Mega Jaws - Pop or Porn?

Have we all been screwed?

Meaning myself, BAD, Kristina from Niuwave Media who acted as the local facilitator and put her reputation on the line, as did Papa who mediated the contacts to a storyteller in Rukua, the Tui Cacau who graciously agreed to being interviewed, the Fiji Audio Visual Commission who facilitated the shoot – and above all, Fijian ancestral beliefs and traditions?
I hope not – but things sure look suspect!

I’m talking about Mega Jaws by Yap Films.
It has just aired on History Channel Canada and is slated for SyFy as part of Beast Legends , a series about mythical creatures that are being re-created through computer graphics. The episode explores the legend of Dakuwaqa, Fiji’s best know, albeit by no means only Shark God.
And yes, we were part of it!

From our initial correspondence.

Day 2 - The bite force test - we have obtained a Gnathodynamometer from the University of Oklahoma. The Gnathodynamometer measures the bite force of sharks. We would like to have Steve dive with it. Is that possible? We can bring it and have you and your team check it out.

"Experiments": as already discussed, I believe that kind of "off-the-cuff" stuff to be utterly useless, scientifically irrelevant and in the present case, a disservice to sharks which are once again being reduced to "teeth", if you get what I mean. I actually blogged about just such a "feat" here. So, the bad news is that the answer is "no thanks".

I assure you that we are not reducing sharks to merely "teeth."
In fact, we are hoping to work with Dr. Sam Gruber to show just how intelligent sharks are. We have had extensive discussions with him already and I am very hopeful that we will be able to work with him.

Day 4 - Final Sequence - Dakuwaqa prevents a modern day pirate ship boat from pirating.

Dakuwaqa preventing piracy etc.
Look, in the softest possible way, some tribes here really believe in the Shark God and one must be culturally sensitive. You would also not dream about re-writing the Holy Bible and staging some bogus miracle by Jesus Christ which you just happen to make up on the fly - right? Thing is, there's no piracy in Fiji and even if there were, D just doesn't do those things. D helps members of selected tribes by guarding their boats during ocean crossings and by saving those people (and no others) when they may get shipwrecked. He apparently also punishes miscreants on Taveuni. He also will not attack the people of Kadavu as he lost the fight with Kadavu's guardian spirit, the Octopus. He apparently also helps corral the fish during fish drives on Beqa. Full stop.
What you propose is going to be viewed by some as sacrilege and the last thing we want is to be the operation that has enabled that stuff. So, if you want to re-enact anything, do re-enact what people will tell you when you interview them whilst you're scouting.

Piracy – Your notes are completely understandable.
The problem that I am having is that we are operating without knowing exactly what we will hear from the tribal leaders. My hope is to have Kristina from Niuwave visit them this week so that we have a better idea of what we’ll hear about DW from them. Once this happens we can start to write the scenes of our show based directly on what hear from the tribal chiefs. This is quite urgent as there are computer graphic portions of our show that need to be confirmed and approved as soon as possible. We also don’t want to offend anyone and want to describe and portray the legend accurately.

Keep in mind that once again, people here really do believe in the legends as part of their unique cultural heritage and that it is not automatic that they will be willing to share them with outsiders - this requires a lot of respect and cultural sensitivity and needs to be approached accordingly.
I cannot emphasize enough that Fiji is not Hawaii with its bogus "traditions" and that the indigenous population are proud of their heritage and thus need to be treated with respect and not as some actors in some kind of "native soap opera". Having said this, there's no need to embellish anything anyway: you will be able to record fascinating stories against the backdrop of a fascinating country, people and huge predatory sharks: more than enough for great programming! Are we on the same page regarding this?

I hope my answers above show that we are on the same page.
If you have any concerns or comments please let me know and it would be great to keep the lines of communication open as we move forward. I am really looking forward to working with you.

Light blue is yours truly, dark blue is Jeff Thrasher of Yap who acted as Director.

The Fiji shoot was not easy.
During our research, we came to understand that the legend of Dakuwaqa is complicated and that different traditions are in part contradictory. Untangling the confusion is difficult as people won't easily share with strangers, the more as they have been convinced that upholding their ancestral beliefs may be regarded as being un-Christian.

As a minimum, there’s one Dakuwaqa who may be living in the village of Rukua on Beqa but who may have also left when the Fisherman Clan of Rukua re-located to the islet of Benau near Taveuni following a dispute over a sweet pudding.
Then, there’s also a Dakuwaqa who was born as a human being but went to live in the sea whereas his brother became the first Tui Cacau, or Paramount Chief of the province of Caucadrove encompassing parts of Vanua Levu and Taveuni.
And then, there’s also another Dakuwaqa of unknown origins that likes to engage in fights and is mentioned in the legend about why Sharks don’t attack the islanders of Kadavu.
And yes, there's more!

Anyway, Jeff arrived with Associate Producer Alex McIntosh, likeable hosts dashing Steve Leonard and Kathryn Denning (beautiful, majestic killing machines??? Really???) and filmed on the Shark dive, in Rukua and on Taveuni.
Apart from the inevitable clusterfuck and raw nerves, the shoot was uneventful, the animals cooperated, the team was genuinely pleasant and everybody seemed very happy with the results.

Once they were back in Canada, we had the following exchange.

