Royalty!

Who are the iconic ladies that make the BAD boys smile? Click for detail!

Wow what a day!
We had the great honor and immense pleasure of hosting a gaggle of intelligent, passionate and just simply genuinely lovely Shark conservation people for a day of Shark diving, bonding and epic conversations. Among them were two ladies who are truly the crème de la crème of the Shark diving community and who both happen to be Women Divers Hall of Famers.
Lemme tell 'ya, it doesn't get much more iconic than that!

So there, here's your chance to partake in this momentous event.
If you manage to correctly identify both ladies, you can win one full week of diving with Beqa Adventure Divers, meaning several outings to Shark Reef Marine Reserve for the Fiji Shark Dive but also several reef and wreck dives in the famous Beqa Lagoon.

Rules.

• First one to answer correctly on this blog (NOT on Facebook) wins
• Personal friends of those ladies do not qualify
• People who already know that those ladies are here do not qualify
• Please only answer if you truly intend to accept the price - if not, leave that opportunity to others
• Ditto if you already dive with us FOC
  
• The initial prize consists in seven full days of diving. After one day, I will post a clue and the prize drops to six days; after another day, I will post another clue and the prize drops to five days, etc.

May the fun begin! :)

First Clue - 6 days of diving: Jeremiah Sullivan.

Congratulations to Mark Gray for having submitted the correct answer!
Here are the ladies!

Cristina and Valerie - true diving icons (yes those are links -read them!) - and by the way - I was right! :)

'Nuff said!

Busy!

Indeed!
Thanks Rick - and I must say, the soundtrack is way, way better than last time! :)
Video here.

Shades of Grey - awesome!!!

Shades of Grey - you must click on this and then view it in full screen!

Mark Montocchio has done it again!
This is simply breathtaking photography and once again, he has posted an equally stellar Getting the Shot video.

What can I say, the man is amazing!
Enjoy - and you will!



And here's the Marlin shot, One Second!

Australia's GNS - thank you Shark Savers and Underwater Thrills!

Hopefully, this is going to create some traction.
Shark Savers have very graciously posted this action alert about the situation of the Grey Nurse Sharks in New South Wales. Theirs is a seriously popular blog linking into a seriously popular Facebook page, very much like the always enormously helpful Underwater Thrills who have re-posted my piece pretty much straight away.

Hopefully, this combined fire power will translate into many comments!
This is a political, not a scientific debate (the science is rock solid and demands fishing bans) and many comments advocating a fishing ban at all GNS aggregation sites are likely to really make a difference!

Vinaka vakalevu, much appreciated!

Excellent News from Florida!

Smooth Hammerhead - one of the more uncommonly encountered species

Please check out this excellent post.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is considering protecting Tiger Sharks and three species of Hammerheads, Great, Scalloped and Smooth.

I am sure that many good people will get involved.
Personally, I will continue following the advice of DaMary. She is not only a dear personal friend but she has a stellar track record of getting things done. It is very much her enthusiasm and level handed guidance that have been instrumental in co-ordinating the activist effort last time when Florida ended up protecting the Lemons. Since that time, Mary has graciously integrated her Shark Safe Network into the bigger umbrella of Shark Savers of which she is now a Director.

I shall continue reporting about events as they unfold.
Should you wish to get personally involved, please consult the SS Blog where Mary, a Florida resident, will undoubtedly continue to post the latest news, timely and pertinent information, recommendations and action alerts, as she always does.

Let's get this thing sorted!

Behold - the Bible!

Finally!
This is what every Shark aficionado has been waiting for - for a very very long time indeed!
The Sharks of North America continues the tradition of the iconic The Sharks of North American Waters of which I own, and still consult an original 1983 copy.
Dr. José I. Castro is a fisheries biologist with NOAA and a senior scientist at Mote Marine Laboratory and this book is truly Castro's labor of love. Having heard of his meticulous attention to even the smallest detail, I particularly look forward to admiring the book's artwork. From what I hear, the drawings are simply stunning and constitute the first ever collection of one hundred percent accurate depictions of those Sharks.

Required purchasing!

PS and here's David's Angular Roughshark in action!

Two views of Cocos!

Check out this epic video, as always from the BBC.



Alas, this is not the whole story.
Once again, kudos to CNN for continuing to embrace the cause of Sharks.

Excellent Info for Shark Conservationists!

Heartbreaking - click for detail!

Overview

• Commercial fisheries targeting sharks exist throughout the world. Sharks are sought primarily for their fins (for shark fin soup) and their meat but also for their cartilage,liver and skin.


