Proposal to make chumming illegal
Dear City Council members,
Pismo Beach Pier's current regulations prohibit people from leaving fish, fish parts, clam shells or bait on the Pier. Also, the city prohibits cleaning or cutting up fish on the Pier except in designated areas. The code also regulates fishing activity from the Pier for safety.
However, there is no current ordinance that prohibits throwing chum into the ocean from the Pier. I am NOT asking Pismo Beach to ban fishing. I am asking to ban chumming the water.
Why?
Chumming attracts sharks and or other marine animals in the vicinity of swimmers and surfers.
This creates high concentrations of fish near where tourists are swimming, increasing the chances of shark attacks.
Preventing chumming would allow locals and tourists alike to have a safe environment in which to enjoy our beach. Safety is a highly advertised benefit for people wishing to "forget their worries and come to the beach." How can people forget their worries when we constantly have chum in the water attracting sharks and other marine animals where people are enjoying themselves?
There is evidence of increased shark activity here. David Steiner, a local drone operator, has been documenting great whites off Pismo for many years. He has seen more sharks in 2026 then in previous years incl seeing 4 sharks during an 8 min flight. Although, marine scientists attribute the increase of juvenile whites along Calif coast to the unusually warm water in the Pacific, why should the City allow fisherman to deliberately throw fish and fish parts into the water immediately adjacent to a popular tourist spot like Pismo Pier? And, in many cases, sharks are released fatigued and agitated. There is now a higher chance for at attack. Chumming also attracts sharks to areas of recreation.
And, since Pismo Bch bans leaving fish, bait, clam shells and remnants of cleaned fish, it already requires people fishing from the Pier to take safety precautions.
Chumming the water is NOT a safety precaution.
Finally, I am asking our City to take the next step: I am asking the City Council to draft an amendment to chapter 12.20 of the Pismo Beach Code that would prevent the intentional
throwing of fish, fish parts, blood, bait into the ocean waters from our Pier for the purpose of attracting fish or other marine wildlife.
Pismo Bch attracts 2.5 million tourists annually and brings in more than 250 million dollars towards our local economy.
People in response to my request may say "The Calif Fish and Game code prohibits the use of shark bait or chum within 1 mile of any shoreline, Pier or jetty, WHEN Great Whites are present.
How does one know if a Great White is present??
Why put our citizens and tourists in direct harm when a simple ordinance can be passed?
Sincerely,
Lori Homan