As per today’s conversation, I’m giving you my footage for free.
I know that you and Alex understand that Dakuwaqa must be treated differently than, say, Dragons as this is not a legend but a living God. We’ve talked about it before, you can thus just not “add” to the story by inventing stuff like the “pirate attack” etc, the same as you can also not “add” to the Bible. I also know that you understand that I’m a Shark conservationist and as such take exception to people reducing Sharks to teeth, aggression and attacks. Hence the following conditions: you may NOT use my footage if in the final edit

• Dakuwaqa turns into some toothy aggressive monster, etc (he is essentially a protector)

• The Sharks are being depicted along the usual stereotypes, with mention of attacks, testosterone , aggression and the like. You have now witnessed yourselves how timid they really are despite of their size.

Also, that footage is for this show only and must be destroyed upon the completion of the show.

I assure that we meet the requests that you laid out in your email and are not painting sharks and vicious, predator machines.
We have acknowledged your requests and have a copy of your email with the materials release that you signed while we worked together in Fiji. The show is coming together quite well and I think you'll be very happy with it. The underwater cinematography is impressive across the board and the shark feeding/dive scenes are amazing. I am sure you’ll also be happy with how our story is respectful of the Fijian people and their culture.

So, I hear you ask, what’s the fuss all about?
Why I’m increasingly concerned is that I literally stumbled across a synopsis of the episode on the Beast Legend website. As far as I can remember, it explains that after Fiji, the team travels to Florida to meet Burgess who assists in reconstructing the jaws of a Shark that is larger than the Megalodon to serve as a template for the Shark God. They also travel to Bimini where they meet Doc who explains the various Shark senses.
The final reconstruction then apparently displays computer graphics of a gigantic Dakuwaqa attacking a nuclear sub (!) wanting to perform illegal test in Fiji waters!

Having asked Yap for clarifications, they have all gone AWOL.
Not only are they playing ostrich, they have also deactivated the link which is http://www.beastlegends.com/episode-guide/mega-jaws/ – not quite what I would call being transparent and accountable, and trying to address my concerns!
So, what are we to believe?

Thing is, I do have some understanding for poetic license and the constraints of wanting to produce a successful program. In that sense, a larger-than-life toothy Shark God may be regarded as Pop culture and not strictly Shark Porn.

But the buck stops at the depiction of real Sharks and above all, at Fijian culture - and when it comes to that, I’m increasingly becoming apprehensive!
Or am I just being a paranoiac sissy?

So here’s the deal.
I’d be very interested in any feedback from viewers in Canada. The episode can also be viewed online once it is not anymore not currently available.
Opinions?

As to the good people over at Yap.
I shall send them this post so that they have yet another chance and clarifying the matter – as in living up to one’s claims of integrity, high standards!
Fair?

Anybody taking bets?

PS taken up by Patric here. What can I say - he's a Canadian!
Just kidding - as is he!

PS2 just had a good talk with Jeff who being a freelancer cannot officially speak for Yap. Very good convo that has gone a long way in assuaging my fears. Kudos for having chosen to respond!
More as I get to see the episode.

PS3 read Diving Discoveries' comments here.

Hawaiian Shenanigans

Gene Ward is on the attack.

He continues to fan the flames of anti-industry hatred and is circulating this piece of despicable populist shit. Click on it for details: this is how a self serving politician is trying to kill Hawaii's tourism industry.

And what about "chairman" Makani Christensen?
A quick Google search reveals an xenophobic activist and guess what - a spearo and fisherman! Despite of his fake eco-branding (or can anybody please tell me what part, exactly, of teaching tourists how to kill Fish is to be considered "eco"?), he obviously got zero knowledge of the Ocean, or he would not be propagating this irresponsible anti-Shark rubbish. Or is he really encountering Stefanie's Galapagos and Sandbar Sharks on his Fish killing sprees?
Gene and Makani are old allies and have formed the Shark Task Force aimed at shutting down the Shark tour operators - smack in the middle of a recession, where every penny and every job count!

The "invitation" is of course nothing but smoke and mirrors.
Mr. Ward knows all too well that after their recent experiences, nobody from the pro-Shark faction is anymore willing to endure the abuse of an irrational lynch mob. The inevitable result of that town hall meeting will be yet another "public outcry".
Such a sham and oh so predictable!

What however continues to rile me most is the reference to "traditional Hawaiian cultural practices" and the like.

You really need to go through Stefanie's brilliant website and read the comments concerning the purported "Disrespect of the Aumakua".
But she's obviously right smack in the middle of it all and there's no way she could ever dare to properly respond to those ridiculous allegations. I've said it before: Hawaii is a glaring example of how the natives are unabashedly playing the racial card and abusing of the naivety and fashionable collective guilt of the haoles.
Or do you really believe that stuff like E komo mai. Welcome. Come to Hawaii and re-connect to your aumakua. Learn the old chants with us under the trees by Kealakekua Bay. Swim with us at Waipio valley. Walk with us into volcano craters in Volcano Park. Let us ride the winds together at Ka Lae. Meditate with us deep inside a lava tube. is anything but cold-blooded pandering to our credulous stupidity?
Wanna really know what respectable people have to say about the Aumakua?
Read this!

Contrary to Stefanie, I got the advantage of not being subjected to the same pressure, and of being allowed to tell it as it is. I also live in a vibrant cultural environment where I can just go out there and hear it from the horse's mouth.
And that is precisely what I have done!

