Mobulas and Humpback Whale - Video!

Source.

Behold!

Beautiful isn't it.

As to the behavior of that Humpback, who knows.

It sure is very active, and it also appears to be somehow using its pecs - and with Northern Hemisphere Humpbacks having been shown to use their fins to scoop up Sardines, there may be more to this than meets the eye.

Anyway - enjoy!

Guadalupe - I stand with Mike!

Source.

Oh FFS.
 

Read this and then, watch this  pathetic shit.

I'm being asked to comment, so there - though for you who are eagerly expecting the usual epic pile of blood and gore, I got bad news as the following has been edited by Tashi Blue and is consequently way nicer than the usual fare on this blog.

So sorry! :)

Anyway.

First and foremost, this is obviously very sad.

Stouffer has definitely been grievously injured and may indeed have perished after they managed to shake him free of the cage. But although it sure looks that way, we do not know for sure - and considering that those GWS are incredibly resilient,  he may also have survived against all odds. In fact some guests on that cruise did claim to have seen him again, behaving "strangely", once activities were resumed after the accident.
So fingers crossed that he turns up again in the future.

Secondly.

Mike Lever is a good man and personal friend.

He is a co-founder of GSD and in many personal conversations and decisions I have witnessed, I have found him to be highly ethical, intelligent, professional, and conservation and safety conscious to the max.

But most importantly.

When the authorities issued the new rules, it was actually Mike who first implemented the new cage design - and this incidentally very much against the wishes of some of his clients, see e.g the stupid comments by the insufferable Ms. Cobb right  here!

And this?

CONANP (who  have incidentally done nothing wrong - and have also most certainly taken no bribes!) are clearly mistaken as the relevant measurements are not between vertical bars as wrongly suggested in the infographic here.
Instead, there must be no more than 35 centimeters between horizontal bars as clearly stated in the regulations (= 5.6) here and here, and in the legally binding “Wildlife Sighting Permits” from SEMARNAT.
Now you know - you're welcome!
 
And guess what.

The distance between the horizontal bars of the cage of the Nautilus UnderSea is fully compliant!

Detail detail - but it is all-important!
In brief, the fact of the matter is that Mike Lever's cages are fully compliant, and that claiming anything otherwise  is defamation pure and simple.

And just to be clear: there was no fault by the crew, either.

That Shark was clearly interested in something or somebody inside the cage and decided to change course and charge the cage, twice, entirely voluntarily = it is crystal clear that there was no error in bait handling, no teasing, no goading, nor any other nefarious human behavior leading to the entrapment of the Shark. In fact several experts testify that this is unusual behavior - tho considering that this is a predator and a male, I'm personally not terribly surprised to witness what to me looks like aggressive behavior!

In any case, this is clearly just a freak accident and incredibly bad luck.

Which brings me straight to those pathetic FB posts.

The dude is some insignificant animal molesting macho self promoter who however appears to have great media outreach in Mexico. I note that despite of claiming to be a conservation activist, or whatever, he has never done anything for Mexico's Sharks despite of the country's infamous Shark fishing tradition that is specifically leading to the demise of not one but many of those endangered and protected GWS in Baja.

In fact this was his comment on the Solmar accident.
IMPRESIONANTE huh - and what about him and his YouTubers pals illegally feeding from the cages to attract the GWS who then slam into them. Nice, respectful marketing, too!
Hipócrita anybody?

But that was then - so why the outrage and media circus now.

And why the appalling xenophobic focus whereby the people's anger is being directed more at Mike's nationality than at his claimed breach of the rules.
 

Let's maybe look at some circumstantial evidence shall we.
 

There is the issue of the origin of that video.

This is not the footage from a single camera but actually, it is a small edit from two cameras filming from two different cages. Having been shown this precise edit a while ago, I know for a fact that there's only one possible provenance, and that is from the Nautilus Fleet itself.

And bingo.
Having looked and also asked questions, there's clearly one disgruntled employee who  has a big axe to grind, had access to the video and disposes of good contacts to the media - and lo and behold, she is indeed busy running her foul little mouth behind the scenes.

