East Wells: Bimini’s Last Hope!

Watch.

And I cite,

Bimini Island in the Bahamas lies just 48 miles from Miami, Florida and is an ecological wonderland.
But for the past 17 years, Bimini has faced serious environmental threat in the form of a US-owned development. Much of the Island's mangrove forest has already been dredged out to build luxury homes, a casino and most recently, a Hilton hotel. Just to the east of the development lies East Wells, Bimini's only remaining pocket of pristine habitat, but the development is growing and the latest marketing brochures advertise a golf course which will be the final blow to the people of Bimini and the ecosystem on which they depend.

A new government has just been voted into power.
This video is an appeal from the Biminites for the declaration of a marine protected area that will protect their environment. We call on the Hilton Hotel Group to do the right thing and halt any development that will destroy East Wells - a critical nursery area for all marine life in this region of the Caribbean. 

Exhaustive article here. 

 

Braving the Waters of Bimini!

Jillian and Dunc - they don't come much nicer than this! Source.

Jillian is one of the good ones, and this is really nice.
Enjoy!

The Shark Whisperer: Terrifying Pictures!

This is a Great Hammerhead.

Depicted here by the incomparable Wolfgang Leander, it is majestic, enigmatic and unbelievably elegant, a true marvel, joy and privilege to behold.

It is also threatened with extinction.

Endangered is the second-worst category of the IUCN and I invite you to read about the many plights affecting this particular species, from the widespread deliberate targeting for the Shark fin trade to its devastating mortality when caught as bycatch to its continued persecution by trophy-hunting anglers right here on the IUCN Red List. 

Thankfully, the Hammerheads are now starting to be protected locally and internationally - but the effects of that protection are so far unknown and may well be severely curtailed by its extremely high post-release mortality, and international Shark conservationists remain gravely concerned.

Very shy and now also rare, it can only be reliably encountered in a very few select locations like e.g. Rangiroa where they aggregate during the Eagle Ray mating season.

And then, there is Bimini.

So far, nobody appears to know why the Hammers aggregate there in spring, but Doc's Sharklab is, respectfully, working on finding answers. And of course, as of late, the Sharks have been a boon for the local Shark diving industry that is desperately trying to preserve its precious asset, and the integrity of local Shark diving, by politely asking that visitors adhere to a set of common-sense rules.

And now have a look at this pathetic shit.

So this is Bill and Joe's take on Shark conservation messaging - and I'm revolted. 

I ask, could anything be more disrespectful than this repugnant sequence of grotesquely distorted toothy caricatures and depictions of human dominance - and stupid, exploitative, narcissistic and hypocritical to boot?

But worry not - I'm not gonna dwell. Tho I could!

Whereas responsible Shark diving operators are trying to elevate the industry to more sustainable levels, a subset of adrenaline seeking self-promoting yahoos are pushing Shark encounters to ever new lows. I call it Troglodyte Shark Diving, and its requirement for ever bigger and more inane thrills is progressively thrashing Shark diving sites from Florida to the Bahamas to Guadalupe and recently even Fiji. Despite of all the bullshit about wanting to change perceptions, yada yada, it is zero about conservation and all about some macho wannabee heroes wanting to flaunt their cojones, or whatever, by taking stupid risks, or manhandling and dominating the animals.

And about money and perceived fame.

Or as my wise friend once stated, way back then.

It stopped actually being "about sharks" a long time ago. 
It's about the individual and what the sharks as a vehicle to notoriety can do for them.

And this rant?

It will achieve nothing except for establishing yet another pathetic feud. But I'm happy that I've finally got it off my chest because I've been watching those folks and biting my tongue for way too long!

Sharks4Kids - Great Hammers!

Source - read it!

Nice!

Not the video - the music!

Just kidding (tho I love dubstep) - once again Duncan excels as a shooter, and Jillian excels as an educator.
And those Sharks are just fantastic! :)

Enjoy!

GHH attacking a Diver?

Stuart Cove hides a dead barracuda behind his back – the hammerheads were easily fooled! 
Right. Source.

Watch this video.

Is that an attack?

Or rather, is that an idiot teasing a Hammer by not handing it the bait?

Gee, thanks Stuart Cove's, way to go - for the idiotic showboating, for the idiotic headlines it has generated and for rubbishing the reputation of both Bimini and its GHHs!