So there.

This is a scam, and a particularly nasty one on top of it!

Contrary to Hawaii and despite of its colonization and the advent of Christianity, Fiji has managed to preserve much of its indigenous ancestral beliefs and traditions.
To this day, Fiji has a dual system of government: a post-colonial westernized system with President, Government, Parliament and Judiciary and a highly stratified indigenous community that resides in villages which are organized under a local and regional chiefly system. These indigenous villages are the repository of Fiji's native culture that has been handed down (mind you, orally, by storytelling, dances and ceremonies) in an uninterrupted line since time immemorial.

After reading about the racial shenanigans in Hawaii, I've gone out and interviewed several people about Fiji's rich tapestry of beliefs linked to Sharks.
This has not been easy, as not everybody is empowered to make authoritative statements about this matter. That authority is only conferred to storytellers and sometimes, people whose hereditary ranking would correspond to that of an indigenous "priest".
Like everywhere in the Pacific, there is however no shortage of native scamsters who make a good living at cooking up some self serving pseudo-cultural ethno-bullshit aimed at impressing some naive and google-eyed kavalangi. Inevitably, these stories turn out to be false and more than that, in indigenous culture, these people are actually committing sacrilege.

The lesson being that next time some brown skinned half-cast who happens to have an indigenous name comes along and starts lecturing you about his "culture", "tradition" and "pride", you need to question his motives and ask for his credentials.
I betcha that in 99.9% of the cases, he will turn out to be a self serving fraud. Legit storytellers are very reserved about these matters and will generally only share with a foreigner after lengthy introductions and after having thoroughly checked out your intentions. Keep in mind that sharing determined religious beliefs is an important defining and cohesive element of social groups and that very often, it is strictly tabu to divulge them to outsiders.

Over to the Fijian Shark beliefs.
Fiji has a multitude of languages ("Fijian" being a lingua franca derived from the dialect of Bau) and cultural beliefs that are linked to a large and diverse number of clans. Several of them believe in rather generalized Shark guardian spirits and others, in veritable Shark gods, Dakuwaqa being the most widely known of the latter.

Depending on where you go, Dakuwaqa is purported to fulfill different roles.
The islanders of Kadavu believe that Dakuwaqa has lost a battle against their own protector deity, the Octopus, and that he had to promise never to harm any Kadavu islander. The people of Taveuni believe that Dakuwaqa will punish the sinners and when somebody gets attacked by a Shark, they believe that the victim was obviously a bad person and that his fate was merely the just punishment for a misdeed. Our Beqa islanders will tell you that Dakuwaqa resides on the island and that there is a covenant whereby no Beqa islander will ever harm a Shark and in turn, the Sharks will protect and even assist them.

When talking to elders, I've asked the specific question whether it is reproachable to observe and dive with their gods and the unanimous response was that it is perfectly OK. In fact, our feeders from Beqa have the specific permission to do so.
It is however completely tabu to fish, kill or otherwise harm the animals.

The exact same answer was given to Eroni when he went and interviewed other clans as part of his TEK: some clans have various Shark spirits who protect the people and nobody from those clans fishes for Sharks or eats their meat.
Here's a textual example from an upcoming paper on the matter.

Our father told us that a big white shark that lives at the mouth of the Navua river had decreed and warned other sharks not to hurt or spill any human blood or otherwise face the consequence of being killed by the big white shark.

Now this is Fiji - and Fiji is essentially Melanesia, albeit heavily influenced by Polynesian culture.
I've thus also inquired about any Shark beliefs in Tonga. This is a pure Polynesian country and with neighboring Samoa, very much the place from which the Polynesians have set out towards the east all the way to French Polynesia and the onwards to Hawaii.

Like Hawaii, much of Tongan culture has been eradicated by Christianity and by the overpowering drive towards the "benefits" of the western cash economy. In fact, most young Tongans know next to nothing about their history and their culture, expect for a highly romanticized and sanitized version which is being handed down by the government and the churches. Like in Hawaii, there's a cultural renaissance movement but most of the original culture and traditions, like the art of navigating, have already been lost forever.
I was however lucky in finding an elder who confirmed that some people did believe in a "punishing" god very much like the Taveuni islanders, and that contrary to the majority of the population, those people would not fish for Sharks nor eat Shark meat.

When conducting the interviews in Fiji and Tonga, I also told the elders what was happening in Hawaii.

That there is a Shark viewing tour where customers observe Sharks from the safety of a cage far out in the open Ocean.
That this operation educates their clients and turns them into Shark lovers. That on top of it, they are active in sponsoring research aimed at pushing through pro-Shark legislation. That they are instrumental in preserving the Sharks for future generations and that by doing so, they are preserving the reefs which are the sustenance of the indigenous people.

That on the other hand, there are plenty of recreational an commercial fishermen that kill Sharks and kill the reefs as a consequence.

And that there is a nasty politician wanting to close down the pro-Shark tours but who does nothing to stop the killing of Sharks. That his anti-Shark movement is aided by some natives that claim that looking at Sharks is culturally insensitive whereas they raise no objection to the activities of the Shark killers.

They all shook their head in utter bewilderment.
And we all had a good snicker at the suckers who got conned into believing that pseudo-cultural rubbish.

I can thus unequivocally confirm that were Stefanie in Fiji, she would not be reviled and persecuted but hailed by both the Government and the indigenous community alike.
She deserves our gratitude and our respect.