Yes she did indeed once again manage to get fired.
But not because of some nefarious conspiracy by Mike but instead, for her unbecoming public behavior when she was partaking in a cruise on the NBA as an employee - and yes there are plenty of witnesses to that = you staunch defenders may want to reconsider your position as right now you are frankly looking like total suckers!
BUT, I also notice that it is asserted that

she stated clearly that this was an accident and not the result of human negligence. She also stated that the vessel’s cages are compliant with regulatory requirements and that the crew did everything possible to save the shark, while ensuring the safety of the divers. She did everything, ethically and professionally...!

And then there would be little media man Mauricio.
He doesn't appear to mind helping mooching foreigners as long as they do his bidding - but I hear that he is not amused by Mike's continued collaboration, and support of Domeier and Nicole, and by Mike's opposition to the mooching Sharkwater.
And, he is some sort of consultant to the park authorities who were given the footage. So may the leak have originated with him - and are we really to believe that he does not know the precise rules he helped draft? Questions questions!
And anyway, everybody knows that he will do anything to please those $harkettes - and in turn, Ocean Barbie is all-too-happy to propagate the lies, the more as doing so will undoubtedly add to her reputation - and trust me, it has!
And so it goes, same old same old!

Anyway - long story short?

This is nothing more than an orchestrated hit job on Mike.
 

If one can reproach him anything, it is that he has obviously failed to grasp the potential gravity of the situation and missed getting ahead of the curve and media feeding frenzy by being the first to publicly report the accident. But then again, considering that this was clearly a freak accident, there seemed to be be zero upside in engaging in public self flagellation.
So they did what appeared sensible then, ie inform the authorities and hope that the video would not surface - and NO, there was definitely no need, let alone right for the public to see those horrible images!

But be it as it may, it remains crystal clear that Mike objectively holds no blame for what has happened to Stouffer - not legally which is obviously all-important but also not ethically as nothing unusual/nefarious was done by the crew.

• His cages are fully compliant with the regulations - and therefore, the whole story that he was asked but refused to change their design is nothing but a total fabrication


• He holds no responsibility for the Shark choosing to slam into the cage


• There was an observer on board who immediately informed his superiors about the incident - which totally negates the accusation that Mike was trying to hide the accident from the authorities - and why would he. And he has also neither bribed anybody, nor has he lied.

In fact I am sure that he will be fully exonerated.

And then, there needs to be a reckoning.
The way I see it, Ms Domingo is in an ocean of legal trouble.
Mauricio as the stated source of the leaked video edit quite likely too.

The little macho dude?

He is either fully complicit in fabricating and spreading the slanderous lies, or just simply reckless, unprofessional and stupid for allowing himself to be used. But he is also gleefully milking this story for the advancement of his own reputation as activist and media influencer = $$$.

And for that alone, were I Mike, I would sue his sorry ass for his patently brazen and reckless attempt to destroy my credibility and livelihood  which only serves to deprive Mexico of millions in Shark eco-tourism revenue, and thousands of shark divers from realizing their dreams to observe these majestic creatures.
But that's obviously entirely up to Mike.

To the smirking competitors, THINK.
This is quickly morphing into a runaway train that may well endanger the industry as a whole. Whether you like it or not, and whether you like Mike or not: you're all in this together. So be smart, stop the backstabbing and show some public solidarity. And once it blows over, you can resume hostilities.
But not right now - and anyway, you know the man and know he did not do it.

And the pathetic media frenzy?

It is what it is and like always, it'll blow over - but to you all-knowing couch farting Shark tourism experts and self-appointed criminal investigators out there who know NOTHING but continue to regale everybody with your ultracrepidarian diarrhea: scripta manent, and we shall most certainly remember.
And yes I know I know....

Remains the question of those cages.
I notice that those idiotic proponents of out-of-cage diving with GWS, foremost of which that horrible slimeball Amos, are using this to slam cage diving as being bad for the Sharks.

Obviously there needs to be change.
Rules or no rules - over the years, a few Sharks have died and several have been injured during caged dives, and that is just not acceptable.

