The great fish feeding question

[drbill]

Personally I prefer not to get involved with shark or even fish feeding. I've seen what large-scale, long-term artificial feeding of fish can do to alter ecosystem species composition here on Catalina. In general I think it is better to avoid unnecessary interactions like this whenever possible. Of course as an underwater videographer, I am not immune to inducing behavior in a subject through interaction... although I never feed any critters.

Exceptions in my mind are where the feeding is "necessary" for scientific research. My recent dives with the great whites of Guadalupe involved shark feeding to draw them in close enough to attach satellite tags. I think the good outweighed the bad in that case.

There are plenty of places one can dive with sharks without the necessity of artificial feeding.

My 2 cents worth. Your mileage may vary.

Dr. Bill

 

[ddown]

Dr Bill

How does a Tag help a Shark other than get more Grant Money??

 

[archman]

It won't help the tagged shark per se, but it'll help the species through better understanding of movement patterns, home ranges, migrations, all that junk. One of the "crutch" excuses for lack of fisheries protection on many species is that we don't know enough, so we should keep on fishing. Actually this is a common crutch for most anti-environmental lobbies.

Knowledge is power.

 

[drbill]

Thanks, Archman, for responding before I was able to. Knowledge of these and other pelagic migratory fish is critical to them because it helps us broaden our understanding of the movements, ecology, etc. and that aids in devising plans to protect them.

Dr. Bill

 

[Chad_Ordelheide]

Ok...Which is Worse??? :06:
Dumping 10-20 novice divers overboard (Not mentioning the Dive Ops that do it day after day) who go down and trash the reef, snapping off 100 year old coral while tossing their beer/soda cans overboard during the surface stop. Letting hotels and/or companies pump sewage and contaminants into oceanic reef areas!

Or

Feeding the fish...Hmmm, ecologically speaking that is? :33:

 

[archman]

Unfortunately, big fish fall under the "charismatic megafauna" ranking, so they get far more attention from scientists and the media than boring coral. There's still a great many people that believe coral is a plant, and plants can er, "regrow".

Coral doesn't attack divers either after it's been impinged upon. Sharks, grouper, barracuda, morays, dolphins, seals have all been known to do so, either intentionally or no. This makes it much more dramatic to the public. Coral just bleaches and dies. How dull.

 

[ddown]

Stop Making Sharkfin Soup end of Problem

 

[ddown]

Seriously though, The Sharkfeeds I've been on are in a specific locale and as soon as the feeding is over they become docile and leave the immediate area. I don't think it destroys the ecological balance. And it gives many folks the ability to see and interact with sharks giving them a deeper understanding of what they are and how they interact with the reef. Of course Hollywood is probably alright hyping the maneater reputation there would be something to go after.

 

[Walter]

Ok...Which is Worse???
Dumping 10-20 novice divers overboard (Not mentioning the Dive Ops that do it day after day) who go down and trash the reef, snapping off 100 year old coral while tossing their beer/soda cans overboard during the surface stop. Letting hotels and/or companies pump sewage and contaminants into oceanic reef areas!

Or

Feeding the fish...Hmmm, ecologically speaking that is?

You mean if we feed fish we'll automatically eliminate all the poor training programs out there?

If they were related, I'd advocate feeds. They aren't, so I discourage them.

 

[drbill]

Ok...Which is Worse??? :06:
Dumping 10-20 novice divers overboard (Not mentioning the Dive Ops that do it day after day) who go down and trash the reef, snapping off 100 year old coral while tossing their beer/soda cans overboard during the surface stop. Letting hotels and/or companies pump sewage and contaminants into oceanic reef areas!

Or

Feeding the fish...Hmmm, ecologically speaking that is? :33:

It shouldn't be a question of the least of three "evils." All of the above have ecological consequences. Over time I have seen shifts in fish species composition within a specific ecosystem due to prolonged and frequent fish feeding. It has created an artificial situation which could not be maintained without the artificial food input.

Dr. Bill