More excellent Sharky Stories by the Fiji Times!

Adi, by MPO - yes those are links!

Today's Fiji Times features a stunning two-page spread on Sharks.
This is a continuation of their stellar advocacy of Shark protection in cooperation with CORAL The Coral Reef Alliance and the Pew Environment Group's global shark campaign.
Thank you Shark Defenders for having re-posted the articles.

How Jaws made the shark a monster in our minds is authored by Lee-Anne Lee of the Fiji Voyaging Society.
She's aboard board the drua Uto Ni Yalo and about to reach San Francisco after an epic voyage of close to 11,00 nautical miles. On board is also Moala Tokota'a of CORAL and it just so happens that our Arthur was one of the crew of the 2010 maiden voyage and that Ratu Manoa is very much involved in the undertaking, hence the connection to Sharks conservation.

The angry fisherman who turned into a shark is of particular interest to us here at BAD.
This is the story of the Fijian Shark God Dakuwaqa as told by Mika Tubanavau, storyteller of the village of Rukua. Rukua on Beqa Island is the home of our most senior staff Rusi, Manasa and Eliki, and of Tumbee, Manasa's son - and according to Beqa lore, a cave behind the village is the very place where Dakuwaqa resides!
I was fascinated by how the legend as told here complements the legend as told in Cakaudrove, with the tiny island of Benau off Taveuni being the obvious common link between the two. To this day, both tribes are engaged in a friendly feud as to who can claim to be the true people of Dakuwaqa.

And then, there is this Letter to the Editor.

I READ with great interest in your newpaper about the efforts of a number of organisations and people to protect the sharks.
Their efforts are great.
Yet, almost on a daily basis, I notice that there are middleman selling fish at the Nubukalou Creek cutting and packing sharks in plastic bags for sale.
I have noticed that they also get in baby shark - up to a metre - and just go on with their business. I think Suva City Council ought to do something.
And I request Mr Manoa Rasigatale to visit them and discourage the shark meat sellers.

JAGDISH LAL
Suva

This touches on the real crux of the problem.
Nubukalou Creek is a notorious site in the middle of Suva where fish vendors hawk the daily catches. Many of the fishing skiffs feature disproportionally powerful engines, a strong indication that they belong to those poachers who regularly raid the qoliqoli, or traditional fishing grounds of offshore islands. The Sharks that are being offered for sale are mostly Reef Sharks like Blacktips and Greys, and this nefarious practice is a direct and largely irreversible threat to our reef habitats and by extension, to the livelihood of entire coastal communities that depend on the ocean for their daily sustenance.
Right now, fishing for Sharks is perfectly legal and there is precious little that either the Suva City Council or even Ratu Manoa can do. This is yet another reason why it is imperative to immediately ban all trade in Sharks and Shark products in Fiji.

A Fiji Bull Shark?

Carcharhinus dakuwaqa? Quite possibly!
Click for detail - and I mean it!

I knew it!
Not only are our bulls huge and the most incredible collection of charismatic, intelligent sharks on the planet, they may well be a totally unique population - if not more than that!
This was revealed last week at the AES meeting.

From the poster.

Global Population Genetic Structure and Parentage Analysis of the
Bull Shark (Carcharhinus leucas)

C. Testerman1, J. Brunnschweiler2, M. Heithaus3, S. Gulak4, J. Werry5, R. Jabado6, C. Jones7, and M. Shivji1

1Save Our Seas Shark Center USA and Guy Harvey Research Institute, Nova Southeastern University, Dania Beach, FL, USA, 2ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland, 3Florida International University, North Miami, FL, USA, 4National Marine Fisheries Service, Panama City, FL, 5Ocean and Coast Research, QLD, Australia, 6United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain, UAE, 7University of Aberdeen, UK

Project Synopsis

The bull shark (Carcharhinus leucas) is a globally distributed, large coastal shark that occurs in marine, estuarine and freshwater habitats.
It has been assessed as near threatened by the IUCN, is caught in recreational and commercial fisheries throughout its range, and shows evidence of recent declines in the Gulf of Mexico. Regional population studies have reported mitochondrial but not nuclear differentiation between the western North and South Atlantic (Karl et al., 2011) and among juvenile C. leucas sampled in river systems across northern Australia (Tillett et al., 2012).

We expanded on these studies by evaluating the global population genetic structure of C. leucas using 12, bi-parentally inherited, nuclear microsatellite loci and a globally distributed set of 470 samples. Our microsatellite data revealed strong genetic differentiation between samples from the western North Atlantic (WNA) and Indo-Pacific (I-P). No population structuring was detected within WNA and Indian Ocean sampling sites.

Fig. 1. Species global distribution indicated in gold shading. Sampling locations with fewer than 10 samples were not included in the population-based differentiation statistical analyses (Fig. 2) but were included in the individual-based analyses (Figs. 3 & 4).
Click for detail!

Notably, however, samples from Fiji demonstrated statistically significant genetic structuring from the remaining locations sampled.

Fig. 2. Charcharhinus leucas genetic differentiation based on population-level statistical analyses. Colored shapes (ovals and square) represent genetically distinct populations. FST values (p = 0.0000) between each population pair are indicated by arrows. Sampling locations (indicated by circles) within each population are not genetically differentiated.
Click for detail!

