Texas Game Wardens remove 6 miles of illegal long-line gear from Gulf of Mexico

(FOX 7 Austin) - The Texas Game Wardens removed six miles of illegal long-line gear out of the Gulf of Mexico early Monday morning.

The wardens while on their early morning patrol spotted the gear which contained various species of sharks. The sharks were still alive, which according to the wardens meant the gear had been recently set.

The sharks were released safely and the line was recovered. 

Long-line fishing is a fishing technique where a long-line or mainline attached to a boat has several offshoots which each end in a baited hook, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Fisheries. Buoys keep the line afloat in the water and the line can be suspended at any depth depending on the target and often stays in the water for hours or even days.

According to the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department, long-line fishing is not one of the legal devices or methods that can be used to take fish or other aquatic life from Texas public waters.

KTBC reported this story from Austin, Texas.