But this can be remedied.
E.g. by even more stringent bait handling rules and above all, by even smaller cage openings all the way to using sturdy aluminum mesh like they do in South Africa, Australia and New Zealand.
And to avoid the Sharks getting in and/or the people leaning out, those large openings for the photographers' big dome ports may have to go completely, or be replaced with some sort of transparent viewing ports like in  Hawaii - and fuck the vociferous likes of Ms. Cobb who are financially irrelevant anyway.

But going cageless is nothing but a fool's bet.
Private ventures by intrepid thrill seekers, and professional shoots are one thing - but let there be no doubt that when it comes to commercial Shark tourism, cage diving is the only way to conduct safe and long term sustainable dive operations with White Sharks.
In brief, the cages need to stay - and like I said many, many times, let's please not have the inmates run the asylum.

Anyway.

Let's go Shark diving - sustainably!

To be continued no doubt.

PS - personal declaration, or whatever, by Domingo here = much personal ass covering and vindictive verbiage  - but I equally notice that she does not state that the cage was illegal, or that the crew did anything wrong.
Her assertion that it was she who first informed the authorities because Mike would not is a bold faced lie = during that trip, there was an observer from CONANP who immediately informed his superiors - and no, it was not at all clear, and still isn't, that the Shark had perished.
Plus, again, she was not fired in connection with this accident but instead, for her conduct whilst on a cruise on the NBA - which is of zero importance here anyway.

PPS - Domeier here. Agree - but there can, and should be improvements.

PPPS - Ramon  trying to get his 10' of fame here. Ever since Nicole, he is desperate to remain relevant, with little success - and this total stupidity only makes him look like a cheap opportunist.

PPPPS - Patric here. Agree and disagree. 
YES - getting ahead of the curve would possibly have been good - tho back then it wasn't at all clear that the Shark had likely perished (and even now we do not NOW - see Craig's comments below) = there was most certainly no perceived need for a public mea culpa. 
NO - right now when everybody is hyperventilating, remaining silent is the way to go. 
AND - there will undoubtedly be a reckoning = keep watching this space!

PPPPPS - truly remarkable comments by Craig Ferreira right here. Could not agree more, see above!

PPPPPPS - a friendly GWS cage diving operator writes,

FYI Re: Cage design, I found that shark penetration problems are largely resolved in the positioning, or complete removal of the (trapping) VERTICAL bars within the viewing/camera gaps ... in particular in the corners. Our vertical bars are centrally positioned in the viewing gaps and nosey sharks slide out sideways through the corners.

Excellent suggestion - thanks!

PPPPPPPS -  Craig again here. To cite another authoritative voice,

The sad thing is that the uproar created around this incident does affect shark cage diving around the world, a non-consumptive tourism activity, whilst shark demersal longliners are decimating our shark populations and this where the focus should be. In South Africa, we are seeing a real impact on our shark populations and even our protected white sharks are accidentally caught, but not reported. If only the social media warriors would not be hypocrites and focus on the overfishing versus cage diving which in South Africa is the only official monitoring and conservation of this species taking place

PPPPPPPPS - more pathetic xenophobic showboating, and outright defamation by Allende here. 

PPPPPPPPPS - gloves are definitely off. Talk about being a total hypocrite. But, ride bene chi ride ultimo = keep watching this space!

Comments policy: please comment here and not on FB.

These are our social media platforms and not public chat rooms, and we thus reserve to monitor and/or delete all and everything we do not like. 
Our media our rules!

Parque Nacional Revillagigedo!

¡Viva México!

This really is fantastic news - announcement here, story here.

This is hands down one of the best dive destinations in the world.

You will be witnessing some of the most iconic species whilst being serviced by one of the most professional, most luxurious and safest operators in the industry, GSD member Nautilus Liveaboards.

 

So, what are you waiting for!

 

Beto: Comprometido en salvar a los Tiburones!

Beto - a good man. Source.

Bravo!

This is really, really nice.