• 73 million sharks are killed every year, according to a 2000 analysis of the Hong Kong shark fin trade. Many scientists estimate that at least 100 million sharks are killed annually, including sharks caught for other products, such as meat.


• Shark populations have declined by as much as 70 to 80 percent, according to global reports. Some populations, such as the porbeagle shark in the northwestern Atlantic and spiny dogfish in the northeastern Atlantic, have been reduced by up to 90 percent.


• Thirty percent of all shark and ray species are now Threatened or Near Threatened with extinction, and accurate scientific assessments cannot be done on an additional 47percent of the species because of a lack of data.


• The highest numbers of reported shark landings are from: Indonesia; India; Taiwan, Province of China; Spain; and Mexico.


• The catching of sharks in fisheries that target other species (bycatch)is frequently reported in open-sea longline fisheries targeting tuna and swordfish and can represent asmuch as 25 percent of the total catch. This bycatch is considered to be a major source of mortality for many shark species worldwide.


• Blue sharks make up a particularly large proportion of shark bycatch in open-sea fisheries (47 to92 percent).


• The value of shark fins has increased with economic growth in Asia (particularly China), and this increased value is a major factor in the commercial exploitation of sharks worldwide. One bowl of shark fin soup can cost US$100.


• Sharks play an important role in maintaining the structure and function of the ecosystem. They regulate the variety and abundance of the species below them in the food chain. Impacts from the loss of sharks can be felt throughout the entire marine environment.


• Live sharks have a significant value for marine ecotourism (such as recreational diving, snorkelling, and shark watching) that is more sustainable and often far more valuable than their worth to fisheries. Whale shark tourism, for example, is estimated to be worth $47.5 million annually worldwide, and shark tourism activities in the Bahamas generate $78 million annually for the Bahamian economy.


• To reverse declines in shark populations, shark sanctuaries should be established, and strong, science-based management should be put in place by all fishing countries and international bodies that regulate shark fishing and trade
  

Once again, I must commend the Pew.
They have just published Sharks in Trouble: Hunters Become the Hunted and I must say, this is now the Bible for Shark conservationists.
Required reading!

Kudos also to Bush Warriors for this piece.
It's an excellent overview and contains very useful tips for anybody wanting to get active. But before you embark on your crusade: do your homework first!

Fiji underwater - nice!

Kudos to Andrey.
In only a few days, he has managed to collect a very nice portfolio of images of the Fiji Shark Dive and of the awesome coral gardens of Beqa Lagoon.
Enjoy!

Thank you Shark Girl - again!

Proudly BAD: Lui, Fabi, Silio, Netani and Vili!

Quick-quick.
I'm once again beholden to Jillian aka the Shark Girl for a very honorable mention of BAD on her blog.

I'm sure that I am also speaking for Stuart of Matava when I say that we are proud of the role Fiji has played in promoting the idea of the Shark Free Marina Initiative. The success in Fiji was certainly instrumental in proving that the then completely novel concept was very much a viable one.

Very much looking forward to the Fiji PSA!

PS This all thanks to Patric who got the ball rolling - his take here.

NSW Grey Nurse Sharks - Recommendations!

Hooked and permanently disfigured GNS

Sorry for the protracted silence.
We're currently extraordinarily busy, all good but very time consuming, and for the next couple of weeks, feeding the blog will unfortunately have to remain a low priority.

But this is important and urgent, so there.
Mark Gray has graciously posted some highly useful comments on my last post about the GNS. Mark is of course none other than the award winning dive pro of Sundive in Byron Bay and as such, he very much represents the POV of the Australian GNS dive community - and very likely, that of the scientific community with whom they collaborate as well. These are the people who dive with and photograph those GNS and who regularly try and rescue them when they fall victim to the local fishermen.
Here's another one of those stories, and the according video.



Anyway, here's the situation in a nutshell - please consult the links.
Following the election of a new pro-fishing Minister, the fishing ban around Fish Rock and Green Island has been revoked pending the result of a public consultation. The NSW Department of Primary Industries has published a discussion paper and there are an online page and a submission form where one can post comments.

This is principally about Fish Rock and Green Island.
Here's an older video by Mark showing the aggregation of Fish Rock which is very much one of the most important such sites needing urgent comprehensive protection!



