Shark Feeding

[piffle]

Honey, I'm going diving. You feed the dog and I'll feed the fish. lol

 

[Theunis]

I did 2 baited dives on the South Coast of KwaZulu-Natal. These dive were baited dives and NOT "feeding the sharks" dives. The purpose is to lure the sharks closer without feeding them.

I think these baited dives are important and have a great educational, awareness and conservation value. The dive operator at the Protea Banks has been doing shark dives for the past 14 years without any negative incident.

 

[Theunis]

OOPS...double post!

 

[MauiScubaSteve]

I keep hearing about declining shark populations, and I have no reason to doubt that, but I do know from 1983 through the begining of 2000 when I hit my 1000th dive I saw 23 sharks of which 22 were Nurse Sharks (the other was a Blacktip). In the next 1000 dives, I saw 115 sharks of which 72 were Nurse Sharks (others were Caribbean Reef <19> Silky <1> Bull <5> Sand Tiger <16> Lemon <2>). I've never gone on a shark feeding dive. With the exception of a trip to North Carolina (where I made 2 dives and saw 18 sharks - 2 Bulls and all 16 Sand Tigers), my diving has not changed much from the 1st 1000 dives. It looks to me that we're more likely to see sharks than we were 10, 20 or 25 years ago even without feeding them.

So now you are up to just over 1 dive in 10 where you see a shark; don't celebrate the shark recovery too loudly.

A theory I like is that we have stripped the ocean's fish stock to the point that sharks now put up with having to frequent popular dive sites, because their typical feeding waters have no food.

 

[Walter]

don't celebrate the shark recovery too loudly.

I haven't celebrated it at all. Perhaps you missed the part where I said, "I keep hearing about declining shark populations, and I have no reason to doubt that..." I merely said it looks like we're more likely to see them now than years ago. I gave no reason as to why. Your theory sounds reasonable.

 

[ocbeachbum]

What about places in FL and elsewhere that "train" people to wrestle 'gators? Do they not have the same goal of messing with dangerous wild animals for cheap thrills? Their clientele are roughly the same; hungover, unfamiliar with animals behavior, bound to do something stupid, etc. One could argue the sharks are more wild than 'gators on a farm, but the reef sharks at certain feed sites that get visited regularly seem equally "farmed" to me. On a side note to the poster who mentioned hand feeding gorillas, I once saw a travel channel show where the fat bald guy with the wierd food fixation (can't remember his name) fed a hyena a piece of raw antelope meat from his mouth. I think there's a market for doing dangerous things with African wildlife.

 

[Walter]

What about places in FL and elsewhere that "train" people to wrestle 'gators?

I think it is really stupid, but on the plus side, those gators are captive and can't harm others who have not made a choice to put themselves in danger. It is illegal to feed wild Alligators in Florida for the same reason it's illegal to feed wild sharks in Florida. If you wrestle a captive gator, you put yourself at risk. I have no issue with that. Go for it. If you feed wild gators or wild sharks, you put me at risk as well. I do have an issue with that.

 

[LRobbins]

I have mixed feelings on shark feeding. On the one hand we don't know if sharks begin to associate humans with food (which is not good), but on the other hand it is an incredible experience for people who may not otherwise have the opportunity to dive with sharks. I also think the experience goes a long way in educating people that sharks are not the killers that the media makes them out to be.
http://hubpages.com/hub/Magical-Places--Cocos-Island

 

[Walter]

On the one hand we don't know if sharks begin to associate humans with food

Many of us do know.

 

[MauiScubaSteve]

What about places in FL and elsewhere that "train" people to wrestle 'gators? Do they not have the same goal of messing with dangerous wild animals for cheap thrills? Their clientele are roughly the same; hungover, unfamiliar with animals behavior, bound to do something stupid, etc. One could argue the sharks are more wild than 'gators on a farm, but the reef sharks at certain feed sites that get visited regularly seem equally "farmed" to me.

So, the meaningful conversation we were having wasn't colorful enough for you? Troll is what I would call most posers who type excrement like this, but giving benefit of doubt it might just be ignorance.

Then again, takes one to know one!