Grab a cold drink and sit down. It’s time for Shark Class 101.

The second day of the 61st Annual Mississippi Deep Sea Fishing Rodeo led to what’s legal and what’s not when it comes to sharks.

There’s several species of sharks in the Mississippi Sound and the Gulf of Mexico.

What you can keep is one thing. What you can’t keep could land you with a big fine.

Unfortunately, most anglers are not aware of which species can be kept and which ones have to be released.

Many anglers are not aware that different rules apply when fishing federal waters.

A 136-pound tiger shark hit the scales around 1:30 p.m. Friday for a courtesy weight. The shark would have set a Mississippi conventional state record.

But the old record, one that weighed slightly more than 126 pounds and belongs to a friend of mine, Tanya Mills of D’Iberville, will stand for now.

Why was the fish not allowed to enter?

Any boat fishing federal waters must possess a Highly Migratory Species (HMS) permit.

If a vessel possesses a highly migratory fish and does not possess the permit, a citation will likely be on the agenda.

Under federal rules, a boat can also only possess one shark, other than Atlantic sharpnose, with a minimum length of 54 inches.

That means, with a valid HMS permit, a boat can catch one shark three miles past the barrier islands. Boats are not allowed to have one hammerhead, one black tip and one tiger.

A HMS permit is good for “one” shark over 54 inches. This does not include the Atlantic sharpnose.

The HMS permit is the same one used for billfish and tuna anglers.

In Mississippi waters, which includes the barrier islands of Petit Bois, Horn, Ship and Cat, an HMS permit is not required.

Had the 136-pound tiger been caught in Mississippi waters, it would have been allowed and later certified as a new record whether the boat had a HMS permit.

Once the shark arrived at the scales, rodeo officials questioned the captain as to where the fish was caught and he responded saying the oil rigs.

That automatically meant federal waters and the rodeo officials did the right thing, since by-laws state the rodeo will follow all state and federal rules.

In Tanya’s case, her shark was caught on the inside of Horn Island, so it was legal.

The permit itself cost $16 and can be ordered through the NOAA and Gulf Council Websites.

So what is the fine?

Up to $3,500 with a $2,000 fine being more common. Therefore, if you purchase the HMS permit for $16, you will save a lot of money and more importantly, you are not breaking the law.

In this day and age, if you break a fishing law, you will get caught.

Al Jones can be reached at 896-2351 or afjones@sunherald.com