PS - Felix here and Martin here!

Bimini - Breaking News!

Great, great pic by Grant! Source.

Wow.

Looks like this year, the Bahamians mean business!

World on the street is that one of the invading foreign vessels operating an illegal business has been shut down by Bahamas Customs. Apparently, the clients are now diving off a local boat - and that's exactly as it should be!

Great job!

Hats off to whatever Customs agents had the guts to stand their ground - I knew this was coming but as always the proof is in the pudding, and they sure have delivered!

To be continued!

 

Bimini - here we go again!

Same old same old. Source.

Good one!

Honestly, I thought that it would be business as usual.

The first pictures of people manhandling those Hammers have already hit the social media - but then I get this in the mail. 

Greetings from Bimini,

The magnificent Great Hammerheads of Bimini have proven to be one of the islands most popular tourist attractions.  In order to sustain this annual event, and ensure that both the sharks and Bimini's stakeholders benefit from this experience, the Bimini Tourism Advisory Board (BTAB) would like to present guidelines and etiquette for all participating operators.

We would appreciate your help in circulating these instructions amongst any and all off-island operators who plan to dive with Bimini's Great Hammerheads.  Your cooperation is greatly appreciated.

Great Hammerhead Diving in Bimini, Bahamas

Guidelines & Etiquette, as put forth by the

Bimini Tourism Advisory Board (BTAB)

facebook.com/VisitBimini

Attracting & Feeding the Sharks
1) There shall be no direct hand-feeding of the sharks.
2) There shall be no unnecessary touching or handling of the sharks.
3) Only fish (fresh or frozen) shall be used to feed the sharks.  No ‘human food’ or other non-related animal products.
4) Visiting boats should bring their own bait, and not rely on harvesting from Bimini’s fisheries for bait.
5) Bait should be presented down-current from divers.
6) Bull Sharks (C. leucas) should NOT be fed at Bimini’s Great Hammerhead sites. Anyone wishing to dive with Bull Sharks can contact the Bimini Bull Run operation in Alice Town, or utilize a location outside of Bimini’s Great Hammerhead diving zone. (See map attached separately).
            
Navigation & Anchoring
1) Sites used should be in areas that do not damage or disturb nearby reefs, seagrass beds, or other sensitive marine habitats.
2) All boats should make sure their anchors are set in sand.
3) If necessary, divers should set anchors in place on the bottom to avoid dragging.
4) When available, boats should use permanent moorings.
      
Related Etiquette & Protocol
1) Visiting boats should contact the Bimini Tourism Advisory Board (BTAB) prior to their arrival and report the duration of their stay, number of divers, etc.  Email VisitBimini@Gmail.com
2) Visiting boats should coordinate via VHF radio to ensure each boat has plenty of space to operate safely and comfortably.
BTAB suggests a minimum distance of 0.5 miles between each boat when more than one boat is in the area.
3) Visiting boats should be willing to report sightings and observations to the researchers at the Bimini Biological Field Station (SharkLab).  Any divers seen interfering with research or tagging efforts should be reported to BTAB, or the Royal Bahamas Police in Bimini.
4)  “Diver Down” flags must be displayed at all times when divers are in the water.

Regulations & Restrictions
1) All non-Bahamian vessels must comply with Bahamas Customs & Immigration regulations.
2) All production crews must acquire abide by the proper permits from the Bahamas Film Commission
3) All vessels engaging in any fishing activities must comply with the Fisheries Regulations of the Bahamas
4) All visiting researchers must acquire abide by the proper research permit prior to their arrival.
5) All divers and operators should be in possession of necessary certifications and permits.
6) Hooking or catching any sharks, without proper permits and permissions, is prohibited by Bahamian law.
Additionally, Great Hammerheads are especially vulnerable to the stress of being caught, and this should never be attempted without extensive consideration.

Wow.

And Grant Johnson, currently the BTAB's chairman doubles down as follows.

Greetings from South Bimini, 

As some of you may have already seen, the Bimini Tourism Advisory Board (BTAB) recently sent out some guidelines for any and all operators coming to dive with Bimini's Great Hammerheads this winter. 
The BTAB group consists of a wide variety of Bimini's stakeholders and after discussions with the islands businesses, residents, and researchers we've decided that these guidelines represent the best way forward in conducting these dives. Things may change in the future, and deviations from these protocols may have existed in the past, but we'd appreciate your cooperation in conducting these dives in accordance with the current BTAB standards. 