Other sites are rather well protected, but in South West Rocks, the closest community on the coast, there is a strong fishing lobby that has convinced the Minister to repeal the recent protection at those iconic dive sites. At the same time, the Department is looking at unifying and streamlining the rules governing all the known aggregation sites of the GNS, namely

• Julian Rocks (Byron Bay),
• Fish Rock (South West Rocks),
• Green Island (South West Rocks),
• The Pinnacle (Forster),
• Big and Little Seal Rocks (South of Forster),
• Little Broughton Island (North of Port Stephens),
• Magic Point (Maroubra – Sydney),
• Bass Point (Shellharbour),
• Tollgate Islands (Batemans Bay),
• Montague Island (Narooma)

some of which are Commonwealth Marine Reserves and some of which, like Fish Rock and Green Island, are merely declared to be Critical Habitats, see the map in the discussion paper. The paper lists further major aggregation sites that are currently not being protected.

Please, help those Sharks by submitting your comments.
From my discussion with Mark and others, the following may be a good way to go about it. Keep in mind that the GNS are already protected in NSW. This is about protecting them against accidental injury when they take the hooks of fishermen who target other Fishes. I am being told that it would be useful if your submission would include the following requests - ask for the maximum keeping in mind that the political process will likely result in some sort of weaker compromise.

• That Fish Rock and Green Island be declared a Commonwealth Marine Reserve (CMR).
• That Mermaid Reef and South Solitary Islands be recognized as Critical Habitats (CH).
• Citing the unequivocal scientific data that reveal the extraordinarily vulnerability of GNS to injury by fishing gear, that all recreational fishing (there are other rules governing commercial fishing) be banned from all known GNS aggregation sites (list them as per above) regardless of whether they are CMR, CH or not yet protected.

The online submission form does not have provision for opinions from overseas.
This is obviously biased as a lot of overseas visitors come and visit Fish Rock and Green Island as it has been commented that its one of the top Australian Dive Sites.
The following suggestions have been made for submission from overseas

• The zip code of 2431 is the post code for South West Rocks which is the nearest town and port for those visiting Fish Rock and also the home of the biased fishermen also. Maybe as part of the counting of submission those from the “local” communities may have more weight.
• Another option is to put down care of South West Rocks Dive Centre, Gregory St, South West Rocks, NSW 2431.

OK this is basically it.
It reflects what I understand will be most useful and most effective - but if anybody in the know wants to propose another modus operandi, please do not hesitate to correct me!I have to rely in what I am being told, am not a party and have no hidden agendas, and merely want to assist in the best possible way.

Vinaka vakalevu!

PS: thank you Brendan for providing for this link to the Australian Marine Conservation Society.

PS2: Petition here. My intuition tells me that having many people write unique personal comments directly to the Department of Primary Industries as per the above is likely to be more effective than having one single org, however reputable, forwarding the opinions of many people. But to each his own.

Saving the Planet?

I of course totally disagree with the bit about saving endangered species.
Yes the vast majority of species (if you got time: important discussion here) that have ever lived on Earth have gone extinct - but not only because they have been wiped out, many have disappeared because they have evolved into new species. The present Biodiversity crisis is however human induced and for this fact alone, it behooves us to at least try to stem the present decline.

But what about the Planet?
Food for thought - and very funny, too!

Sushi: The Global Catch

Whilst I'm waiting for some more GNS info from Oz, check this out.
It's an upcoming movie about the depletion of marine apex predators, foremost of which the Bluefin.

How did sushi become a global cuisine? What began as a simple but elegant food sold by Tokyo street vendors has become a worldwide phenomenon in the past 30 years.

Sushi: The Global Catch is a feature-length documentary shot in five nations that explores the tradition, growth and future of this popular cuisine. Beautiful raw pieces of fish and rice now appear from Warsaw and New York to football games in Texas towns.

Sushi, a cuisine formerly found only in Japan, has grown exponentially in other nations, and an industry has been created to support it. In a rush to please a hungry public, the expensive delicacy has become common and affordable, appearing in restaurants, supermarkets and even fast food trailers. The traditions requiring 7 years of apprenticeship in Japan have given way to quick training and mass-manufactured solutions elsewhere.

This hunger for sushi has led to the depletion of apex predators in the ocean, including bluefin tuna, to such a degree that it has the potential to upset the ecological balance of the world’s oceans, leading to a collapse of all fish species.

Can this growth continue without consequence?

Rather ridiculous!

Click for detail!

Yes I know I know... :)

John H. Harding - Wow!

Original hand colored advertising glass slide - story here.

I must confess, I did not know who John H. Harding is.
I've just stumbled upon him by pure happenstance and it has taken me quite a while to find a short bio and a recent picture on his Taiwan blog.

