Trawl for shrimp a couple hours, then patch the shark-chomped nets for a few more.

Such is life lately for Craig Reaves, owner of C.J.'s Seafood Market in Beaufort.

It's almost every day that sharks gnaw at his shrimp nets, he said, leaving the costly task of patching them for the next day.

"It's always been an issue in the summertime," Reaves said. "But it's probably the worst we've ever seen it this year. The sharks are just eating our nets up on a regular basis."

And that's trouble for shrimpers. It costs them lost time, the expense of replacing or repairing the nets and the shrimp that escape through the holes or are eaten by the sharks.

Reaves's observations were echoed by other local shrimpers, who say they've dealt with sharks more than ever in 2010.

"It's a lot more prevalent this year from what I've heard and seen on the dock," said Tonya Desalve, owner of Benny Hudson's Seafood on Hilton Head Island. "The hot water brings the sharks, but it seems to be even more this year."

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