shark and other fish feeding

[tyesai]

Accidental chumming: Dead sheep may have sparked Egypt shark maulings: Governor

And that is exactly why I don't swim with dead sheep or discarded livers, jeez didn't these peoples parents teach them anything.

Interesting read Don, were do you find this stuff?

Don't we have a regular poster that is a divemaster in Egypt, maybe he will chime in.

 

[tyesai]

Quote:
Originally Posted by stroke1970
..... Do we go on nature hikes and feed the bears? Is there a difference? ...........
I think that's a very apt analogy.

I think comparing large land mammals to fish is the opposite of apt.

 

[DandyDon]

I think comparing large land mammals to fish is the opposite of apt.

I think that he meant that when we feed bears, deer, chipmunks, sharks, etc - the animals come to think of us and our vehicles as food sources therefore expecting food when they encounter us.

Then, in some cases the bears attack cars and the people inside, deer run into the path of cars more, chipmunks have been know to scurry onto people searching for food (they carry plague and other diseases), and sharks bite swimmers by mistake.

In some other cases, the bears & deer have to be removed or killed by park rangers, fishermen remove all of the sharks attracted by the boat motor, but we can only try to outrun the chipmunks.

 

[tyesai]

I think that he meant that when we feed bears, deer, chipmunks, sharks, etc - the animals come to think of us and our vehicles as food sources therefore expecting food when they encounter us.

Then, in some cases the bears attack cars and the people inside, deer run into the path of cars more, chipmunks have been know to scurry onto people searching for food (they carry plague and other diseases), and sharks bite swimmers by mistake.

In some other cases, the bears & deer have to be removed or killed by park rangers, fishermen remove all of the sharks attracted by the boat motor, but we can only try to outrun the chipmunks.

Tracking.

But you would think by now that if people were going to be confused for shark food there would be a whole lot of dead people by now.

 

[DandyDon]

Tracking.

But you would think by now that if people were going to be confused for shark food there would be a whole lot of dead people by now.

Perhaps. Shark hits do happen, as in the dead sheep story about, but not only do some people get injured, many sharks are killed in retaliation, under the guise of removing the killer.

Then there is this story: http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/cozumel/359432-pdc-bull-sharks-wiped-out.html

And many more.

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

... but we can only try to outrun the chipmunks.

... and the aquatic equivalent of chipmunks is clownfish. I had no idea those little buggers were so aggressive ... and they BITE!

Now every time I watch Finding Nemo I cheer for the barracuda ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[vondo]

I have been on several shark feeding dives (usually live aboards). The first time was cool. I was a brand new diver had never been around or seen sharks, but have always been fascinated by them. After the first time, the rest of the feedings I have been on, I really could have cared less if it was done, but understand for those other new divers who want to see the experience. I much more prefer to see the sharks anymore, doing their natural behaviors. Are the feedings a good thing? I don't know... I see both sides. 1- it conditions the sharks to being fed by humans, reducing their natural fear of humans. 2- the sharks are not doing their natural thing. On the other side, I can see where it may be a bit of an educational thing for some divers who might not get any other chance to see sharks while diving. While yes, some of their behavior is not natural, some of it is, also. If anything, I look at it as a necessary evil (for lack of a better term), kind of like zoological parks & such.

That just about exactly sums up my experience. Actually the best "shark dive" I ever had was at a site where another company fed sharks, but the group I was with did not. Also not natural, but I didn't feel I was contributing to it by swimming around with a lot of curious and brave reef sharks.

 

[novicediver]

My own personal impression is we have a negative enough impact on the (both underwater and on land) environment as it is, we probably shouldn't be making it worse.

 

[1davey]

I dive with seven Gill sharks at the aquarium where I volunteer dive. For the most part it is pretty routeen. I did a shrk dive while I was in Fiji this summer. Like the other comment here there were so many other smaller fish there you could hardly see the sharks. That being said, The shark dive was fun, Got to see a big female Tiger up close for the first time. Several Bulls and a nurse shark here and there. Yes it is a bit contrived baiting them in. A few years ago while in Costa Rica I did a bull shark dive. They were not baited in. They new where they hung out and go to that spot and just set on the bottom and wait. They come around you and check you out and go on there way. That encounter was way cool! Just you and them and not a big school of fish trying to eat the bait, more natural. So I would prefer to see them in a more natural enviroment but I am not totally against shark feeding. Most of the time on regular dives most sharks are not that interested in you.