Alberto "Beto" Friscione has been diving forever, and his witness account, and passionate and eloquent advocacy for the Sharks are important and very much authentic. Together with Saving our Sharks where he is a founding member, he and Chino have been instrumental in bringing about extraordinary progress, for which they need to be highly commended.

Required watching - enjoy!

Xmas Video!

Remember Pelagic Life and their Call of the Shark Project?

This is the video from their latest Pelagic Safari.

I actually heard of it one month ago in Playa when some of his friends complained that Jero was not only incredibly lucky, but that he also always managed to get the shot on top of that.

And get it he did!
Obviously I love it, as it exemplifies everything that makes the people, and the deeds of Pelagic Life so special.

So without further ado.

Enjoy - and Merry Christmas!

Playa Sardines!

Charlie with one of his girls. Source.

So, I finally went diving with the Caribbean Sardines.

It was great.

Of course I dove with  GSD member Phantom Divers and I must really say that Chino has created an awesome slick, professional, fun and above all, very safe Shark diving machine that is among the best I've experienced anywhere - and yes, witnessing Charlie, and Ramón with their babies has been a special privilege.

Plus, progress on the conservation front has been simply stellar.

Under the leadership of its new full time director Luis Lombardo, Saving our Sharks is progressing from strength to strength, with more than 40 dive shops and dozens of boat captains observing the code of conduct and contributing funds, with substantial money going to fishermen in exchange for not fishing Sharks, with continued research and public presentations by Shark researchers, and with massive outreach to the public and to schools.

Bravo!

And then there was that remarkable tooth.

A present by Ramón who collected it right in front of me, it looks totally different from any Bull Shark tooth we've ever found here in Fiji - and trust me, we've found a few! 

It's the tooth on the left, together with two large Fijian ones - and considering that those Caribbean Bulls are a distinct genetic population with individuals that are notably smaller than those in the central Pacific, its size is simply spectacular. But then again, those are Mexican Sharks - small in size but packing a mighty punch! :)

Click for detail!

Anyway, nice to be home again.

It's the low season when the pregnant Bulls travel to the rivers to pup whilst the others are getting ready for mating and in turn appear to lose their appetite for juicy Tuna heads - but we've got heaps of other Sharks, and this also gives us a chance to focus on the countless Fishes.

It's already hot hot hot - so here's to a tropical depression to suck away some of the heat, as parts of Fiji are already experiencing dangerously hot surface waters.

But that's the topic of another post.

To be continued!

Please help the Sharks of Playa!

Source - and yes that looks like a subadult Bull, a small endangered Hammer and possibly a good-sized Mako.!

We never do petitions, for obvious reasons.

But this is different, so there.

We will make an exception when there's a worthwhile cause, with good people working on the ground, and when that team ask for signatures because it will help them sway their interlocutor, normally some politician or the like. One example was the push to get Florida's Lemon Sharks protected that was spearheaded by the likes of Doc, Walt Stearns and DaMary, etc, and where somebody within the FWC suggested that it would be good to show public support. That endeavor was ultimately successful and I hear that those signatures did in fact help sway the legislators.

And now we have a similar situation in Playa.

The picture at the top documents the latest, and perfectly legal haul by the only licensed Shark fisherman on that coastline. I must also add that that fisherman is the same person who used to target and kill those big Bull Sharks - but a lot has happened since that post, and he has now agreed not to fish for them during the tourist season when they migrate to the region, possibly in order to pup. So there has definitely been progress - but still, those dead Sharks are disturbing, and not anymore commensurate with the many marine conservation and ecotourism projects that are popping up all throughout Quintana Roo.

Hence this petition.

Launched by the outstanding people of Saving our Sharks and as always, very much enabled by my friend Chino of GSD member Phantom Divers, it aims at establishing a no-take zone for Sharks around the local barrier reef system. This follows years of dialogue, cooperation and lobbying with the local authorities, meaning that it has a real chance of succeeding.

This is an excellent undertaking.

Please lend a helping hand by signing the petition.

Thank you.

The Art of Sustainable Lobster Fishing

This is great.
Story here - enjoy!

Phantom Divers join Global Shark Diving!

