Article: Tiger Sharks of Aliwal Shoal - "near" threatened?

[X-ray Mag]

You can view the page at http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/content.php?r=195-Tiger-Sharks-of-Aliwal-Shoal-near-threatened

 

[SGR Jeff]

Thanks for posting this. Everyone needs to be very aware of the dire status of sharks world wide.

 

[cqalienlife]

Thank you for posting! Sharks are amazing and there is little else in the oceans that provide such an adrenaline rush!

 

[MooreaMike]

I attempt to educated everyone I dive with. Some well-heeled and potentially influential divers are quite oblivious to the plight of sharks. They don't have a "Whale Wars" show in their favor and even Sea Shepherds' shark movement lacks teeth (pun intnetional)

 

[buddhasummer]

Yes, Thanks for posting, only when many realise the plight sharks face will anything change. To "venergy" not sure what the point of your comment was, trolling? if so grow up.

 

[englishpeter]

I'll repost this on my FB and Twitter as it's important to show as many as possible the plight of the Tiger Shark population.

 

[GramsciBeat]

As a Saffa, I am really concerned that no one here is talking about this and perhaps it is necessary for us to be given a much needed wake up call. The decline in coastal shark populations needs to be addressed and one way is for the dive industry here to start looking beyond narrow self-interest and become serious about it's role in the broader economy and the local communites in which they operate. The other vital point, to which you allude, is the continued use of Shark Nets - this simply has to stop. Additionally, each of us whether in South Africa or beyond can start talking about this and lobbying the appropriate structures to ensure that the decimation of our oceans is restricted and those restrictions are policed.The scarcity of Tigers on the shoal is not just as a result of illegal fishing. Increasing water temperatures seem to be linked to both the the decline in Tigers and the increase in the numbers of Black-tips. The warmer oceans are also negatively impacting on the Sardine Run, which can't help the Tigers either.I'm going down to Aliwal tomorrow (for the first time in about a year) and I'll be interested in both what I see on the shoal and the opinions of those that dive these sites regularly. Oh, BTW - I guess there are different ways to raise issues, and maybe in the culture of whichever faraway country you inhabit being rude and 'politically incorrect' achieves results, but if you do want to positively impact on the way we do things here, please learn what constitutes an acceptable way of interacting and raising issues.

 

[GramsciBeat]

I'm just back from an absolutely awesome time on Aliwal and I am looking forward to diving with Tigers in November, when they are due to make their reappearance after heading northwards for our winter.Sharks across the world are severely threatened and those off the coats of Southern Africa are no exception and those of us who want to contimnue to swim with sharks need to get very serious about trying to protect them.There are also some formerly common species that are now essentially extinct in South African waters (eg Saw Shark) and others that are very rarely encountered - such as the shortfin Mako. However, using a number of different matrices the KZN Sharks Board have not recorded any catastrophic decline in Tiger Sharks (which in terms of their migratory and nomadic life are difficult to count, anyway) over the past few years. This is not to disagree with the view that they are near threatened, nor that illegal fishing needs to be dealt with - but rather to be less hysterical and more measured in our responses to this. Some possible actions concerned divers can take could include pressurising international bodies (such as CITES) and national entities to impose further restrictions on shark fishing. Only eat non-threatened seafood, harvested in a sustainable way. Donate money or time to developing non-lethal alternatives to shark nets. Come and visit places like Aliwal Shoal and the Western Cape with the expressed purpose of shark tourism - the more revenue that is generated by and assiigned as such the more likely resources will be mobilised to ensure the protection of these creatures. There are things we can do to protect the oceans, and I guess it is upto us.