But what totally blows me away are his other blogs!
I cannot thank John enough for having taken the time to publish his priceless collection of memorabilia.
There are TheJohnHarding and SeaUW that showcase people and scenes from the heroic old times of Australian spearfishing, diving and marine cinematography featuring legendary icons like Ron and Valerie, Rodney Fox and Stan Waterman but also a plethora of other folks I've never heard about, likely equally very much owing to my own ignorance. Keep in mind that in the 60ies and 70ies, I was a little kid collecting butterflies in the mountains of land locked Switzerland!

Click for detail!

And then, there are the simply stunning pictures of early encounters with charismatic animals. Those were completely different times and those encounters often resulted in death, especially in the case of Sharks that were regarded as the ultimate cowardly villains and executed.

Yes, totally incomprehensible by today's standards!
But, all those surviving early pioneers have now reverted to Shark conservation - with one exception. I cannot begin to tell you how much I despise that creature and was actually hoping that he had finally disappeared - but fear not, the clock is ticking!

And then, there's FathomOz.
It features Underwater photographs by John Harding from his time as Editor of Australia's best marine magazine and once again, all I can say is WOW! I've obviously searched for Sharks and cannot believe my eyes!
My very favorite picture of all times - this one, for obvious reasons!

Anyway, I am clearly getting sentimental.
Please, do take the time to explore this totally amazing treasure trove of Ozzie diving history.
Totally and utterly amazing!

Enjoy!

Australian Snubfin Dolphins - appalling!

The decomposed bodies of the two discarded Snubfin Dolphins.

More bad news from Oz.
The Australian Snubfin Dolphin has only been described since 2005 and is considered near threatened, this however with the caveat that there is data deficiency and that the population may well qualify for endangered status. It is primarily threatened by encroachment and anthropogenic habitat degradation and like its unfortunate and nearly extinct cousin the Vaquita, by accidental drowning in gill nets and Shark nets. These are apparently small isolated populations and the loss of even a few individuals may result in the demise of those local populations.
With that in mind, this story is particularly appalling.

Kudos to the WWF for looking into this.



Full story here.

NSW Grey Nurse Sharks - Leadership please!

Permanently disfigured GNS, Fish Rock - just one of many injured Sharks.

Ms Hodgkinson will obviously not be swayed.
Her appalling decision to repeal the fishing ban around Fish Rock and Green Island stands and it is time to move on and to focus on the future.

The NSW Department of Primary Industries has started its public consultation.
I have read the discussion paper and must commend whoever has authored it for having produced a comprehensive and equitable representation of the issue at hand. As always, it is rather complicated and in essence pits Shark conservation against the interests of the aquatic user groups.

Now, before anybody starts being active.
This is not about screaming, wait for it: No Sharks, No Oxygen, No Future! in order to educate the NSW government and convince them to enact protection for the GNS. Very much thanks to the advocacy by Valerie, GNS are already a protected species in NSW and in several other Australian states.
From what I understand, and please do correct me if I'm wrong, this is about balancing the high vulnerability of GNS to harassment and accidental hooking against the totally legitimate aspirations of the fishermen but also other aquatic recreationists, see the example of the underwater scooters, to have access to the ocean. It is also about identifying and protecting the most critical GNS habitats and about eliminating inconsistencies in the rules governing the utilization of those areas. In essence, this is a question of zoning and resource management.
As I said, this is complicated and finding solutions will inevitably imply a high degree of knowledge about specific local circumstances.

From what I can sense, the cards are not stacked in our favor.
The track record clearly shows that the "other" side is well organized and politically well connected, and I fully expect their submissions to be well coordinated, well presented and smart. As a minimum, the submissions by the Shark protection advocates need to be equally impressive and not just a motley collection of ideas and opinions, however brilliant - and right now, this is where it appears to be heading, with different advocates urging the public to please write something.
That is just not quite good enough.

With that in mind, there is an urgent need for leadership.
Could somebody in the know please step up and co-ordinate the conservation effort.
Maybe draft several well supported templates for submissions by the different stated Australian interest groups (but also including one for Shark diving tourists!) and post them online. Or maybe, draft a new specific campaign letter (this one is probably too general) to which Shark advocates can adhere.
I'm just suggesting, maybe there are other more effective strategies.

Possible candidates?
Maybe the Nature Conservation Council of NSW? Maybe the concerned dive operators? Maybe the good folks of Spot a Shark? Maybe (probably not!) a political party? Maybe one of the Australian Shark research institutions? Maybe one of the global Shark conservation NGOs, maybe via a local proxy? Maybe a coalition of some of the above?

Consultations end on August 26.
That's not a lot of time for coordinating a unified and effective campaign and for then collecting a multitude of pro-Shark comments by the public.

