously regarded as a kind of big, scary nuisance in the pursuit of more economically useful species, sharks have more recently moved into the crosshairs of exploitation. The result has been a reduction in the population of these relatively slow-growing animals. Where previously their low reproductive rates enabled them to serve as a check on their prey populations without becoming so abundant as to crash both the food supply and subsequently themselves, now sharks have become vulnerable to the need to supply such human “necessities” as shark-fin soup and the recent shark-cartilage supplement fad. Sharks can be fun to fish for and when caught and handled properly make great eating. Mako sharks, found offshore in local waters, are prized for their speed and spectacular leaps. Their meat is so nearly identical to swordfish in appearance and flavor that it is hard to tell them apart. One of the most memorable meals I ever had was a grilled mako steak, just hours out of the water, caught by a charter captain buddy of mine. Fresh mako get top dollar in fish markets, as they are hard to target commercially and are so distinctively good. Any preparation that works for swordfish is great for mako as well. Cut into steaks or in chunks on rosemary skewers, and briefly grilled, it is excellent. Here is one of my favorite methods. Mustard, Rosemary, and Peppercorn–Crusted Mako Shark Per 7–8 ounce mako steak, 3/4-inch thick, skin removed (amounts are approximate): 1/4 cup plain bread crumbs 1 tsp. coarse-grain mustard 1 tsp. garlic, chopped 1 tsp. kosher salt 1 tsp. black peppercorns, coarsely crushed* 1 tsp. fresh rosemary, chopped 2 Tbsp. olive oil 1 tsp. butter *Crush the peppercorns under the flat side of a chef’s knife or the heel of a small sauté pan. Mix the bread crumbs, mustard, garlic, salt, peppercorns, and rosemary and rub the ingredients together between the palms of your hands to make a grainy mixture. If the mix is too wet, add a bit more bread crumb. Coat the steak with some of the olive oil. Spread the breadcrumb mixture on a flat surface and press each side of the steak into the coating. Place olive oil and butter in a nonstick sauté pan on medium heat. When the butter just begins to sizzle, place the steak in the pan. When golden brown, gently turn it over without disturbing the coating, and brown the other side. Turn it back over and shut off the heat. Let the steak rest for a minute or two and serve. Those with a sense of adventure do not have to venture miles offshore to experience shark fishing. During June and July there is a brown-shark run off the ocean beaches that attracts a small cadre of dedicated beach fishermen. According to guide Cooper Gilkes, who with his son Dan runs brown-shark night trips for anglers looking for something out of the ordinary, “right after the blues are in heavy and finning on the surface” is the best time. Not for the faint of heart, he advises the use of “definitely specialized gear,” stout, 11-foot rods spooled with 30- to 40-pound line capable of lobbing a six-ounce sinker plus a live eel. Large chunks of mackerel are also a favored bait, but the best method entails catching a four- to eight-pound bluefish on a plugging rod and then hooking it through the tail and live-lining it out on the big outfit. Make sure your sand spikes are sturdy and well set. Coop warns that the big brown sharks can pull hard enough to freeze the rod in the spike, and spikes have shattered and rigs have flown off into the nighttime surf, never to be seen again. Circle hooks and cautious handling at the beach ensure a safe release for fish and fisherman. Some years back, at a party thrown by some Boston Bruins hockey players that he had taken striper fishing, Coop described beach fishing for brown sharks and was met with amused skepticism. “Let’s go now,” he said, and out they went. He landed an eight-pound bluefish and lined it out. Shortly afterward, there was a “huge explosion,” and after a brutal 45-minute battle, a brown in the 90-pound range was beached. Shock replaced the laughter. Coop enjoys brown shark: “They are good eating—very white meat,” but stresses that one must be prepared to process them immediately. If you are not, “you’d just as well put them back. To take care of them, head ‘em, bleed ‘em, gut ‘em, chunk ‘em, and ice ‘em down.” That would indicate large coolers, lots of ice, some big, sharp knives, and a willingness to subdue a large brown shark on a deserted beach at night. Find Cooper and Danny Gilkes at Coop’s Bait and Tackle if this sounds like your cup of tea. Despite the sensationalism of occasional press reports and the dramatic footage on cable’s nature channels, sharks unmolested in their own element tend to go about their business and avoid humans. Because more humans have imposed themselves in the sharks’ environment, sharks have been the inevitable losers, though they have shown themselves to act unpredictably at times. Treated with reason, respect, and sense, they can be enjoyed for sport, harvested prudently, and still carry out their function in the greater scheme of the oceans. David Thompson is a freelance writer and longtime chef living in West Tisbury. |
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