Assignment testing (GeneClass2) showed evidence of a low-level of first generation migrants from the WNA and western Pacific among the southwest Indian Ocean samples, a surprising finding considering the strongly coastal nature of C. leucas. Finally, parentage analysis of 2 litters suggests that the species may be genetically polyandrous, although this hypothesis will need further testing with more litters.

Conclusions:

Individual and population level analyses are concordant in showing at least 3 genetically distinct populations:

• Western North Atlantic
• Indo-Australia
• Fiji

Fig. 3. pie charts indicate the average proportional membership coefficient of individuals in the 3 distinct lineages inferred from nuclear microsatellite genotypes by the program STRUCTURE. Pie chart sizes are roughly proportional to sample sizes.
Click for detail!

Three 1st generation migrants were identified, indicating contemporary movement from both the Atlantic and Pacific oceans into the Indian Ocean. Complex patterns of migration and population structure require coordinated regional management efforts.
Parentage analyses of 2 litters revealed multiple paternity in both litters.

So there you have it!
This is the result of many years of DNA sampling on Shark Reef whereby so far, we've been able to send more than 70 samples to Mahmood - and counting as there are other, more local aspects we would like to explore.

So, do we have a Fiji endemic?
Probably not at all, because nearby locations like e.g. Tonga and Samoa are very likely to harbor the same Sharks. But from everything we know, Fiji with its robust population of Bull Sharks may well be considered to be the epicenter of this genetic strain, meaning that it would be perfectly acceptable to call this the Fiji Bull Shark - and depending on whether this is a subspecies/race or even an own species: how does Carcharhinus leucas dakuwaqa or Carcharhinus dakuwaqa sound to you!

Anyway, is this mega cool, or what!

The Legend of DAKUWAQA the Shark God who protects our feeders

One of the best known gods in Fijian legends is the fierce sea-monster Dakuwaqa. He was the guardian of the reef entrance of the islands, fearless, headstrong and jealous. He frequently changed himself into the form of a shark and travelled around the islands fighting all the other reef guardians.

One day he set out for the Lomaiviti group and after emerging victorious from this area he decided to set out for Suva....

(Photo: Michael Aw)

Twenty!

Check out the list of Shark-Free Marinas!

Yes, that's twenty Fijian operators that have made a commitment for Shark conservation by pledging not to allow any dead Sharks to be landed at their dock. And I just hear that one more has agreed to sign up - and counting!
Is that cool - or what!

This is foremost the direct personal success of Stuart and Matava who have taken the initiative, done most of the leg work and tirelessly promoted the concept.

But this is also a testimony to how much Fiji cares about Nature in general and Sharks in particular.
This is a country that thanks to a visionary network of locally managed MPAs, is well on its way to protecting 30% of its reefs and that has declared all of its waters to be a Whale Sanctuary - and may hopefully once do the same for Sharks.
This is the country that has embraced the International Year of the Shark, with the who's who of conservation, diving and tourism signing up to its local initiative, the Fiji Shark Conservation and Awareness Project. This is where local television and the main media support Sharks and where a locally produced pro-Shark PSA has been a roaring success among the indigenous population, many of which revere Sharks as Gods and Guardian Spirits.

And finally, our thanks need to go to Patric and Luke who have come up with this brilliant initiative and have invested their time, energy and money into what is a fabulous example of smart and inclusive conservation!

Stuart tells me that thanks to a generous grant by PADI Project Aware, the signage is being printed and that it will be distributed within the next two weeks.

A big Vinaka Vakalevu to everyone involved!
I'm sure that Dakuwaqa is smiling!

Fare well, Reef Warden

Insiders know that we're all about Shark Conservation.

In fact, the Dive Shop is merely an extension of Fiji's first Marine Park dedicated to the protection of Sharks, Shark Reef Marine Reserve.
The Fiji Shark Project hinges on the concept that successful and above all, enduring Conservation requires that the Stakeholders be fairly compensated for any resulting loss of income. Beqa Adventure Divers is the vehicle by which we can generate the required cash flow to do just that.

When pondering about the best way to go ahead, it became instantly clear that one of the main challenges we would face was going to be, to successfully enforce the fishing ban.
We thus decided to sponsor the training of a dozen local Fish Wardens by the Fiji Ministry of Fisheries, two of which, Papa and Tevita, we employ. In fact, having established the Fiji Shark Corridor, we're about to process another batch in order to reflect the joining in of Deuba Village.
Fish Wardens are like Game Keepers: they are empowered by Government to police, enforce, search, impound and arrest and can avail themselves of the help by the Disciplined Forces like the Police and the Navy.

To round things up, the Swiss-based Shark Foundation generously sponsored the purchase of a special-purpose fast skiff which we named "Reef Warden" and have since maintained and used for patrolling the Reserve. The regular patrols and a couple of "incidents" ranging from stern warnings all the way to temporary arrests and the confiscation of illegal catches have sent the message that Big Brother is watching and we're reasonably confident that poaching, if any, is minimal.

In fact, after 5 years, the fishermen love us to death, as the Reserve has become saturated with big Fish and the resulting spillover has lead to substantially increased fishing yields on the neighboring unprotected reefs. It thus really looks like we've managed to create a win-win situation for everybody involved and that the local community has learned to respect and appreciate what we do.