Bimini's Great Hammerhead dives have generated an enormous amount of positive publicity for the island and given a significant boost to the tourism industry here. 
That being said, there has also been some unfortunate behavior from a small minority of the visiting operators. From simple trash-talking to boats making illegal entries into the country, to the outrageously disrespectful act of interfering (removing tags, transmitters, etc.) with ongoing research, we'd like your help in advising these reprobates to stop. We have already alerted the Defense Force, Customs & Immigration, and the local Police of these and other potential concerns. 

If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to contact me. For what it's worth, I'm currently the chairman of the BTAB group, and can make sure your comments/concerns are taken into consideration. Please see below (and attached) for the BTAB Guidelines for Bimini's Great Hammerhead Dives, and help us spread the word amongst any visiting shark divers. 

Thanks for your cooperation. 
Grant Johnson South Bimini, The Bahamas

I say, great stuff.

It reflects much of what I posted back in February and earlier, and having seen who it got sent to, it definitely puts an end to all the potential excuses by the usual serial Shark molesters and media whores. Leaves the intruding foreign liveaboard vessels - but people in the know tell me that there, too, stuff is very much in the making and may be announced shortly.

So godspeed everybody.

Enjoy the beautiful Hammerheads - and this time, fucking behave by respecting the wishes of the locals but above all, by finally respecting the animals!

To be continued no doubt!

 

Bimini - Sharks and Idiots!

Vincent Canabal hand feeding Tiger Shark. We shall come back to that. Source.

Very cool!

CJ has posted another video.

No need to explain as he does that perfectly! :)

Of special interest to me is the apparent lack of aggression between the Tiger and the Bulls - and despite the Tiger's jaw deformity: may those passes at the end of the video be agonism all the way to early jaw gaping?

Anyway.

Enjoy!

Bimini's Hammerheads - doomed?

Source.

Big money or the environment?

You be the judge of that - read this.

The sinister saga of how the Bimini Bay Resort, now renamed into Resorts World Bimini is progressively destroying the island goes on and on and on, with no end in sight.

And the title of this post - too alarmist?

Dunno about the Hammers - but 14 years of research reveal that Doc's Lemons there are now at severe risk, and that the effects extend throughout the whole lagoon and impact critically endangered species like the Smalltooth Sawfish. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to hypothesize that if it hasn't already, this fiasco will surely end up affecting those Hammerheads in particular and Bimini's tourism in general. 

Can this be turned around?

I'm frankly not very hopeful - but the Bimini Blue Coalition and a group of renown researchers are fighting back both in court but also, by exploring viable alternatives, and I invite you to follow their FB page in case they decide to enlist your help. 

But above all, stop giving RWB your business! 

During the next Hammerhead season, stay well clear of that wretched resort: no visits, no berthing, certainly no residing - and if your intruding dive operator is not so squeamish and tries to befuddle you with the usual bullshit, choose a different operator!

Yes I'm talking to you!

You know who you are!

Sharks4Kids - Swimming with Greatness!

Jillian filming a GHH in Bimini - source.

Amazing Sharks, beautifully filmed.
Enjoy!

Bimini - another nice one!

And talking of a handful of good people.

A friend in the know writes.

You pretty much nailed it.... 

A special mention must go out to Andy Murch - who was a proper gentleman when he came to Bimini.

First he sent out email feelers to a bunch of people based in Bimini to ask advice on the best way to do a Hammerhead trip when coming to Bimini. After being advised to use local operators, he followed through on the advice. According to the dive staff on the boat his team and guests were very well behaved and conducted themselves appropriately on all dives.

So there - kudos Andy!

I found this trip report that pretty much confirms everything my friend says - and there are some stellar deep water BRUV videos you don't want to miss.

 

Enjoy!

 

The raping of Bimini!

Money shot - if that doesn't say it all!.

Boy was I wrong.

Remember?

As soon as I posted it, I got swamped with angry e-mails and comments. I didn't post any of them as they were bad for tourism and would have simply led to even more aggro.

But it's getting ever worse, so there.

But first, read this.

And this.

