shark dives vs au natural

[simonspear]

Up until now I've only ever seen 'wild' sharks which has been an amazing experience whenever I've been lucky enough for it to have happened. However I am planning to go on an organised shark feeding dive while I am in the Bahamas over the Christmas break.

Organised shark feeding dives either by chumming the waters or directly feeding them does an untold amount to portray sharks in a positive light. In areas where it occurs the sharks generate a huge revenue for local business and local people and as a result this helps in the fight to protect these wonderful creatures from possible extinction. If I had the option of allowing people to go on organised shark feeding dives or to see those same sharks finned and in a bowl of soup then there is absolutely no contest for me. I'm 100% behind them.

 

[ckaspar]

I am sure some of you have seen the shark poll I posted a little while ago here and I was talking to my girlfriend, who obviously is not a diver, and she expressed an interest in going on a shark dive. Not really to dive with them just to see them in the wild. She would never want to get in the water with them!

I think this says a lot for the potential of shark dives and promoting the sanity of "real" sharks.

 

[cdiver2]

I am sure some of you have seen the shark poll I posted a little while ago here and I was talking to my girlfriend, who obviously is not a diver, and she expressed an interest in going on a shark dive. Not really to dive with them just to see them in the wild. She would never want to get in the water with them!

I think this says a lot for the potential of shark dives and promoting the sanity of "real" sharks.

If some one got bit while she was observing a shark feed?. Nice memory that would do a lot for sharks.

 

[jbilicska]

I still don't like the idea of a shark associating me with a free handout . They stopped these dives in Florida didn't they?

 

[cdiver2]

QUOTE]

In areas where it occurs the sharks generate a huge revenue for local business and local people

Maybe for the dive op and a DM.

 

[simonspear]

QUOTE]



Maybe for the dive op and a DM.

...and for the hotels where the guests are staying and the transportation links to and from the airport, increased infrastructure etc etc etc. and of course you need people to work at the hotels and airports, not to mention the other associated businesses needed to keep all this running. It's not just the dive operator making money, they are merely the tip of the iceburg.

A recent estimate indicated that a single shark showing up on a regular basis could contribute up to $100,000 per annum to the local economy. Although this is a lot of money in the Carribean, just imagine if you transport it to some parts of Asia or Africa and you have a legitimate way for local communities to make money out of sharks without killing them just for their fins.


One off income $2000 for a sharks fins

vs

Yearly income $100,000

What would you recommend?

 

[cdiver2]

...and for the hotels where the guests are staying and the transportation links to and from the airport, increased infrastructure etc etc etc. and of course you need people to work at the hotels and airports, not to mention the other associated businesses needed to keep all this running. It's not just the dive operator making money, they are merely the tip of the iceburg.

A recent estimate indicated that a single shark showing up on a regular basis could contribute up to $100,000 per annum to the local economy. Although this is a lot of money in the Carribean, just imagine if you transport it to some parts of Asia or Africa and you have a legitimate way for local communities to make money out of sharks without killing them just for their fins.


One off income $2000 for a sharks fins

vs

Yearly income $100,000

What would you recommend?

That's IF they are going just to see a shark feed. Shark feeds are usually a add on dive, so the divers are there already there.

 

[simonspear]

People will literally travel the world to see sharks. For example my upcoming trip to the Bahamas was heavily influenced by the fact that there was a Shark (feeding) dive planned on a regular basis. Was it the sole factor? No, but it was a very big factor. I could have quite as easily gone to another carribean island or somewhere else entirely.

 

[cdiver2]

People will literally travel the world to see sharks. For example my upcoming trip to the Bahamas was heavily influenced by the fact that there was a Shark (feeding) dive planned on a regular basis. Was it the sole factor? No, but it was a very big factor. I could have quite as easily gone to another carribean island or somewhere else entirely.

Would you have gone just to do just a shark dive? No I don't think so. Fact is divers will travel to get some decent diving, shark feed or not, money spent. Extra income from the shark feeds go's to the dive op then.

 

[isurus]

Would you have gone just to do just a shark dive? No I don't think so. Fact is divers will travel to get some decent diving, shark feed or not, money spent. Extra income from the shark feeds go's to the dive op then.

I just spent 2 weeks in South africa where I went just to do a large number of different shark dives [edit: in this case I mean dives with sharks as the focus be they baited or "au natural"]- so yes.

Even if they had gone to the carribean and done a dive as an add-oon then the dive op will spend the extra money it earns on the island in question eg petrol for the boat, wages for the crew who spend the extra in bars, shops etc.

these dives are invariably much more expensive than regular dives too and do provide an incentive to protect a shark population even if the 100 grand a shark valuation is off.