What do you think of shark encounter trips?

[fisherdvm]

This is Chad Carney's proposed poll:
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This poll ran online on the Sun - Sentinel Newspaper website (in Ft Lauderdale, FL) on Feb. 26 - 29, along with the full story of this accident. It's gone this morning, Mar. 1st.

I was interested to see what the general public thought about it.

The first day the results were 81% for regulation and 19% against with approximately 2,500 responses.
Interestingly over the 4 days the results changed to 75% for and 25% against midway into the poll, at almost 3,000 responses, and 68% for and 32% against at nearly 3,400 responses the last day.

I'm wondering how the results would vary if an active diving population were asked.
With 17,144 views and 238 posts on the first thread about it Scubaboard should be a good source.

Chad

An Austrian man was killed in the Bahamas while on a Riviera Beach-based diving expedition that specializes in encounters with hammerhead and tiger sharks. What do you think of these expeditions?

The original published poll was worded as followed:

1. Authorities should find a way to regulate or ban these expeditions.

2. As long as the divers are aware of the dangers, it's their decision.

But it has been edited a little bit.

 

[deco_martini]

I think the question is too complex to be relegated to two poll choices.

 

[Diver Dennis]

I agree.

Some people don't know what's good for them, they do things that may look easy and they think they are prepared for but when it comes down to doing it they find they are in WAY over their head. Sometimes they just don't want to admit to themselves they don't want to do an activity that their friends are doing and bend to peer pressure.

I've not found many people willing to call a dive, for instance, even though they are very uncomfortable in the way the dive is going or planned. How many first time shark feed divers really understand what will be going on? They trust the people in charge, sort of like a "trust me" dive? They really don't understand what they are getting into.

I've been on a number of shark feed dives and I think they are quite safe when set up properly but would think twice about ones where Tiger sharks will be one of the dinner guests. I would want to see the area and what cover there was for me to shoot from.

 

[gonetobaja]

I vote for regulation for Shark dive operators and the saftey standards they use.

I see no benefit in banning shark diving at all.

The customer must follow the rules of the guide.(which are regulated by the standards)

Rouge divers with the motivation to dive with sharks without the assistance of a guide will always be able to. However if the Operator and subsequently the customer are held to a standard of saftey and operation, than the industry of Shark diving and its subsequent benefits both economic and environmental can be sustained for long term gain.

 

[Buoyant1]

They're big, they're unpredictable, they're dangerous....I think if you know the risks, it's you're own a__!

I just hope you don't meet your maker when I'm on the dive!

 

[Wookie]

I agree.

Some people don't know what's good for them, they do things that may look easy and they think they are prepared for but when it comes down to doing it they find they are in WAY over their head. Sometimes they just don't want to admit to themselves they don't want to do an activity that their friends are doing and bend to peer pressure.

I've not found many people willing to call a dive, for instance, even though they are very uncomfortable in the way the dive is going or planned. How many first time shark feed divers really understand what will be going on? They trust the people in charge, sort of like a "trust me" dive? They really don't understand what they are getting into.

I've been on a number of shark feed dives and I think they are quite safe when set up properly but would think twice about ones where Tiger sharks will be one of the dinner guests. I would want to see the area and what cover there was for me to shoot from.

WOW!! Are you implying that some government agency (or any other entity) knows what is good for us better than we do? Very scary thought, Man.

 

[Diver Dennis]

WOW!! Are you implying that some government agency (or any other entity) knows what is good for us better than we do? Very scary thought, Man.

Nothing of the sort. I was just replying to the poll choice that said "if the divers are aware of the dangers". I don't think that first timers know or understand what a shark feed is like until they get down there, even if they have seen videos. I don't think it is a valid question for a lot of divers, an answer which is in support of the first reply which stated it is too complex a question for just two poll choices. I didn't mention government or any other entity.

As I posted, it is sort of a trust the operator dive, hoping they know what they are doing.

 

[garyfotodiver]

Well I do not agree with shark diving at all, but I am more against government intervention in citizen's private lives.

This poll's questions are, in my opinion, biased to yield one result over the other.

Like most polls.

 

[mempilot]

Boy, SB knows how to cover a topic from 15 angles in 20 threads. Is there much more to be said about this than hasn't already been covered in the other threads? Beating a dead horse.

 

[scorpenesub]

Hey, whats the fuss? Divers who are properly briefed on the dangers and proceed with such trips are making informed choices.... To equate, can you stop people from exercising their right to own guns?