And this.

And this.

And this about the risk of popularizing locations without proper management in place.

It obviously applies to fishing - but it applies equally to all the other competing and mutually exclusive users of that resource, namely the scientists, the operators and the tourists!

And this year, they are all in Bimini.

The usual pathetic gang of hypocritical self promoting media whores and Shark pornographers; the elderly self proclaimed silverback of Bahamian Shark diving who throws around his weight, threatens to sue everybody and hand feeds the Hammers to prove that HE can; most revoltingly, the competing researchers who publicly rubbish the work of the Sharklab; the narcissistic bimbo in her moronic Shark suit; the self declared star photographers with their talentless retinue of camera toting wannabees; the interaction junkies that will never just sit back and admire but must always grab, feed and molest; the Facebook Shark warriors who must post a Hammer to their timeline; the external interlopers who leave nothing on the island but instead cause direct harm to the local economy, tourism and dive industry.

And the list goes on and on and on - it's all there on the blogs, the tweets, the Facebook pages and in the media, because of course in this day and age, nothing has any value whatsoever unless it is being conducted on camera and then paraded to the masses.
They know who they are - and so do you!

And with the notable exception of a handful of good people that find themselves embroiled in this shit, not a single one of those folks gives a fuck about the Sharks.

Forget all the bullshit about how they love the animals, and how what they do helps conservation. It's not about the Sharks, it's all about them - the money, the pathetic little fame, showcasing the most distorted close-up of a Hammerhead, capturing the footage for the next hit piece on Shark Week, enacting the latest in a series of stupid product placements with a Shark in the background, hobnobbing with the celebs - you name it, it's all there.

And they will do whatever it takes to reach their goals, all the way to harassing other divers and resorting to underhanded defamation, public insults and threats, and even fist fights - which is then amply reciprocated by the locals!

And the Sharks?

Yes all those stunts are disrespectful of the local community that has taken the time to pen and circulate a code of conduct that discourages hand feeding and grabbing - but the Hammers don't give a shit.

Like Eli correctly remarks, they come close and allow those interactions because they don't mind - and I may add, very much to the contrary of those terrified Sharks that get hauled up to boats where throngs of hollering teenagers stick on bling, pose for trophy selfies and then take a ride for the cameras once they get released! Yes it's research, some of which vital - but the shenanigans are not, and you may be well advised to clean up your own act before engaging in finger pointing!

And then, there's the fiasco with the Bulls.

A witness with heaps of experience and zero agendas writes.

At the Big Game Club and Marina there is a dedicated program to wow visitors by feeding the bull sharks that frequent the area.
There's even a sign tied at the end of the dock to woo passing boaters to stop and "enter a shark cage and see bull sharks in the wild." At the south dock a floating dock has been installed and a partially submerged shark cage placed there. "Customers" get in the cage and the hosts take carcasses tied to ropes and tease the sharks into a frenzy where they're flopping all over the surface, tails up, heads up, fins up. There are usually eight or more large and girthy bulls present during the feeding and that many swimming under the docks almost 24/7.

These same animals are now being fed, hand fed, teased, pushed, ridden, just outside the gate by anywhere from one to six boats per day. The Bulls come in with high tide, but at low tide hang around Hammerhead Beach. They are now B-list stars of Hammerhead Beach and getting fed by more and more divers under variable conditions on a daily basis. The chum offshore is a big problem. 20 bulls at a time is the norm now. More animals than have been seen in previous years and because of hand feeding they are white hot. They went from nothing out there to a chum tsunami. Not surprised they come in frisky.
The other day my boss, also a diver and captain, saw one guy luring a shark to jump up onto the dive platform of his sportfish in pursuit of the bait he was teasing it with.

The local kids now say they're afraid to swim and I can't say that I blame them.
My concern is that sooner or later a swimmer, a kid with feet hanging in the water splashing, a drunk who falls in is going to be severely if not fatally injured by one of these conditioned and aggregated bull sharks.
One bad bite and there will most likely be an imbalanced and severe response that will lead to the killing of every bull shark in sight and possibly every other shark that is reachable. This would include Doc Gruber's Caribbean reef shark feeding spot and the hammerhead feeding area, too where right now there are many bulls joining in the feeds along with numerous large nurse sharks.

This is serious.

