Shark Feeding Merits discussion

[scubastingray]

I think calling it legal 3 miles off the coast is deceptive, as it is more about jurisdiction than it is being "permitted while 3 miles away." It's still illegal in FL, you just "aren't" in FL.

 

[mscott556]

That's fair. You need to be in Federal waters which happens to be three miles out for us. Best to have some buffer though.

 

[scubadada]

I think calling it legal 3 miles off the coast is deceptive, as it is more about jurisdiction than it is being "permitted while 3 miles away." It's still illegal in FL, you just "aren't" in FL.

That's fair. You need to be in Federal waters which happens to be three miles out for us. Best to have some buffer though.

Shark feeding is legal near Florida

 

[dumpsterDiver]

Shark feeding is legal near Florida

Well this thread certainly turned into a good repository for recent shark action...I think I am going to have to report you if you persist in this manner... LOL....

 

[drrich2]

Where to put it is an interesting consideration. I'm leaning toward Florida, for this reason:

1.) It's Florida where legality throws fuel on the fire. People aren't hotly debating shark feeding dives in the Bahamas; a little fussing, yes, but not like we see about Emerald Charters out of Florida. Seems lately it's mainly divers heading out of Florida ports, with Florida-based dive charters, either participating with illegal (within 3 miles) or legal (over 3 miles) shark feed dives.

2.) Due to the number of Florida op.s and their different positions & practices on this topic, and their common use of many of the same dive sites by different diver groups with a range of agendas (e.g.: Emerald could do a shark feed at a site and move on, and a non-feed op. shows up a couple of hours later and drops divers with no idea what went on awhile ago in the same place, to find some sharks still hanging around, at least in theory), it seems that Florida is the hot spot because some believe shark feeding may potentially, in theory, put divers who don't want to participate in the water with sharks conditioned & acclimated to humans (and some will fire back that's unsubstantiated speculation).

I'm not posting to make a case for or against shark feeding, just why it might 'work' best in the Florida section.

Richard.

 

[Chugwhump]

Who should I call to report the sharks within the 3 mile limit that regularly feed themselves with my Lion Fish without my permission?

Chug
Has no good shark pics or vids to share at this point in time.

 

[HalcyonDaze]

Where to put it is an interesting consideration. I'm leaning toward Florida, for this reason:

1.) It's Florida where legality throws fuel on the fire. People aren't hotly debating shark feeding dives in the Bahamas; a little fussing, yes, but not like we see about Emerald Charters out of Florida. Seems lately it's mainly divers heading out of Florida ports, with Florida-based dive charters, either participating with illegal (within 3 miles) or legal (over 3 miles) shark feed dives.

2.) Due to the number of Florida op.s and their different positions & practices on this topic, and their common use of many of the same dive sites by different diver groups with a range of agendas (e.g.: Emerald could do a shark feed at a site and move on, and a non-feed op. shows up a couple of hours later and drops divers with no idea what went on awhile ago in the same place, to find some sharks still hanging around, at least in theory), it seems that Florida is the hot spot because some believe shark feeding may potentially, in theory, put divers who don't want to participate in the water with sharks conditioned & acclimated to humans (and some will fire back that's unsubstantiated speculation).

I'm not posting to make a case for or against shark feeding, just why it might 'work' best in the Florida section.

Richard.

I'd say there are definitely reasons to put feeding discussions in the Florida section; it's a local issue of concern and opinions on it should be aired (although I would argue that not every thread showing photos or vids from an Emerald or Calypso trip needs to turn into a battleground). You could put it in the Sharks section of Marine Science and Physiology, but I think there the local focus would get muddied. I think the reason the Bahamas feeds are not under fire here in FL is simple NIMBY - Not In My Back Yard. I've heard a few accounts of them being hotly debated in the Bahamas. Personally, I think if baited shark dives are something we shouldn't be doing, then "but it's out in the middle of nowhere" isn't an excuse.

Just as a note, other dive ops have not abandoned the Emerald's feed sites. I see a number of trip reports to the Hole in the Wall and Zion Train by other boats that are not doing feeds. By now I think if you're a dive operator in the Jupiter area and do not know those are feed sites your customers should wonder if you even bother to check the weather report in the morning.

 

[drrich2]

Just as a note, other dive ops have not abandoned the Emerald's feed sites.

Exactly. Some people who don't want to do shark feed dives may be diving right after feeds, and some folks don't want to do that. Wouldn't bother me, but does some.

Richard.

 

[dumpsterDiver]

Does anyone care about the modification of the predator's behavior? The State of Florida has determined that predators that lose the natural fear of human MUST be destroyed. They do not need to show any aggressive action or threatening behavior at all. All it takes to require their destruction is a the loss of their natural fear of humans.

 

[mscott556]

Exactly. Some people who don't want to do shark feed dives may be diving right after feeds, and some folks don't want to do that. Wouldn't bother me, but does some.

Richard.

These sharks don't just show up and start harassing divers though. Sometimes it takes 40min to attract a single shark with tons of chum & blood in the water. Once the food is gone the sharks disappear quickly. The exception being the reef sharks at Shark Canyon since they will come in just to see what's going on (and no there is no feeding going on at Shark Canyon).