With that in mind, Reef Warden was definitely becoming under-utilised, a bad thing for a boat that is best kept in constant motion. Also, our newly commissioned second hydrofoil catamaran MV Hunter has proven to be a superior patrolling craft in terms of comfort, eco-friendliness, running cost and speed. Having consulted the Foundation, it was resolved to sell Reef Warden and to re-invest the proceeds into other Foundation projects in Fiji, likely a new set of experiments by our indefatigable Juerg. Reef Warden has now left us for what we hope will be a new, exciting career skimming the azure waters of Beqa Lagoon.

We will miss the pretty, elegant lady.
Moce Mada, Reef Warden, and may Dakuwaqa always protect you!

Great Whites on Sea Mounts!

Click for detail!

A Great White on a coral reef?

Yes that would be a sea mount in New Caledonia!
The pic was taken in September, 2007 by one Luc Bourdil who if I understand it correctly (Note: I did not, see Luc's explanation in the comments section) was leading a group of divers. Everybody made it up safely, then three very much intrepid (and I would add, very much Gallic) plongeurs went back down to further admire the spectacle, very much proving that GWs are not at all what they are made out to be. And, that Gallic plongeurs are certainly very intrepid and possibly also quite stupid.
More pictures here.

I just got sent the pic by Clinton Duffy.
Clinton is the man who tagged Grim the Fiji tourist and he was also kind enough to send me these tracks of Grim's gallivanting about in Bligh Waters. The yellow ellipses denote the scope of possible position errors and no, he definitely did not traipse around on Vanua Levu like Dakuwaqa!


And there's more that Grim did not do.
It appears pretty clear that he did not visit Plantation Island after all, which must be a great relief to the tourism industry there. And having been given the chance to ask some questions, many of which undoubtedly stupid, Clinton informs me that in his opinion, the NZ GWs who migrate north in winter do not seem to be following the Humpback Whales like I assumed. There is of course temporal overlap but the spatial overlap seems to be, if at all, more or less entirely fortuitous.

In Clinton's words.

While whites definitely visit the same areas the humpbacks do the fit between the movements of these species is not particularly tight.
Some whites are definitely on the grounds at the same time the whales are but some arrive after the whales should have gone and stay on. So while I think there is some link there I don't think the whites are dependent on the humpbacks but I have no doubt they would check them out when they're in the neighbourhood.

I'm also pretty sure that whites from NZ visit Fiji every winter-early summer (July-January), I think its just an artefact of small sample size that only one of the sharks we've tagged so far has been tracked there.

Places you're most likely to encounter them would be on seamounts and in the entrances to deep passes. They've been seen by divers in both habitats in Tonga (2 yrs in a row on the same seamount - Happy Ha'apai Divers) and New Caledonia respectively.

Wow wow wow!
As far as I know, no diver has seen a GW in Fiji yet - or am I mistaken?
Anyway, just imagine if one would pop up on the Shark dive amid the gaggle of Bulls - would that be awesome, or what! :)

Vinaka Clinton - all very very interesting!
Much appreciated indeed!

Alisi - making Fiji proud!

Bravo Alisi!
Alisi Rabukawaqa is Fiji's reigning beauty queen and next week, she will contest the Miss South Pacific Pageant in Samoa.
Alsis's mother hails from Caukadrove where the islanders are related to the Shark God Dakuwaqa, and she has decided to honor her traditional covenant with the Sharks by championing Shark conservation at the pageant.

“Sharks have a critical role to play in keeping the marine ecosystem in balance.
As Pacific island people who rely heavily on our marine resources we must be in the forefront of protecting these resources and support initiatives that drive governmental policy changes to save sharks from extinction and at the same time protect the future health of our seas.”

Very well said, you are making Fiji proud!
Story here.

Mega Jaws: it is Pop!

Yap's Dakuwaqa - apparently, a fusion of Bull Shark and Megalodon, with a double lateral line!

Well, what can I say.
After much begging and cajoling, I finally got my Mega Jaws DVD - and somebody has even posted it to YouTube!
I must attest to the good people over at Yap that they have put together a rather entertaining piece without falling into the usual toothy traps like I had feared. I am relieved - but I must also confess that I'm equally speechless!
But as they say, de gustibus!

Should you be equally disoriented: story here!
And: no Gnathodynanometers - especially not from Oklahoma!

Enjoy (?)

The Shark Men of Fiji!

Heidi's interpretation of Dakuwaqa - who incidentally happens to be associated with the Whitetip Reef Shark!

Behold!
We had the great pleasure of hosting fellow Shark advocate and Shark photographer Heidi DeRosa, and Daniel Navabpour - and this is what came from it.

As Heidi writes,
Don't get too crazy thinking we're making shark porn here.
This was Dan's first trip of this kind i.e. with lots of big sharks feeding. Also his first time using the Go Pro, or any video camera, and with no flat port, at 30m, and no editing software. And I may add: with no preferential treatment, he was asked to sit in the back with all the other clients!
Since we got home, he dove into creating this video and I gave him some stills to use. Still haven't gone through all my images but I pulled a few to insert into the video.

I say, pretty bloody awesome!
Enjoy!

FYoS - Great Job by Stanley!

I'm indebted to Stan.

Stanley Simpson is Fiji's up-and-coming young media star and he's been behind the Fiji Shark Conservation and Awareness Project all the way from its inception.

