SpyderTek
Guest
Just have to make sure no other sharks eat from your kill (the one you made after feeding) 'cause then you'd have to kill them too. Else it might be construde as feeding.
A sad out come ....
- Thread starter Natasha
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I've never understood the point of shark feeding, to be honest. If it is solely for the "up close and personal" experience, looked at from another angle, you would not go on safari in Africa where the rangers hand out chunks of meat to the lions, so the visitors can see what it's like to be in yer face with an apex predator! While I agree that sharks' behaviour would be altered during a feeding dive, it would also be interesting to know what the long-term effect on their behaviour would be - for instance, would it become learned behaviour, instead of a triggered response?
:doctor:
I'm just mentioning this because I saw a documentary about NZ stingrays who have learnt what times of the day divers will enter the water to feed them, and at what sites. They start to congregate in the area, well before the divers get there. The same rays also know what time the local school bus drops off kids along the beach, and they swim to the shoreline to "play" with the kids (and get fed), suggesting significantly altered behaviour patterns.
That's my first $0.02 worth! But I'm sure I don't have to ask all of you to jump in if you disagree!
:doctor:
I'm just mentioning this because I saw a documentary about NZ stingrays who have learnt what times of the day divers will enter the water to feed them, and at what sites. They start to congregate in the area, well before the divers get there. The same rays also know what time the local school bus drops off kids along the beach, and they swim to the shoreline to "play" with the kids (and get fed), suggesting significantly altered behaviour patterns.
That's my first $0.02 worth! But I'm sure I don't have to ask all of you to jump in if you disagree!
To put it another way, I think divers shouldn't put their own enjoyment factor before what's in the best interests of any marine life. Profit and revenue should be last on the list of priorities!
I agree with Roakey's comment about "logic", but the majority of people out there aren't as well informed as Scubaboard members, and we're all aware of the hysteria generated by sensational news coverage whenever a shark attack occurs. Why give people any more reason to fear sharks, no matter how unjustified we all think it is?
I agree with Roakey's comment about "logic", but the majority of people out there aren't as well informed as Scubaboard members, and we're all aware of the hysteria generated by sensational news coverage whenever a shark attack occurs. Why give people any more reason to fear sharks, no matter how unjustified we all think it is?
terrydarc
Guest
Clearly this was a political decision after a summer perceived as bad by state govt. in Florida. "Do something!", they said. "Do ANYTHING!", they said, "Just make it look like we're paying attention to the plight of those poor people getting chewed on by sharks."
That's all the logic that was needed - to be perceived by the public in and out of Florida as having their politicians do something. Unfortunately, it would appear that swimmers and surfers have more pull than dive operators.
I'm not entirely sympathetic to the artificiality of feeding sharks to attract divers and especially not to the point of modifying their behavior in any significant way. As Sea Squirt points out, fish are trainable especially with respect to feeding.
Still, to pass laws about it in the name of public safety was generally idiotic. After the elections last year, Floridian politicians are in danger of getting a bad name, IMO. What is going to happen next summer when the sharks return in large numbers and the surfers are having to hop over their backs to get out in the surf?
Terry
That's all the logic that was needed - to be perceived by the public in and out of Florida as having their politicians do something. Unfortunately, it would appear that swimmers and surfers have more pull than dive operators.
I'm not entirely sympathetic to the artificiality of feeding sharks to attract divers and especially not to the point of modifying their behavior in any significant way. As Sea Squirt points out, fish are trainable especially with respect to feeding.
Still, to pass laws about it in the name of public safety was generally idiotic. After the elections last year, Floridian politicians are in danger of getting a bad name, IMO. What is going to happen next summer when the sharks return in large numbers and the surfers are having to hop over their backs to get out in the surf?
Terry
njdiver1
Contributor
SPEARFISHING!
:grrr:
:grrr:
OP
Natasha
Contributor
What Roakey said is 100%, right on. Yes, animals can be trained when food is involved. But feeding nurse and reef sharks, make bull sharks attack people? I think not!
:sunny:
:sunny:
njdiver1
Contributor
Got this on another forum from an insider of the pro-feeding side:
Re: Shark feeding ban passed, what's next? (nt)
From: Mycroft
Date: 02 Nov 2001
Time: 06:40:30
The lawsuit. 66 Plaintiffs, and 98 points of contention with the law, before yesterdays meeting will add more of each.
Re: Shark feeding ban passed, what's next? (nt)
From: Mycroft
Date: 02 Nov 2001
Time: 06:40:30
The lawsuit. 66 Plaintiffs, and 98 points of contention with the law, before yesterdays meeting will add more of each.
Stone
Contributor
I can tell from some of the posts that there is a misconception concerning Florida Shark Feeding.
A Nurse Shark feeding is more like feeding animals in a petting zoo than feeding wild lions in Africa.
Attached is a photo from a recent Shark Feed in Ft Lauderdale. The picture shows the feeding diver holding a white PVC pipe that holds the food. Shark Tease is more accurate than Shark Feed because there is not enough food to feed a single 2 foot shark, much less the dozen or more 5 to 8 footers that visited on this dive. Note the relatively small, toothless mouths.
Ive participated in Reef Shark Feeding in Australia, but not in Florida, so I cant comment on those.
A Nurse Shark feeding is more like feeding animals in a petting zoo than feeding wild lions in Africa.
Attached is a photo from a recent Shark Feed in Ft Lauderdale. The picture shows the feeding diver holding a white PVC pipe that holds the food. Shark Tease is more accurate than Shark Feed because there is not enough food to feed a single 2 foot shark, much less the dozen or more 5 to 8 footers that visited on this dive. Note the relatively small, toothless mouths.
Ive participated in Reef Shark Feeding in Australia, but not in Florida, so I cant comment on those.
The Shark Feeder's motto:
Take only pictures...
Leave only fingers!
No, I do not feed gators, sharks, bears OR my cat. Well, I might feed my cat to a gator (or a bear, which ever gets her first). However, I will feel guilty about it... OK?
Actually, as someone who deeply believes in the leave no trace ethic (especially on the john), I do not condone feeding any animal (terrestrial, aquatic or even avian). That being said, I would not move to legislate our industry either. Just like feeding birds, until there is a causal relationship with feeding nurse and reef sharks with the attacks by bull and spinner sharks, then it should be personal discretion.
Take only pictures...
Leave only fingers!
No, I do not feed gators, sharks, bears OR my cat. Well, I might feed my cat to a gator (or a bear, which ever gets her first). However, I will feel guilty about it... OK?
Actually, as someone who deeply believes in the leave no trace ethic (especially on the john), I do not condone feeding any animal (terrestrial, aquatic or even avian). That being said, I would not move to legislate our industry either. Just like feeding birds, until there is a causal relationship with feeding nurse and reef sharks with the attacks by bull and spinner sharks, then it should be personal discretion.
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