This past week was the 62nd annual Mississippi Deep Sea Fishing Rodeo, but there were a few noticeable differences from years past. There were no sharks, Spanish mackerel, bluefish or bonita.

Even though the Mississippi Sound and a majority of the federal waters in the Gulf of Mexico were closed by NOAA because of the BP Deepwater Horizon oil disaster,the rodeo was still a success.

The number of anglers were down from a typical rodeo of 500 to slightly more than 200 and next years event is expected to move back to the Gulfport Small Craft Harbor.