Dive boat operators face charges of illegally feeding sharks in state waters

[mscott556]

The article I read said that FWC tracked them by land based radar and determined they were short of the 3 mile line (367ft). As much as some of you are against it, shark feeding will continue.

@Dan...cowboy divers? GTFO. You're the one always going on about how Palm Beach is big adventure diving.

I've enjoyed both Emerald & Calypso.





---------- Post added March 20th, 2014 at 10:54 PM ----------

I had just heard a whole lot of buzz going on in the local dive industry, about how new divers on the Breakers Reef, were now being buzzed by sharks that were assumed to have been fed by Calypso....whose divers had been seen spearing jacks to feed to sharks on the Breakers Reef

I'd be interested to know what your source is for this comment. Calypso's shark feeding spot was nowhere near Breakers. There's been a lot of BS/lies spread by people against what Randy is doing.

 

[PBMako]

I'd be interested to know what your source is for this comment. Calypso's shark feeding spot was nowhere near Breakers. There's been a lot of BS/lies spread by people against what Randy is doing.

Hey, that's just great. Not the Breakers, but another spot.

Now I have to play the odds if my kids and I drop down on one of idiot Randy's "feeding spots" with a bunch of jacked up Bulls while wearing a "dinner time" uniform except I have no food. I'm sure the Bulls won't bother us.

These idiots are changing the behavior of some very capable predators, and idiots like "Randy" won't get it until some tourist gets his femoral artery opened up.

I fish those waters and it's very common to get a large fish destroyed in a split second by a large shark. Divers not spearfishing are generally not associated with food. Watching those videos proves their dinosaur brains are adapting very fast.

Same thing with Alligators around here. Their pea brains learn fast and once a 12' gator associates food with humans, the authorities know it's game over and they turn it into shoes, purses and luggage.

 

[The Chairman]

When it comes to shark feeding, I am conflicted. I don't think enough research has been done on the subject to really know. I consider Randy Jordan a personal friend and the Emerald Charters my go to boat when I'm in the area. That hasn't changed one whit through this. I've dove quite often on the City of Washington, where another good friend, Captain Slate, feeds sharks on a regular basis. Big whoop.

It's like the endless debate over whether to spear or not. There are a number of people all for it and a number all against it. It's a huge ocean. There's room for all of us out there. Dive and let dive.

 

[HalcyonDaze]

Somehow, I think this little sharky warky has been fed by humans. Look how it attacks the spear point.

Love how the clip appears to have been sped up in places to make it look even more frantic and aggressive.

Just to play Devil's Advocate ... so, there's no other explanation for a shark to be investigating an object that has fish blood scent and fish bits on it? Like say, 400 million years of natural instinct? This is my issue with believing the hype about shark feeds affecting their behavior - it's hard to tell the difference between a shark checking out a person with speared fish just because well, it's a shark and you're carrying dead, bleeding fish versus a shark doing so because someone's been feeding it speared fish. Sunday I was on an Emerald dive and after separating from the group I shot a lionfish with a fair-sized reef shark in the area. It swam off into the distance and I didn't see another fin the rest of the dive.

 

[djtimmy77]

Anyone claiming that the feeding has not changed the sharks' behavior towards all divers in the area is simply not being honest with themselves. A year ago, the sharks would generally swim away from a group of divers and stay at the edge of visibility. Now they swim right up to groups of divers looking for a handout. The folks who support the feeding trips love this and think it is a good thing accepting/ignoring the added risk. Many of us don't think it is such a good thing...even though we enjoyed seeing passing sharks in the past.

I am sure there will be responses to this post saying that their is "no scientific evidence" that it changes the sharks' behavior but frankly what I have seen with my own two eyes is indisputable.

 

[danvolker]

I think the big issue that needs to be raised is the concept of baiting versus feeding. In a court of law, this would have to be demonstrated, because there is no good way to convey how differently these two approaches actually are, by just saying or explaining it....while having the jury and judge in the water would be the best way to get the FEEL for the difference, we could probably showcase some of this issue with videos...

So the baiting just gets the sharks to slowly come cruising in, and they are thinking they may be able to find something injured, but they are expecting not to--that something else has probably already chomped up this new meal---this behavior os from millions of years of evolution and the is the behavioral effect from the scent of blood...