Can somebody please step up to the plate.

RJD + Summit Series - Video!

Cool testimony!
This is once again about Neil's tagging gig with the Summit honchos.
Story here.

Enjoy!

The Trailer!

David Diley on location in Mallorca

Behold the trailer of Behind Blue Glass!
Which automatically answers the question about Manchester vs Fiji Time - in Fiji Time terms, one week is lightning fast and I already very much look look forward to witnessing David's tribulations in trying to get anything done at that pace once he hits our shores! :)

Great job buddy!
Now, we obviously want to see the whole enchilada, namely
Filmed on location in Mallorca, "Behind Blue Glass" tells the story of Mallorca's history and tradition with the Great White Shark and in which, seven unwitting volunteers come face to face with sharks and in doing so, send out a powerful message in favour of the conservation of these awe inspiring animals.

Did I read Not long to wait now ;) ? Meaning... ?
No pressure! :)

"Behind Blue Glass" Trailer (1080p HD) from David Diley on Vimeo.

Real Viking Stuff!

One never stops learning!
Turns out that there's two breeds of Vikings.
There's the southerly wimps from Oslo who insist on using semi-dry wetsuits even when diving in balmy tropical waters - but we love them never the less, be it only because that makes them so endearing!

And then, there's the Real Deal, the fierce northerly stock who are quite obviously the direct descendants of the indomitable Norsemen.
Case in Point!

Feeding Tiger Sharks!

Very interesting!

Enjoy!


"Savage"? I would say, rather the opposite!


Story here.

Shark Diving AND Shark Fishing? Probably not!

Hooked Tiger Shark - from the Sharkbite Charters' Facebook gallery.

This is a difficult one.

~Please help educate these "shark divers." For The Sharks!! >~xo:] x
like a well meaning Shark activist advocates?

The question being, who needs educating.
This is the answer of Karl Callwood to the critics of the Shark fishing video he has posted here. Karl is the Chief of staff, Chief Researcher/Communications Officer/Photographer at Senator Celestino A. White, Sr., from everything I can discern very much the contrary of a brain dead Shark hater.
Please do read it and above all, understand what is being said!

‎1) The shark swallowed the bait and tackle whole. It could not be humanely released. The LAW actually states that an unreleasable shark MUST BE BOATED. To do otherwise would be inhumane and illegal. Alisa...how do you know that we did not even try? You are looking at edited video from three different cameras. The sequencing in the video is not even the order that actual events took place. The video is even longer than the actual harvesting.

2) Would you all have preferred that the mortally wounded shark be wasted or provide natural, organic food for St. John families?

3) The Tiger Shark is not a protected, endangered or threatened species. The video is NOT about a sport fishing trip. That is a legally operating commercial fisherman with all licenses and permits in place. Just this past week both NOAA and DPNR inspected the operation and passed it with flying colors. The shark in the video was a foot and a half larger than minimum take size. There are also no limits to how many tiger sharks can be boated at one time by a commercial fisherman. Threatened and endangered shark species have such limits.

4) I love sharks as a living animal, I photograph them 5 days a week in the wild, I know more about them than most people, and I WILL eat non-threatened species. Oh, I also photograph and love Mahi Mahi, Wahoo, various snappers, Hinds, cows, chickens, goats, lambs, deer, duck, etc. and eat those as well.

5) We live on a 13 mile long island that is barely two miles at its widest point. Our supply line for commercially processed foods is at a minimum 1270 miles of shipping across the ocean. Do you know how huge the carbon footprint is to ship food to the Virgin Islands? Do you know what freighters leave behind in the water during passage? Do you know how much commercially processed food costs here? (On average three times more than you pay for food on the mainland.) Do you now that imported food comes in packaging, much of it PLASTIC, that then has to be processed as waste on this small island? Do you know that much of the disposed of commercially processed food packaging has to be shipped off island for disposal at a high carbon footprint and national taxpayer cost? Fishing that shark was much more environmentally friendly than going to the grocery store to buy dinner.

6) By varying catches among all permitted species using sustainable fishing methods we engage in a much more environmentally sound practice than grocery shopping. Many species have been over fished in the islands (much of it by outside parties raiding our fisheries to sell elsewhere in the world, some done in the past by local fishermen using practices now properly outlawed), however the Tiger Shark is NOT one of the over fished species. It has long been a part of the indigenous diet and is so common that an extensive federal review of our fisheries a little over two years ago saw no need to add restrictions on local commercial fishing of Tiger Sharks.