It looks like after the initial cautious approach where there was only a bit of food stimulation, some yahoo at the BBR has obviously decided to jack up the entertainment value by amping up the Sharks; and after last year's shenanigans where Stuart Cove set the precedent by barging in and trying to lure away the animals by dumping several hundred pounds of bait for his usual Shark pornographer friends, it has now become a free-for-all where every idiot believes that he's God's gift to Shark wrangling.

Contrary to the ever more appalling stupidities at Tiger Beach, this is however not happening in an remote completely isolated and thus rather safe location but instead, right in front of the beaches and smack in the middle of heavy traffic by other aquatic recreationists.

It has become a grave public hazard and must be stopped at once.

The locals?

A friend writes.

People on the ground will get hit with the classic and sadly effective industry missives if they do anything to stop the shenanigans:

1. "They're just jealous of our success" 
2. "They're just haters" - (add to this #1 as an extension) 
3. "They haven't done anything for REAL conservation" - (add to this #1 and or #2 as an extension)
4. "They just want all the sharks for themselves" - (add to this #1, #2 or #3 as an extension)

Thus endeth the lesson from the Big Book of, "Stupid Things Shark Industry Folks Say." Please read through chapters 19 and 44 this week, there will be a test Thursday on, "How to finger bang a Hammerhead while denying that you are doing so to a concerned industry and the media." Also please submit your final draft images and videos for shark saddles, and moronic conservation quotes at that time.

Yes maybe - but this cannot be allowed to continue.

They've been warned last year, and this by multiple sources, that this was gonna happen, and that they had one year to set in place the necessary framework for developing this organically - and I'm sorry to say that there has been zero leadership and that they have spectacularly failed.

And now?

Like in other places where self regulation has failed, the regulator must step in. Those stupid antics pose an imminent danger to the local population, and the foreign interlopers are blatantly circumventing if not directly breaking the law.

Solutions?

• Chumming, baiting and feeding.
  The chumming needs to be regulated (limited amounts, designated localities), access regulated and coordinated, hand feeding and luring the Sharks to the surface prohibited, there needs to be a one mile exclusion zone from the coast, there need to be heavy fines for transgressors, jail and confiscation of vessels for repeat offenders, etc. In view of the risks to the general population, this can be decreed and enforced via urgent police ordnance.

• Foreign liveaboards.
  Those are not visiting yachts, those are intruding unregulated businesses. There needs to be business licenses, working permits, tourists need to pay daily fees akin to hotel bed taxes, imported goods like fuel and food need to be taxed, operators must submit to local rules including those of the BDA, etc. I'm sure all of that is already in the law books - now it must be enforced.

• Commercial shooters.
  They are doing business, and they must obtain the necessary licenses and pay appropriate deposits upon entering the country.

Not rocket science is it.

That's how we handle it in Fiji in order to protect our tourism industry, and it works.

Long story short, this is a fucking disgrace.

Everybody has a story and plenty of excuses - but at this stage, it doesn't matter anymore who said and did what. There are no good and bad guys here anymore, everybody is equally complicit in this epic fiasco. And with the season drawing to an end, immediate improvements are unlikely - so let's all just hope and pray that nobody gets nailed by a Shark.

And then, you got to clean up this fucking mess.

You got 10 months time - so stop fretting, grow a spine, take control and just fucking do it.

And then go and earn the money you and the local community so amply deserve to make.

All quiet on the Bimini Front!

Source.

And that's a good thing!

The season is in full swing - and so far, no bitching!

Looks like last year's lessons have been learned, and that everybody is simply trying to experience those magnificient Great Hammers, get along and work towards making this a rewarding season for everyone involved - as it should be!

And, there has been leadership!

The Sharklab has published information about their ongoing GHH research and is asking all divers to report their sightings via the following questionnaire - click for detail.

And the Bimini Tourism Advisory Board has issued a document that provides guidelines and etiquette on best shark diving practices and reads as follows.

Great Hammerhead (Sphyrna mokarran) Diving in Bimini, Bahamas Guidelines and Etiquette, as put forth by the Bimini Tourism Advisory Board (BTAB) 

Attracting and Feeding the Sharks 

1. There shall be no hand-feeding of the sharks. Bait should be presented in a way that does not directly relate divers as food-providers. 
2. There shall be no unnecessary touching or handling of the sharks. 
3. Only fish (Fresh or Frozen) shall be used to feed the sharks. No ‘human food’ or other non-related animal products. 
4. Bimini’s reef fish should not be harvested to be used as bait. 
5. Bait should be presented down-current from divers. 