Behold!

Needless to say that I'm elated.

Ever since I started blogging, about the then problems in Playa del Carmen, e.g. here, Chino and his group of passionate Shark divers at Phantom Divers have been advancing in leaps and bounds.

Thanks to the remarkable progress both in terms of conservation but also protocols, Playa is now  among the very best and most sustainable Shark diving destinations anywhere. This has taken an enormous effort both personally but also very much financially, and I must really commend them for their unwavering tenacity and passion.

So welcome aboard my dear friends - this is highly welcome and highly deserved!

GSD will of course continue expanding, albeit slowly.

We are really fully beholden to our mission and principles, meaning that potential candidates need to undergo a  rigorous vetting process where they must above all document a proven track record in every single one of our principles - and lemme tell you, with every candidacy requiring the consensus by all members, that is a tall order indeed!

But, we're already working on the next candidacy!

Onward and Upward!

HT: Eli, for having made the introductions. Thanks brother! :)

Jawline!

Great video!

This was shot aboard the luxurious Nautilus Belle Amie, the new flagship of Nautilus Explorer & Nautilus Belle Amie. The Nautilus Group are a member of Global Shark Diving, your one stop shop for responsible, safe and long term sustainable Shark diving.

Enjoy!

Vaquita - it' not gonna be easy!

Read this.

Yes as always it is complicated.

All-the-more, huge kudos to the Mexican authorities for having initiated their rescue plan. My sources also whisper that the SSCS may be pondering to try and help by stationing a vessel in the Northern Sea of Cortez. If so, well done and godspeed - tho I fear that persuading the authorities to deputize a pirate ship filled with amateur do-gooders will require some major skills!

Anyway.

Great to see that after all the talk, there is finally meaningful action - so here's to it translating into progress on the ground!

Vaquita - bravo Mexico!

Source - read it!

Read this.

It is good news.

Don't know whether at this stage, it may already be too late - but it's a valiant effort that needs to be applauded.

Contribution by the breathy Whale whacks - a big fat zero. Rather than helping to halt the demise of a critically endangered Cetacean that is rapidly going extinct right on their doorstep, they continue to squander all that energy, emotions and money on non-issues.

And so it goes.

Like I said, this is happening on their watch - and their collective apathy is increasingly hard to fathom and smacks of total hypocrisy.

Nuff said.

Pelagic Life - the Call of the Shark!

This is as good as it gets.

I've been begging Jero to make it public - and here it is.

This is all I love about Pelagic Life, from the stellar images to the stellar interviews to the stellar animals to the great people to the emotional connection they are able to create.

Details here.

Excellent work - the video and the project!

Enjoy!

PS - want to join an expedition?
Details here!

Pelagic Life - something is brewing!

Source.

Watch.

Remember?

Stuff (= much hard work!) has since happened, and they are off to a great start - and this being a mere teaser, you can look forward to a great production that includes everything I love about Pelagic Life!
And btw that's a rarely seen Smooth Hammerhead!

Like I said back then,

These are not some naive tree hugging idealists, these are smart and extremely well connected young professionals who understand the rules and are making realistic, modest plans and  growth projections. And who instead of trying to re-invent the wheel and learn the lessons the hard way, are eager to communicate and learn from other already established ecotourism operators, to then adapt any insights to those local circumstances.

So far, fully confirmed.

Bravo!

Guadalupe - breaking News!

Remember?

Just got this in the mail.

Did you hear that Cantamar got nailed by the mexican authorities for taking over 200 guests scuba diving with white sharks this past season.  The federal authorities have been showing video of what was going on and announcing that they would be taking legal sanctions against Cantamar.

All I can say is, it's about bloody time!

Club Cantamar that operates the Sea Escape and the  Southern Sport has been brazenly flaunting the Biosphere's regulations for years, first by accommodating Amos' idiotic pinnacle expeditions but later on, by "secretly" letting everybody and his dog leave the cage, to the point that now several tour operators and dive guides are regularly offering those illegal trips to their "special" customers.
This is a small world and I personally know of more than 10 people that have done it - and I wasn't even investigating, meaning that the number of 200 is certainly absolutely plausible! And anyway, we've all seen those images because those idiots cannot even keep a secret but continue to flaunt their heroic feats on the social and even the mainstream media - meaning that the authorities got heaps of evidence to back up their case!

