CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — A concerned angler has noticed a disturbing trend in people ripping the barbs off of stingrays and releasing the marine life back into the wild.
Center of Sportfish Science Angler Engagement Coordinator James Sanchez said that stingrays tend to have a negative reputation among the public, which can translate to harmful behavior.
"People are so scared of them they think that they have to cut the barbs off, got to cut the tails off, you know, and there's no reason to do that," he said.
It's something Sandia resident Jay Hackett said he's noticed in online fishing groups, prompting him to reach out to 3NEWS. He said he's seen the act being encouraged in Facebook groups.
"The comments that I see on people replying to this it's almost like they're calling the barb a trophy," he said.
It's something Hackett said fisherman should reconsider, especially as it relates to the ethics of the sport.
"We don't catch regular fish and cut off their fins or anything," he said, "We catch the fish and if they're not going to keep it to eat it, we let it go and make sure it survives, and give it it's best shot to survive."
Sanchez tells anglers and beachgoers, who are going into a stingray's space, that the docile creatures have limited ways to protect themselves.
"So when you remove the barb, you remove their only defense at that point," he said. "And also with their tail as well, you start cutting that off and it's completely unnecessary at that point you're just harming the animal."