Navigation and Anchoring 

1. Sites used should be in areas that do not damage or disturb nearby reefs, seagrass beds, or other sensitive marine habitats. 
2. All boats should make sure their anchors are set in sand. 
3. If necessary, divers should set anchors in place on the bottom to avoid dragging.
4. When available, boats should use permanent moorings. 

Related Etiquette and Protocol 

1. Visiting boats should contact the Bimini Tourism Advisory Board (BTAB) prior to their arrival and report the duration of their stay, number of divers, etc. Email VisitBimini@gmail.com
2. Visiting boats should coordinate via VHF radio to ensure each boat has plenty of space to operate safely and comfortably. BTAB suggests a minimum of 0.5 miles between each boat when more than one boat is in the area.
3. Visiting boats should be willing to report sightings and observations to the researchers at the Bimini Biological Field Station (SharkLab)
4. “Diver Down” flags should be displayed at all times when divers are in the water.

 Regulations and Restrictions

1. All non-Bahamian vessels must comply with Bahamas Customs & Immigration regulations.
2. All production crews must acquire proper permits from the Bahamas Film Commission
3. All vessels must comply with the Fisheries Regulations of the Bahamas
4. All visiting researchers must acquire a proper research permit prior to their arrival.
5. All divers and operators should be in possession of necessary certifications and permits.

I say, great stuff!

May this be the best season, ever!

Bimini Hammers!

For once, not one of those boooring distorted super-wideangle shots!

Nice!

Story here - well done Steve!

Let's hope that next year, there will be less shenanigans and more fucking RESPECT!

And here's a nice video.

Enjoy!

In Dangerous Waters!

Source - read it!

Cute.

Nice idea, nice execution considering the likely reduced budget, some mild trichage and even an attempt at a veritable nuit américaine.

And - one glaring factual mistake!
Did you notice?

Anyway, nice job.

Enjoy!

Bimini Hammers - the Best of the Best!

Source - click for detail!

Remember?

And the next season?

From what I hear, the barbarians may be in for a surprise - but worry not, you can still go and witness those fantastic Great Hammerheads! Reputable resorts like the Sands and the Club host local operations that will be happy to take you diving with them - but above all, there is the awesome program by the Sharklab, see at the top! And, go and check out the Sardines!

Way to go!

And since we're at it!
I sure hope you know whom to stay away from - and if not, educate yourself here!

Bimini Hammers - Video!

Source.

Stellar footage!

No wonder - it's by my friends Jillian and Duncan!
It advertizes Neil Watson's brand new dive center at the Bimini Sands - and of course, Bimini's fabulous Great Hammerheads.
What a truly amazingly elegant and beautiful Shark!

Enjoy!

Bimini - another Video!

 Source.

Great stuff, check it out!

Bravo CJ Crooks of the Sharklab!

And the barbarians?

If this post is any indication, they're not anymore at the gates, they are already crashing them - I hear, repeatedly!

Names?

Dunno quite yet if I even wanna bother going there - but think serial purveyors of Shark Porn for Shark Week, and you may have a fair indication of who the perpetrators may be! The question being, will poor Bimini provide for the backdrop to yet another hit piece on Sharks?
I sure hope not - but as always, we shall see!

To be continued no doubt!

Bimini - Video!

For the sake of photos, videos, or bragging-rights, see below!

Nice video!
Aren't these just magnificent animals!

And because this is such a precious resource.

Let me cite from Grant's excellent letter, re-posted by Jillian the Shark Girl.

Due to the rarity of interacting with these sharks, and the incredible potential for research opportunities on an IUCN Redlisted species, local guides and tour operators have resisted the exploitation of this yearly “hammerhead season” around Bimini. It was decided that research should be the priority surrounding this event, rather than commercialization. 

For better or for worse, and against the wishes of many of those involved with developing this phenomenon, that all changed in 2012. 

An off-island SCUBA operator caught wind of the situation around Bimini and convinced a former SharkLabber to show him the basics of how-and-when-and-where to attract these incredible sharks. A year later, after the wide publicization of that promised “one time only” expedition, we now have at least 10 off-island dive operations converging on Bimini to experience this event. 