Now we wait.

Mexico being Mexico, a phone call by somebody connected could still derail everything - or not.

So here's to the end of the stupid shenanigans!

Vaquita - a Glimmer of Hope?

Source.

Maybe!

Read this.

If implemented, this last-ditch solution is certainly a bold effort - but it's really little more than clutching at straws, and alas I'm not terribly hopeful. The poaching for the Totoaba is an eminently intractable problem, and the Vaquita may be already functionally extinct.

Anyway.

Bravo, and fingers crossed!

Vaquita - last Call!

It's nearly over.

The Vaquita is about to go extinct.

The reason - accidental entanglement in gill nets of poachers targeting the Totoaba, once again an expensive and totally useless Chinese "delicacy".

Article here.

And the SSCS, defender of Cetaceans?

Nowhere in sight but instead, wasting time and money on non-conservation issues - which begs the question, what does that "C" really stand for? Anyway, you may want to remember that when they once again ask for your money.

And you Whale huggers in the USA?
This is happening on your watch, just south of the border.
Maybe you want to get off your slacktivist arses and do some guarding there and not in Japan!  

Fucking PRIORITIES anybody?

Sustainable Shark Diving - Progress!

Divers and Fiji Bull Sharks by Ozzie Sam - simply amazing! Click for detail!

I've just got some excellent news.

No I can't divulge anything quite yet - but soon! :)

But I can reveal that the global Shark diving industry is about to experience a whole array of excellent initiatives that are all pursuing the aim of creating a more eco-friendly and sustainable product that will positively impact business but above all, the Sharks.
This is a topic I am passionate about (yes that would be a whopping 69 blog posts, and counting!), and I must really say that I am elated to witness the sheer caliber of the people an orgs that have decided to tackle this thorny issue.

Case in point!

This is obviously under construction - but I happen to know the person behind it and have no doubt that the end result will be nothing short of stellar.

Keep watching that space!

Or check out this remarkable document.

This is the results of many years of quiet and extremely difficult behind-the-scenes efforts to reform the Shark diving industry in Playa del Carmen. Saving Our Sharks is the brain child of Chino Loria, the ever busy and ever overworked owner of Phantom Divers and I must say that I am deeply impressed by the progress to-date.
Chino has invested literally thousands of man hours and thousands of his own hard-earned dollars into sponsoring research, advocating Shark conservation, establishing a productive dialogue with the local and national authorities and dealing with the local fishermen - and this (quasi miraculous!) common code of conduct is going to project the local Shark diving industry to the next level and make it sustainable and profitable for many years to come.

Huge congratulations!

And let me add this.

Whilst all those pathetic self promoters and media whores post breathy announcements and celebrate their non-achievements in the social media, the people that really do the heavy lifting do nothing of the kind. They're not in it for the glory or for the money, they do it because they care deeply about the animals and simply want to do what is right - and if you happen to know about some of them, it is inevitably only because others have praised them, as it should be!

Think about it please.

And please, stop admiring and giving your money to those self promoting impostors.

Bad News for the Vaquita.

Fish bladders - driving the Vaquita into extinction.

Read this.

Poor Vaquita.

Since that post 4 years ago, the situation has become all-but hopeless - not because of targeted persecution but as collateral damage of the hugely lucrative and criminal trade in yet another, now critically endangered species favored by the Chinese cuisine and medicine.

And the SSCS, self proclaimed saviors of Cetaceans?

Still nowhere in sight - there is no blood and gore = television ratings to be had here, so why would they bother. Instead, they continue to waste time and scarce donor money in Taiji - and yet, not a single one of those Dolphins is threatened with extinction.

Gorditas!

Source.

Pero un poquito pequeñitas! :)

As always, great job by Chino and Charlie!
And... I'll just pretend I didn't notice those force fins...

Enjoy!