The arguments everyone presents above are extremely emotional and not based on fact or scientific evidence. Finning has never been a practice of locals and basically the entirety on any catch, shark or otherwise, is utilized. In the states you cut off fish heads. Here we eat them. We cannot afford to waste food like fat America can. Inedible parts of fished creatures wind up as bait or other needed products. We do not export anything from our fisheries. It is all used locally.

There is no way that a main lander, with an easily accessible nutrition supply line, higher standard of living and greater average income can make a comparison to a tiny island 1200 miles at sea. There is not enough arable land for agricultural production of meat product. We rely on a continuous daily train of large freighters loaded with hundreds of 40 foot containers each or we rely on the sea. Or we starve.

A sanctimonious and condescending lecture from a position of 'food luxury' is going to fall on my deaf ears. You all do not know what you are talking about. You truly are not in a position to judge...only to frustrate yourselves.

I love my sharks. I have rescued trapped and injured sharks. I swim with them. I take tourists every weekday to see them and be photographed with them. I also am the first and loudest (as has been occasioned in the past) to publicly and legally jump all over someone engaging in unsustainable hunting or fishing practices. And, of course, I continue to eat my sustainably caught and harvested species...such as Tiger Shark.

You only have your unfounded assumptions and have no scientific basis upon which to change my mind.

I would have to agree - and yes, I'm not anymore so sure!
Tiger Sharks are not acutely threatened. Being aplacental viviparous and contrary to most placental viviparous Carcharhinids that have a two-year breeding cycle, they can reproduce every year and have relatively large litters of up to 100 pups. In fact, many populations of Tiger Sharks are very much on the rebound.
With that in mind the question is, is it OK for people to harvest and eat a Fish if that Fish happens to be a Shark?

Once again, it is a question of sustainability, not ethics.
This is a central theme of this blog - e.g. here and here and here and here.
If the situation in St. John is how Karl describes it, and I have no reason to believe it is not, and if this is happening only sporadically, then harvesting a few Tiger Sharks for food may indeed be both perfectly sustainable and more ecologically sound than the possible alternatives. Then again, Patric's testimony may signify that the stocks in the USVI are just too small for any sustainable harvesting - we just don't know do we.

Do I like it - Hell, no!
Tigers are one of the coolest Sharks and seeing them being killed is terribly sad, especially when this is being publicized in the crude way Karl has chosen to do. Yes I know it's only a fishing video and nobody would have said anything if the Fish were a mere Mahi Mahi or the like - but of course, I love Sharks and it breaks my heart.

Solutions?
In general terms, it is to advocate Shark protection all the way to Shark fishing bans as Shark Defenders suggest. Once again, this cannot happen in a vacuum but must be flanked by all other necessary measures, especially when it comes to emerging economies.

And in this specific case?
From what I can discern, Captain Andy Greaux, a commercial fisherman, is aiming at expanding his Sharkbite Charters into a Shark diving outfit. Shark diving tourism is one of the few proven alternatives to fishing for Sharks and with that in mind, I wish him the very best of success.
But for Working on the scuba gear now. Getting the tanks hydro'd, visualized and filled, having the B.C.'s and regulators and dive computers inspected. Welder still working on the shark cages. to ever become a successful investment, Andy will very likely have to make a choice about what is more important and economically viable for him.

This is the choice.
He can either continue killing those Tigers, or he can showcase them to his clients. Not both.
Doing both will simply not work as apart from the fact that one of his businesses would be depriving the other of its principal attraction and thus assets, the overwhelming majority of divers will simply not book with a dive operator who engages in fishing. No it's absolutely not logical as the same divers will then insist on ordering fresh Fish for dinner - but it is a fact and thus an important economical consideration when setting up his business.
But it's a classical chicken-and-egg conundrum: will Andy have to stop killing Sharks in order to attract Shark divers, or will the Shark divers convince him to stop killing Sharks.

My gut?
This is going to be an economical decision.
The guy is merely trying to make a living and has obviously zero time or patience for "ethical" and as the thread progresses, increasingly strident and moronic lecturing - nor would I in his place!
This is not the proper way to effect change and to save Sharks!

We, too, have a choice.
We can either continue to berate him in public and continue to trigger the reactions we have triggered. Or, we may consider giving him our business and hope that the income and also, some private conversations once we are there and can talk face-to-face may help sway his mind in favor of keeping those Sharks alive.
That is exactly how we were able to reform (as opposed to browbeat) our local fishermen here in Fiji, by providing for sources of alternative income!

Or as Karl says
Boycott tourism thus leaving fishing as the only means by which natives can afford to feed themselves. Boycott Sharkbite Charters forcing Andy to fish even more for a living. Ya gotta love the logic. :)

Think about it.

