Shark tour boat gutted in fire

[Doubler]

Any of you guys around in the early 90's and remember the war between the sports fishermen and the longliners. They were shooting at each other at sea. It is probably the Sports Fishing industry. They charter to tourists and the captains keep the catch to sell at the fish market. Tuna brings in good money but not when a shark takes it, big bite out of their pocket. So they blame the shark tour guys, even if they have no proof. I can see both sides of the argument. They could fish somewhere else but the structure that draws the sharks to the area draws the game fish, they could do the shark tour somewhere else but the same structure that draws the game fish to an area draws the sharks.

 

[scottitheduck]

Man..... this is a serious bummer. I for one am a huge supporter of the North Shore Shark guys. As someone who has been in the water countless times with sharks I hate when people let their fears get in the way of science. We know for sure that they are NOT following the boats back into the harbor so the view that they are bringing sharks closer to the shore is simply false.

Finally, who does this type of crap? I really hope that these tours can continue...... it gives the average tourist from the mainland an educational, safe interaction with the most important apex predators in our ocean.

If Jaws and Shark Week have scared people too much over the years operations like our friends on the North Shore work hard to even the score. Once you put aside your fears, which I might add are often based on myth not fact, you can begin to learn what a critical niche sharks play in our ecosystem. Enjoy them while they are here folks and do something to keep them around for the next generation:

Shark Research Institute, Conservation, Education, Legislation

G