Shark feeding dives in USA? Why not???

[dumpsterDiver]

Looe Key is past 3 miles I am pretty sure, so apparently they were not violating any laws. A number of years ago, their standard procedure was to descend with a mesh bag full of fish carcasses and then carefully and slowly hand feed the sharks as they came in. It took a good bit of expereince and skill to manage the energy level of the sharks and to ensure that they would not get too excited and would continue to come in an take food in a somewhat orderly and not too competitive manner. I also saw what happens when things get out of hand.

It was exciting, but i always felt was somewhat irresponsible.

 

[Walter]

I'm pretty sure Looe Key is about 5 miles off shore. Most of the diving in the Keys is in federal waters.

 

[mike_s]

Looe Key is past 3 miles I am pretty sure, so apparently they were not violating any laws.

I'm pretty sure Looe Key is about 5 miles off shore. Most of the diving in the Keys is in federal waters.

Thanks guys... for the correction/confirmation.

 

[H2O 70]

I would suggest that everyone go on a shark feed while they are still legal.

I've always had a rational fear of sharks. A few years ago on a live aboard in the Caribbean I did a shark feed. It was amazing.

They basically suspended a chumsicle 20ft off the bottom in 60ft of water. The rules were we could lay on the bottom or hover around, we just needed to keep 10ft between us and the chumsicle.

A dozen reef sharks showed up. You could clearly see the sharks had a feeding order and we were not part of their natural food source. It was cool.

With that said, shark feeds should be illegal. I volunteer as a diver at the local aquarium. In the ray tray we have a zebra shark who at one point in time was hand fed by the divers. We carry the food in bait buckets. Zoe (the zebra shark) sees the divers and the food buckets and she becomes your very good and close friend.

Sharks associate the boat and divers with food. An accidental bite will happen.

 

[Walter]

I would suggest that everyone go on a shark feed while they are still legal.

I would suggest boycotting them and working to make the illegal everywhere.

 

[scubamama5]

No fish feeding..allowed at Looe Key! It's no take, no touch, no discharge. Don't steal our artifacts...Don't hurt our Corals... Don't change the behaviors of our fish!!!

 

[Walter]

Looe Key is in a federal sanctuary with its own set of rules, but it's not subject to Florida law.

 

[H2O 70]

I would suggest that everyone go on a shark feed while they are still legal.

With that said, shark feeds should be illegal.

I would suggest boycotting them and working to make the illegal everywhere.

In the meantime I think they are indispensable in the conservation of the species.

I feel a diver who has a "so so" attitude about shark finning and shark conservation in general will have a much greater appreciation and understanding of the species after witnessing a shark feed. They will then be more apt to then want to conserve the species.

Boycotting may have limited economic impact, however I don't think it will be enough. Lobbying various legislatures will be more meaningful to making shark feed illegal.

 

[Walter]

If you believe an activity should be illegal, why would you participate in it? Going on shark dives, unless it is to gather evidence to support your position, while lobbying to make them illegal is hypocritical.

 

[H2O 70]

If you believe an activity should be illegal, why would you participate in it? Going on shark dives, unless it is to gather evidence to support your position, while lobbying to make them illegal is hypocritical.

Call it what you want.

If end the end of the day, the species is protected, that is all that matters.