PS All videos and threads have been removed.
The question being, did this exercise in outrage and abuse (interesting thread here) save one single Shark in the USVI.

Julie Andersen on French TV

Wolfgang is correct.
One can always differ about people, styles, statements and strategies and still recognize that Julie Andersen cares deeply about Sharks and that Vu du Ciel - Les héros de la nature - Julie Andersen (check for typos!) on France3 is excellent pro-Shark media.
Kudos.

The embedding feature is disabled (?) but you can watch it here.
Enjoy.

Atlantic Fisheries - mixed News!

The good news first.

I remain a huge fan of ex freedom fighter Maria Damanaki and her unshakeable commitment to tackle the various afflictions of the European fishing industry.
She has declared war on overfishing, the completely ineffective and economically nonviable subsidies, poaching and discards. What I also totally like is her idea of automatically reducing the fishing quotas of those members who fail to report their catches, very much along the lines of the precautionary principle.
Her proposals are now going to enter a consultation process and undoubtedly get watered down - but something will survive even the fiercest lobbying and thus, there will be progress.
I say, well done - as so often!

Now, once again, about those poor Tuna.
NOAA in its wisdom has decided not to accord the Northern Bluefin Tuna protection under the Endangered Species Act. Not good, tho I can somehow sympathize, as the Western stocks are certainly more robust and way better managed (read it, it's a great resource!) than the eastern stocks, especially in the Med.
The Tuna however remain a "species of concern" and a new assessment will be made by early 2013.

NOAA is also imposing new weak hooks.
It's about trying to reduce the Bluefin mortality in the Gulf where spawning Bluefins are protected but where they are never the less killed as bycatch of the important commercial Yellowfin and Swordfish longline fisheries.
But as always, things are complicated and reviews have been mixed, especially by the Pew who proposes to ban surface longlining instead.

Here is what the Pew folks have to say.



Long story short?
I do see progress, albeit frustratingly slow, and remain hopeful.
And Patric - do not forget my fine bottle!

Oceanic Whitetips in Focus!

Great pic by Neal!

Good news for OWTs.
This is one of the most depleted Sharks and in dire need of protection - and it very much looks like that is happening as we speak!

First, there was the ICCAT decision at their Paris meeting.
Now, NOAA is following up with rules for the implementation of that decision in the Atlantic and probably not coincidentally, the good Shark folks at the Pew are obviously trying to capture that momentum by launching this petition aimed at extending that protection to all US waters including those of the US territories.

At the same time, I notice more activity on the research front.
Underwater Thrills alerts me to OWT tagging in the Bahamas (more info here) and I also found this video.



It depicts this effort in the Caymans under the auspices of the SOSF.
Is it me, or does that old model SPOT tag look kinda big?

Anyway, all are very good developments that need to be applauded.
Well done everybody!

A Tribute to Jacques Cousteau!

333 Productions: Joe and Bill (with Jean-Michel Cousteau)

Nice hommage to JacquesCousteau by 333 Productions.
Enjoy!

SPOT Tags - Good News!

From the SeaTurtle (?) website - click for detail

Looks like whilst I rant, others do.
I did propose a tethered SPOT tag and it turns out that Neil has been already deploying them for several months! To my defense, I must say that the guy is amazingly prolific and hard to keep track of!
Anyway, he has very graciously sent me the link to the following video where you can see the towed tag already in the preview image. From what I can discern, it looks like the ungainly tow arrays that were originally being deployed on Whale Sharks and the like have been miniaturized, see the picture on top, and that they can thus be deployed on those smaller species like Tigers and hopefully, GWs - and, I see no bolts!

RJD & Summit Series in the Bahamas from R.J. Dunlap Marine Conservation on Vimeo.

The video covers this event.
A lot of very prominent and very smart people have congregated and brainstormed about solutions to the many problems affecting the health of marine ecosystems. I don't know the ins and outs of it but it appears that one of the activities was Shark Tag You're it! where participants were asked to submit ideas in order to qualify for joining Neil on a Shark tagging expedition for the R.J. Dunlap Marine Conservation Program - or something like that, as I said the guy is just too prolific!
And very possibly, too avant-garde-ish as well! :)

The Shark's name is Dominic.
Looks like he is happily pinging away whilst playing the usual hit-and-run games, as witnessed by this interactive track that is part of the Program's virtual expedition.

Anyway, stellar out-of-the box stuff!
Kudos!

PS nice overview of electronic tags here. - inclusive of the model that talks to other Sharks but exclusive of the ubiquitous humble acoustic tag!