Anyone coming to dive with these sharks around Bimini needs to accept that there is considerable amount of responsibility that comes with your expedition. 

You hold in your power the ability to do an enormous amount of damage to the reputation of this island and to this endangered species of shark, and hopefully you do not take this lightly. I’m a firm believer that under the right circumstances and with the proper insight, any species of shark can be safely encountered in the wild. 

That being said, I would imagine there is little to no agreement on exactly what those circumstances and insights are. 

But if you think its acceptable to put yourself, or your guests, or the sharks, at any elevated risk for the sake of photos, videos, or bragging-rights, you are wrong. If you or your guests get hurt around Bimini because of your own recklessness, the tourism industry on this island could face irreparable damage, as could the public perception of these sharks, and we want people to take that very, very seriously.

Let me reiterate this.

Somebody needs to take on the leadership role there.

There is indeed considerable dissent in what may constitute the best Shark diving protocols, and because of that, somebody in Bimini needs to come up with a precise, detailed code of conduct. My suggestions are here but in the end, only a local will know what is best in those specific circumstances.

This needs to happen right now.

Bimini - Barbarians at the Gate?

Check out that pic.

Five people found it fit to send it over in e-mails replete with expletives - and yes this would be the daily fare in the life of an infamous watchdog blogger! :)

Prima vista this is certainly disturbing - but having been accused of jumping to conclusions prematurely, let's maybe hear it from the horses mouth first.

Eli, what happened?

This is obviously one of Bimini's Great Hammerheads.

I was first alerted to their existence by Joe's fantastic portrait and then later, by these stellar pics about the research conducted by Doc's Sharklab. And now that the Hammer is out of the bag, so to say, there are reports that everybody, his dog and the dog of is dog are invading the island in search of those elusive images - foremost of which the infamous twins of Discovery Channel Shark Porn made in the Bahamas, Stuart Cove and Gurney Productions! And of course, I hear, everybody is filming for fun and not commercially, lest they would have to, gasp, apply for the proper permits - I mean, seriously, is Discovery really that cheap?
Actually, forget that question!

But I'm digressing as always.

Don't get me wrong here.

It is great that Bimini is experiencing a growing influx of Shark enthusiasts that may, if properly managed, inject valuable long-term tourism dollars into the local economy.

But at the same time, this is already feeling like the proverbial free-for-all where an excess of exuberance may well end up ruining it for everybody - let alone desecrate the hallowed research sites of what is arguably the world's foremost and certainly most revered Shark research institution!

In brief - don't you go messing with Doc's Sharks!

From an initial missive by Tristan Guttridge, Executive Director of the lab.

For the past 23 years the Bimini Biological Field Station, "Sharklab" has been documenting the occurrence of Great hammerhead, S. mokarran sharks around the Bimini Islands.
In 2003 we located an area, "The Grate" where these animals could be baited in for snorkeling experiences and to facilitate tagging and genetic sampling. Last year this site was used for the first time commercially as a scuba diving experience for tourists and in the past two months a number of live-aboard vessels have begun to explore its potential. Whilst we are delighted to see people from around the globe interact with, and observe up close one of the worlds most charismatic predators we are keen to ensure that such experiences are conducted in a safe and responsible manner.

And there's also this open letter.
I must applaud Grant as this is really as good as it gets - kudos!

Indeed, luckily it's by no means too late.

With a bit more of respect and mutual cooperation, this could be turned into a win-win for everybody: Bimini's tourism industry, the Shark divers, Shark research and most importantly, the Sharks themselves! The solution: some of that good old fashioned self regulation for which the diving industry has always been a shining example!

At the risk of being accused of interfering.

We here at BAD sit very much at the junction of where Shark tourism intersects with Shark research, and are continuously learning and always thinking hard about the best ways of improving and promoting both sometimes conflicting sides of that equation.
Here's what I would suggest for Bimini's Shark viewing tourism - for Hammerheads but eventually also for other sites and species.

First and foremost.

