No 'Shark Mitigation Plan' In Barnstable County, Officials Say

BARNSTABLE, MA – A proposed "shark mitigation plan" along Cape Cod will not move forward, Barnstable County officials announced this week. The controversial proposal, pitched by Barnstable County Commissioner Ronald Beaty, involved baiting and killing sharks near Cape beaches, according to MassLive.

But Thursday night, Leo Cakounes, chairman of the Barnstable County Board of Regional Commissioners, said the board had never received such a proposal. Beaty sits on the regional board.

“On behalf of the Barnstable County Board of Regional Commissioners, I would like to clearly state that no item regarding a so-called 'shark mitigation plan' has been presented for review, nor is one expected to be placed on any future agenda," Cakounes said in a statement. "A press statement relative to such a plan was drafted and distributed by one member of the Board of Commissioners without the knowledge of fellow board members or County staff, and all inquiries should be made to that individual Commissioner."

On Friday, Beaty said he has placed an indefinite "interim freeze" on his proposal pending the examination of other options. He did however acknowledge that the shark presence along Cape Cod's beaches is an issue that he hopes continues to receive attention.

"It is sincerely hoped that public safety and awareness on Cape Cod beaches will be dramatically enhanced by any such upcoming shark mitigation proposals because the current practices are woefully lacking and unnecessarily put human lives at risk," Beaty said in a statement.