First, he published a very cool and very pro-Shark spread in the January issue of Fiji's premier lifestyle magazine, Mai Life. In February, he then approached us with the idea of a Shark special on Fiji's first private TV channel, MaiTV where he hosts his show Simpson@Seven.
Stan prides himself on his thorough research and investigative Journalism and after having seen what he had done in the magazine, we were more than glad to extend an invitation to come and experience our dive. Timing was particularly fortuitous as Ron and Valerie were just visiting and very graciously accepted to sit down for an interview.

This is now the result and all I can say is Well done Stan, I'm impressed!
Not only because he insisted on coming personally despite being a diving newbie and despite his good old-fashioned Fijian galeophobia (yes that would be the correct medical term!). But what really impressed the hell out of me is how he has managed to highlight the topic from various angles and avoid any sensationalism whilst still conveying a sense of adventure, awe and excitement. Being the one with the big mouth, any factual, or errors in "messaging" are mine, not his.

That's clearly a testament to his maturity and to his professionalism - but it's also a testament to Fiji, a Country where people have lived with and revered Sharks since time immemorial and where the Ocean with its beauty and its hazards is just a fact of life and Sharks are not subjected to the hysteria that is so prevalent in our Kaivailangi culture.
In fact, local lore has it that Shark attacks are merely Dakuwaqa's inevitable, and just punishment for some misdeed by the victim and consequently, they barely make the news and certainly don't deter the villagers from going to the beach.

Now, about "that" footage.
I've shot it in 2007 and blogged about it shortly thereafter. And I stand by what I said then, that it depicts an act of reckless showmanship and that it will remain a one-off - which it has.

Rusi took the decision on the spur of the moment on a particularly mellow dive (see, she's completely relaxed and doesn't even deploy the nictitating membrane - if at all, she looks mightily surprised) and I just happened to be in the right place at the right time. Don't get me wrong - it's not an excuse, it's just what happened on that dive.
Still, those are really unique images and for us in the know, they showcase Rusi's unparalleled Shark handling skills and the special relationship he has developed with our biggest and friendliest Tiger Shark Scarface.

But once again: this is a big no-no and pretty darn stupid on top of it - please, do not try this at home!

Having said this: Enjoy!

Sneak Preview!

Yes we do this, too!

The following is a world premiere.

As you know, Fiji has made it's own local contribution to the International Year of the Shark, the Fiji Shark Conservation and Awareness Project.
The supporters are the who's who of Fiji diving and conservation and we try to continuously add new content by rolling out new initiatives, like Stuart's impressive list of Fiji-based Shark Free Marinas.

Our latest project is Fiji's first ever pro-Shark clip which is due to be aired on Fiji TV and MaiTV starting next week (yes I will post the exact days and times!).
We've tried to give it a distinct local twist by keeping part of the narration in Fijian. Rusiate is of course our famous and unsurpassed Rusi who hails from nearby Beqa Island, the very home of Dakuwaqa himself!
We hope you like it - we certainly do!

Our thanks go to the Shark Foundation and to PADI Project AWARE who generously provided the funds for the shoot and the airing. Imraz of Niuwavemedia did an excellent job of directing, shooting and editing - in record time and strictly within a massively discounted budget. Thank you guys!

OK here it is - enjoy!

And here's to...

Felix and Lemon - By Wolfgang Leander

…Wolfgang , for always speaking up for the Sharks he loves!
Recently, he did so in this stellar article in the Nassau Guardian (Patric is right: I sure hope that the Bahamian Shark diving operators are fully behind this initiative!) and very courageously, in a post about some harmful Shark feeding procedures in SA - and I see that there’s progress!
Wolf’s only motive is the welfare of Sharks and I commend him for always being true to his feelings and totally incorruptible.
Gut gebrüllt Löwe!

…Lawrence , for embarking on his 150th expedition to Guadalupe!
Lawrence is the original pioneer of commercial GW diving along the Pacific coast of the Americas and as such, he has really seen it all - and considering the dangers this involves (and I’m not talking about the Sharks!), his is a mighty achievement indeed! Way to go!
Safe sailing hombre – and may Dakuwaqa always be with you!

Face-to-Face with Dakuwaqa!

It is definitely always Shark O'Clock on Shark Reef - click for detail!

Great stuff!

Behold Joanna's post about her visit with us.

Joanna is the current Our World-Underwater Scholarship Society Australasian Rolex Scholar, and we are proud that she continues in the hallowed tradition of making Fiji the first destination in her year-long itinerary. Should you be interested, you can follow her adventures on Facebook, Instagram and on her blog.

Vinaka Joanna.

From the team, we wish you fair winds and following seas - and above all, heaps of adventure, inspiration and fun! And to our dear friend, the indefatigable and adorable Jayne who had to sit this one out: get well, and see you real soon!

Enjoy Joanna's post!
 

The Original Crocodile Man comes to Fiji

The team at Beqa Adventure Divers were proud to play host to the "Original Crocodile Man", David Ireland and his cameraman Mark for 2 weeks in early March.

David & Mark were visiting to shoot a documentary about the legendary Shark God, 'Dakuwaqa' for their latest series, The Wildlife Man. In Fijian folklore, the people of Beqa are protected from shark attacks and in exchange they will not harm, kill or eat sharks.

All of Pacific Harbour welcomed David & Mark, with Uprising Beach Resort kindly hosting them for the 2 weeks, Arts Village took them for a tour of the cultural centre and Beqa Adventure Divers took them diving.