The big BUT is when a fish is shot with a spear, or hooked on a line, and is STRUGGLING and putting out the vibrations that telegraph this emergency to all the sharks within miles....The sharks experience this notification VERY DIFFERENTLY from the baiting/scent in the water...for this struggling, they are thinking that this injured fish is still alive and wounded, and if they hurry, they may get an easy meal---and millions of years of evolution has programmed them to believe that if they come in fast for this, they may get the meal....So..the sharks respond to Randy's spearing with a classic Feeding Frenzy mentality, and each shark is so intent on being the one of 2 dozen sharks that gets to the injured fish first, and actually gets a big bite of it.....This has DRAMATIC repercussions for Divers. While the baiting does nothing to the behavior, because there is no reward, no teaching the shark they can get an easy meal--the spearing or feeding of the shark is very dangerous for divers--even if not for a group of cowboy divers doing the feeding....The sharks learn.....They are much smarter than was thought to be the case in the past, and they have always been opportunistic feeders. They know to hang around places they are likely to find food, and they recognize an opportunity if divers start to feed them regularly, then divers become "feeding structures" to them, almost like a shipwreck in how wrecks attract schools of fish. But unlike a shipwreck, the diver is not in a good position to receive a test bite, or a nudge, as the shark is actively LOOKING for food.
And we are already seeing that sharks in areas where Randy has been doing his feeds, or where Calypso's divers have been shooting tons of jacks leaving injured fish by the dozens.....the sharks have associated the divers with an easy meal, and they see the meal initiating with the div era--and go right to the diver.....like the bullshark going right to Randy, for a hand fed meal....It is one thing when it is a 10 foot bullshark running up to Randy for a handout....it is QUITE ANOTHER, WHEN THE 10 FOOT BULLSHARK COMES ZOOMING UP TO A NEW DIVER, OR TO YOUR WIFE OR LOVED ONE ( a diver that is not prepared for this, or skilled for such an aggressive encounter) --and bumps them to indicate they want to be fed--or nips them to see if they might be food..or have food....A shark nip is to them, just a testing --like you picking up an object you are curious about, and examining it--sharks get curious, and particularly when in the feeding frenzy mode the spearing creates, they will be curious and test bites will be tried constantly....the shark knows the meal is almost in front of him, and he has to find it....the unfortunate thing about a human being "nipped" with a test bite, is that we are so fragile, hat even this "nip" can be life threatening.

I would be fine with Randy or Calypso baiting on reefs or wrecks where there are only advanced divers......There is no excuse for bringing them in to the baby dive locations like Breakers as I have heard was done by Calypso ( even if this is not their regular "feeding site"--it seems they have done several shoot everything sessions to bring in sharks on Breakers) ...In fact, there is NO EXCUSE for any spearfishing on the Breakers Reef...this has been considered taboo by all the responsible dive operations since the 1980's.

 

[Wookie]

I would be fine with Randy or Calypso baiting on reefs or wrecks where there are only advanced divers......There is no excuse for bringing them in to the baby dive locations like Breakers as I have heard was done by Calypso ( even if this is not their regular "feeding site"--it seems they have done several shoot everything sessions to bring in sharks on Breakers) ...In fact, there is NO EXCUSE for any spearfishing on the Breakers Reef...this has been considered taboo by all the responsible dive operations since the 1980's.

Or, set aside a spot like Jimmy and Scotty have in West End where shark feeding is welcome. Make it away from other places, like Tiger Beach is. Feed using cut bait/chum, not live struggling fish. I have no issues with this. Deliberately breaking the law because the law doesn't make sense leads to anarchy.

 

[HIGHwing]

If hadn't seen what the named parties are doing first hand I'd say throw the book at them. But, I have to admit I learned more about sharks and took a much greater interest in shark conservation after diving aboard Emerald. As a pretty avid Tec diver, I kinda viewed things that can bite, sting, or harm as an obstacle to safely completing my planned dive. Randy took it upon himself (couldn't help himself?) to change my opinion. On a future dive we were just about to leave the bottom to start our deco when a gigantic scalloped hammerhead arrived. Absolutely beautiful creature. So, ok, I get it now.

It's sad that laws to protect the environment are necessary. In this case the FWC appears to be applying the letter of the law. If Randy was inside the line required to feed sharks and engaged in that activity the FWC has the authority and basis to cite him. Afterall, the FWC's position is they received a complaint of unsafe and illegal behavior by a for-profit operator in state waters. As I understand it the FWC observed this behavior and cited the named individuals per their authority. Everyone involved gets their day in court, I guess.

If you dive with Randy him you'll know right away that he knows how to interact with these animals. Whether that makes Randy a marine biologist or a rodeo clown is in the eye of the beholder. I can say with certainty that in Jupiter the dive sites (shallow, deep and deeeeep) are known for bigger aquatic life. Perhaps for some divers going farther South to points like Lauderdale might be a less stimulating life experience and is more appropriate for their anxiety level. I can foresee a diver who is looking for a shallow "Finding Nemo" experience might have an overstimulated life experience diving with Randy. Reading the complaint the diver in question claimed the situation was unsafe and she was forced to exit the water.

As humans, we rarely find ourselves on the food chain. When in the water we alter that truth and you either cope or get out. If she chose to exit the water due to her anxiety - she made the correct choice IMHO.

 

[mscott556]

Hey, that's just great. Not the Breakers, but another spot.

Now I have to play the odds if my kids and I drop down on one of idiot Randy's "feeding spots" with a bunch of jacked up Bulls while wearing a "dinner time" uniform except I have no food. I'm sure the Bulls won't bother us.

Maybe you should just stay in the kiddie pool w/them, it'll be much safer. Either that or join one of the shark dives and see for yourself that these are beautiful creatures and not the monsters from Jaws.

 

[danvolker]

Maybe you should just stay in the kiddie pool w/them, it'll be much safer. Either that or join one of the shark dives and see for yourself that these are beautiful creatures and not the monsters from Jaws.

Seeing them in a spearfest or hand feeding type of dive is ignorant--like Racing Nascar while drunk.

I spearfished from the 70's to just a few years ago when I traded my gun in for a video camera. I am fine with Sharks around me, but I also know what stupid is...and it is spelled R.A.N.D.Y.

Your comments about the kiddie pool are the kind of ignorant nonsense that I would expect from someone like Randy or one of his drunken Youtube commandos.