Welcome Back?

Calvin Requin?
Check out the header of Shark Links - click for detail.

And then, I find this
I myself am an asshole. I will probably slander a few people now and then, but it is for their own good. If I can alert you to an environmental issue, article, YouTube video, petition, or other form of media about sharks with poopy pants humor and dick jokes, fine. Whether it is true or not, it is all propaganda--all of it

Could it be him?
Having counted the expletives in a couple of random posts, I am quite certain that we may be witnessing the timely reincarnation of the iconic and always toothy Sharky!

If so - welcome back buddy, you have been sorely missed!

Florida - Sharks, Fishermen & Researchers!

Dead Bulls or Java Sharks in Dibba Harbour

Whilst we focus on individual Sharks, the killing continues.
No, I'm not saying that individual animals are not important. Emma is a fantastic ambassador for the cause, and the slaughter of this pregnant Tiger Shark has spawned a world-class Shark conservation initiative.

What I'm saying is, let's not forget the big picture.
Check out this video.


Shark World XXX from Miami New Times on Vimeo.

Totally shocking - and yet, totally legal!

One could argue that this is a humane (well, sort of) and efficient way of dispatching the animals, especially when compared to the grisly images of live finning.
Be it as it may, the owner of the vessel is totally unrepentant. He has apparently fired the guy in the video, probably less for being a total dick and more for having attracted unwanted attention, but he continues to operate undeterred as a commercial Shark fisherman - and nobody is about to stop him from continuing to do so in total impunity.

The above and other details in this brilliant article.
I must commend Michael E. Miller for having written a compelling story that describes the whole extent of the complexity of the challenge at hand.
On one side, you have the noble aspirations of Shark conservationists and Shark research; on the other, the legitimate aspirations of the fishermen who want to pursue their trade, or those of the spearos and probably other aquatic recreationists who are rightly or wrongly afraid of getting attacked.

Talk about a political minefield in which to try and enact any marine policies!

Anyway, Kudos!
This is a must read for anybody interested in Shark conservation.

BTW the cited commercial fisherman Mike Newman is not anymore killing Sharks but helping researchers tag and track Lemons instead.
That's the sort of evolution one would hope to see all across that industy!

David - not a Dream anymore!

David Diley. Gotta work on that look - and on the tan!

Remember David?
Well, I was expecting a formal-formal announcement, but no such luck - he keeps talking about it in a rather oblique way and anybody who is not an insider will not quite catch on to the news.

So there.
David is coming to dive with us in July!
Right now, he is hopelessly mired in the post production of his first Shark-centric documentary, Behind Blue Glass which he has shot in Mallorca in April, and I cannot wait to see the trailer which is being announced for soon - which of course begs the question, is Manchester time any different from Fiji time!
We shall see won't we! :)

And in the meantime, check out this interview!
Aptly placed in the section about Challenges, it tells the story of one seriously committed, stubborn and outright crazy dude who just refuses to take no as an answer!
Yes, I'm rather impressed!

Anyway, about the Fiji gig.
David will be producing Shark.My God, the first instalment in his planned world wide doco series about people and Sharks. I know very little about the specific storyline and look forward to hearing more as time goes by - and to dashing the inevitable romantic illusions about what it takes to live, work and advocate Shark conservation in a tropical island paradise! I'm already driving him completely crazy as I simply refuse to micro-plan his visit but keep telling him that things will simply happen in their own time!
Not to worry Dave, Fiji is great and I may add, WAY better than other SOPAC countries (trust me I know!) - and bloody complicated at the same time! :)

And talking of last minute complications.
David needs some gear and is looking for sponsorship.
Like I said the first time, this is a realistic chance of achieving great exposure and very possibly, of even earning a buck in return for a modest investment into a worthwhile cause.

Please, think about it.
Vinaka vakalevu!

Jillian, Thank You!

Jillian and Duncan - lovely people!

Wow what can I say.

I'm quite frankly a little embarrassed.
Jillian has posted her impressions of the Fiji Shark Dive, and it's a great piece, written straight from the heart.

It's always a difficult one when one is being praised.
But where I totally agree is with her description of Rusi. He really does have some sort of magic connection to the animals - with the possible exception of Cristina who I have talked to but never dived with, probably uniquely so.
Other people in that category who don't regularly interact with Sharks but who have a connection and above all, understand: of course Valerie who will become personal friends with anybody down there, then the incomparable Mario Arroyo of Cocos fame, possibly Yves.
Period - at least when it comes to who I know.

Anyway, I just wanted to say thank you, I am quite touched.