• Somebody needs to assume the leadership role.
  The natural candidate for this would have to be the Sharklab which is by definition neutral and also disposes of by far the most comprehensive knowledge base about the local Sharks and potential Shark viewing sites. But this would imply their willingness to devote part of their resources to something ouside of their strictly academic purview, and they may not want to assume that responsibility.
  If so, is there some local tourism org (maybe Grant's?) that could do the honors?

Then, I believe that everybody should agree on a common set of procedures.

They should address the following.

• Snorkeling/free diving or SCUBA?
  This depends on species and possibly also on how the Sharks are being provisioned. Lots of bait/dangerous species = no snorkeling!.
  In the case of Great Hammers that appear to be specialized hunters of Stingrays and smaller Sharks but also Fishes and that as far as I know have never been implicated in predatory attacks on humans, I believe that both is possible and desirable, also in order to maximize the number of potential tourists.

• Baiting or hand feeding?
  We hand feed as we believe that by doing so, we can control the behavior of the (many) animals by controlling the amount of food we introduce. But we're the only operator on site and our feeders undergo many months of training. Also, Great Hammers tend to be solitary so control is not a primary concern and judging from this picture gallery, baiting via rigged baits is an effective and proven technique.
  But you can't have both!
  E.g., the Sharks in Tiger Beach experience both hand feeding and baiting. The result is that TB has become notorious for its beggar Sharks, i.e. Sharks that when there is no feeder acting as a focal point, approach and bump and even maul (!) unsuspecting clients - which to say it mildly is slightly disconcerting!
  We strongly believe that for the sake of the tourist but above all, the animals, protocols should be kept uniform in order to establish a predictable and thus safe routine.
  With that in mind and because not everybody is as good as Eli who really knows what he is doing, and because many oppose hand feeding for perceived ethical reasons: hand feeding is likely to be a no-go.
  And may I strongly advise against indiscriminate dumping, especially from the surface as this precludes any control over the animals' behavior!

• No more than one operator on site at any time - meaning that operators should announce themselves and that outings need to be coordinated (like e.g. in Cocos and the Galapagos)
  Compare once again with TB where multiple simultaneous operators have resorted to out-baiting each other in order to draw the Tigers to "their" side! There's also a risk of overcrowding and according lack of control by the operators. And most importantly - there needs to be coordination with the Sharklab not to interfere with their research!

• No touching, riding or otherwise molesting!
  This I hear has already happened and risks alienating the notoriously shy Sharks. It is I believe also profoundly disrespectful - can't one just fucking watch, capture images and admire?

Further suggestions

• Those bigger liveaboard vessels should install fixed moorings not to unnecessarily disrupt the habitats!

• Visiting vessels should make it a point to contribute to the local economy, e.g. by docking, buying souvenirs, having a meal at a local eatery, taking local tours, even refueling, much along the lines of Grant's letter.
  Ideally tho, clients should be encouraged to fly in and go out with a local operator - whilst staying at e.g. the Bimini Sands and Bimini Big Game that are Shark Free Marinas and that do not contribute to the destruction of Mangroves (and thus, of the Lemon Shark nurseries) like their principal competitor!

• Sharklab researchers should be invited to join in in order to add to their data and maybe even make presentations which would be a big plus for the tourists.

• The Sharklab could develop a simple citizen science questionnaire.
  It could comprise data about numbers, sex, size, presence of tags, simple behavior etc., and operators should encourage their clients to participate. This is valuable science and also great tourism as customers love taking part in research!

• The Sharklab could offer guided tours of the lab.
  Once again, shark divers love that kind of stuff and will undoubtedly be happy to pay a fee or make a donation!

So much for the Hammerheads and Reef dives

And the Bimini Bull Run?

As far as I understand it, it's a caged Bull Shark dive for punters off a dock at the Big Game. If you recall, that's the marina where that jackass hooked one of the resident Bulls, camera running - but those shenanigans are now being contained.

It is totally safe and utterly harmless, and good on them for having set it up.

But - and yes there had to be a but... :)

With experience telling us that it won't be long before some moronic punter will try and do this cageless (to change perceptions and for the Sharks!), may I suggest to prophylactically already develop adequate protocols for dealing with that inevitable eventuality!

Anyway.

As always, just a couple of personal suggestions..

But in the end, these are not my Sharks and this is certainly not my territory - and there are undoubtedly good local people already  looking into this and hopefully, taking charge!

Wishing everybody all the very best of success!