Keep an eye out for the finished product airing on Discovery HD and Channel 9 Australia later in the year.

International Year of the Shark - Fiji

It only takes "One".

Actually, they were two, Alex and Ila, and thanks to their wonderful initiative, 2009 has been declared the International Year of the Shark.

Ever since having become a Member, we've been working on a concept enabling us to create a positive buzz for Sharks all across Fiji. We are lucky insofar that Shark Conservation ties in beautifully with Fijian Culture as for many indigenous Fijians, Sharks are sacred and killing them is Taboo. As an example, many of our feeders hail from Beqa Island and are thus protected by the Shark God Dakuwaqa.

We call it the Fiji Shark Conservation and Awareness Project and it hinges on a Shark Awareness Presentation that we are currently rolling out to the participating Dive Shops.
As you can see, the presentation is kind of "open-ended", allowing for a short 15-20 minute overview or instead, for a fully fledged and much more detailed lecture in Shark Biology and Shark Conservation.
Giving the short presentation to clients is merely a minimum requirement for participation and we are sure that the individual Dive Shops will find ample ways to expand on the concept and develop other Shark-related initiatives of their own.

At the same time, we plan to reach out to the schools via the Fiji Ministry of Education.

This is obviously very much work in progress but after having secured the support of two key Government Departments, Fisheries and Environment, and of several Dive Shops that have agreed to act as Regional Representatives, we're ready to go!
Official Start: today January 19!

Matava has very generously set up a great website and we've run this very first little local marketing brochure (click for details) in order to get things started.

The next phase will be a drive for membership and as the different categories (Dive Shops, Resorts, NGOs etc) get populated, we anticipate many more events and initiatives.
On our side, we have already secured several guest lecturers and are working on several Fiji-wide initiatives aimed at mobilizing and educating the public at large.
Watch this space!

Feedback so far has been overwhelming and although this is very much in its initial stages, we are very confident that 2009 will be a good year for Shark Conservation in Fiji!

To all involved: Vinaka Vakalevu!

Well done Maggie!

Wansolwara anybody?

It took me a while to figure out that this is a combined word, in PNG Pidgin, for One Salt Water, meaning the Ocean that connects and unites the Pasifika. It's the training publication of the Journalism Degree and Diploma Programme of the University of the South Pacific, or USP.

I found the following article by pure chance when an employee of Bulaccino, the home of the world's best lime cheesecake, came over to thank me for my advocacy of Shark conservation. He's a member of Taveuni's chiefly clan who regard the Shark God Dakuwaqa as a long lost relative and who to this day revere and protect Sharks as a consequence.
Small world!

Renown FijiTV reporter and USP Journalism student Maggie Boyle has authored a well researched and timely pro-Shark piece for which she needs to be commended.
Please click on pictures to read.

Vinaka Maggie!














PS Patric of Underwater Thrills, bless him, has just unearthed the web-based version of this article

BAD Footage

No, you got me completely wrong: it is us who is BAD!

This is just a short post to alert our US friends to the airing of "Shark God", a documentary that David Ireland, the Wildlife Man, has filmed with us in 2007.
It will be shown on Discovery's High Definition Channel (hence not the "normal" Discovery Channel) on 17/4/08 at 8pm and at 11pm, on the 18/4/08 at 3am and 4pm and again on 19/4/08 at 10am EST.

Judging from his toothy website featuring a vast array of death-defying encounters with -to name but a few- ferocious Reptilians, angry Rhino and killer Boars and of course, giant and mostly lethal Marine Monsters, David seems to be quite a character. And lucky, too!!!
Once again, he doesn't disappoint, as, and I cite: "Sea God" is arguably the most extreme shark film ever produced and one of the " Wildlife Man`s" greatest achievements."
Whow!!!

Actually, the Staff tell me that they very much enjoyed the man and the shoot and that David is really a very nice, mellow and professional bloke with a passion for Shark Conservation.

Did the Shark God Dakuwaqa drag him down to an untimely, and watery death, I hear you ask with bated breath?
Of course, ah aint telling!

Enjoy!

The straight Shooters

Have you noticed: I very frequently reference "Underwater Thrills; Swimming with Sharks", the fabulous blog by California-based Shark diving operators Shark Diver.

Always interesting, often funny and sometimes highly controversial, they embody the very best our Industry has to offer in terms of Information, Entertainment and Opinion.

As you may have gathered, the universe of Shark aficionados is populated by a passionate and diverse menagerie of unique characters. Talk about being toothy, opinionated and solipsistic - yours truly included! But despite of all the controversies that regularly have our tempers flaring, we all share a great common love and concern for the welfare of Sharks and the Ocean in general.

Regardless of whether we're Cowboys, idealistic Tree Huggers or Pragmatists, Underwater Thrills offers something for everybody.
And in a small community where draw-shoot-aim seems to be the rule, their global outlook and their well-thought-through and often visionary op-eds regularly position them at the very forefront of developments within our Industry.
Like this latest one exploring the limits of sensationalism and risk-taking in commercial Shark diving, and the ensuing discussion thread: timely, well said, well moderated. Yes indeed, "Commercial Shark diving is not SCUBA diving"!

Much to learn from and much to be inspired by!

I say: well done guys, and thank you - May Dakuwaqa always be with you!