Shark Reef Marine Reserve - breaking News!

I'm over the moon!

But first, watch this.

Did you see it, right at the end?

Yes, we've just received the official notification that from its humble beginnings as one of dozens of locally managed MPAs in the country, the SRMR has now been upgraded to a National Marine Park - the very first one in Fiji!

Oh boy has this been an adventure!

It is the result of a whopping 11 years of constant advocacy and cajoling all the way to begging: hundreds upon hundreds of e-mails, dozens of formal meetings and position papers, several governments, multiple ministers, five different village chiefs chairing numerous village meetings with ever changing village committees, having to wait for the outcome of the ultimately failed Fiji Shark Sanctuary campaign, and the list goes on and on and on. And mind you: all these years and enormous effort had to be invested into a conservation project that was completely undisputed and where every single stakeholder had given his approval since the very beginning!

This just as an aside and as a warning to those groups that want to quickly parachute in and get fast results and instant gratification - this is not how Fiji works!

But in the end, we've pulled it off.

We are highly grateful to Government and specifically, to Frank Bainimarama for not only having single-handedly saved our sorry ass back then in 2010, but for getting Cabinet to finally endorse it. And an enormous shout-out goes to Aisake Batibasaga, Principal Research Officer at the Department of Fisheries, for his unwavering support and encouragement all throughout this interminable process. It is thanks to his very personal efforts that it got finally tabled, and for that we shall always be grateful to him.

Vinaka Bati, you're a good man and a good friend!

Our massive thanks also go to the village of Galoa.

Shark Reef lays within their traditional fishing grounds, and I must really say that contrary to others, working with them has always been easy, and fueled by mutual trust, respect and above all, honesty. To celebrate this event and show our appreciation, we will very shortly increase the marine park levy, with all incremental funds flowing to Galoa only.

Vinaka vakalevu!

And then there's our unmatched team.

Here's to James for having founded BAD and to Andrew for his excellent leadership, loyalty and hard work; to Papa and Nani that have been invaluable guides when navigating the treacherous waters of local protocol; to Rusi, quite possibly the world's best Shark feeder and my dive buddy who continues to inspire me every single day; and to the BAD boyz an gals that always make me so proud.

And then!

Here's to those wonderful people that have been helping us since the very beginning - for a decade of friendship, counsel and encouragement, and above all, for stellar company and shared adventures: Valerie and the late Ron, Juerg, Gary and Brenda, the Hawaii gang of Jack and his disciples John, Rob and Richard and least but not least, Alexander Goldknecht of the Shark Foundation who funded our first patrol boat, continues to fund Juerg' research and is a sponsor of the ongoing GFSC.

And to you, the many loyal friends we've made on the way, and the thousands upon thousands of visitors that have enabled us to keep going and finally achieve our vision of a tourism-based integrated Shark research and conservation project, and reach finally this milestone.

And to our detractors - your have only strengthened our resolve!

Thank you so much!

Oh yes this is long - but it has to be!

So, please, bear with me for another bit.

Back to the SRMR.

Yes in the big scheme of things, this is a nothing, a tiny insignificant speck in the vastness of the ocean - but here's why it may well be just a tad more than that.

As far as I know, this is possibly the first time anywhere that the public sector is conferring the day-to-day management of a National Marine Park to a private entity!

There will be a management committee comprising representatives from Fisheries, BAD, private societies and academia - but whereas Fisheries will always retain the final say in anything, BAD are the only operator entitled to conduct Shark dives, will regulate daily access, monitor the reef, coordinate research, and police and even enforce the fishing ban via our fish wardens. To that effect, we will be shortly conducting our fourth fish warden course, after which every single one of our staff will be a honorary park ranger with full authority to inspect vessels and catches, and apprehend perpetrators.

Methinks this public-private partnership is a great and possibly ground-breaking template, especially for developing countries with their notorious lack of resources - so you purists out there, please do consider the many advantages before summarily slamming it down!

Leaves the video.

Contrary to last time, this is obviously a professional job.
We commissioned it because we knew that something was cooking and as chance would have it, it just got completed one hour ago - in fact I'm posting this minutes after having obtained the Vimeo link! The editor is none other than Jackie's husband Dave who happens to equally be a keen Shark diver - and it sure shows, nobody else could have done it the way he has, bravo!

To be continued - and that's a promise!

PS - thank you Martin!
PPS - Manta Trust here. Thanks!

Western Australia - Government Bashing?

Source.

Well it was inevitable.

The bloody controversy is raging again.

And I cite.

With the start of the summer beach season, I expect there will be pressure to begin killing tagged great whites that set off acoustic alarms near beaches. The government has noted that this will not happen, but it is a logical next step in the current thinking.

Really?

There is no anti-Shark conspiracy here.

Yes the retribution killing is totally misguided, principally because it does nothing to improve public safety, and it is good to say so and to suggest better strategies - but let's spare ourselves those gratuitous innuendos and accusations shall we. 

The facts?

Yes Rory is undoubtedly under pressure, how could it be otherwise - but there is no evidence whatsoever to justify those continuous public attacks on his integrity. Yes Barnett is certainly not a Shark lover  -  but he was not obliged to accept the recommendations by the EPA, and yet he has done so. Yes more could be done to educate and inform the public - but Sharksmart is definitely a big step in the right direction. Yes those killings are totally unwarranted - but the WA government is also spending millions on research and Shark-friendly mitigation measures.

I understand the passion and the outrage.

But this is slowly smelling like some people are trying to make a bloody career of it, and this continuous public bashing of the authorities does only further alienate them and is certainly not conducive to promoting more Shark-friendly policies.

Seriously, people, you really need to calm the fuck down!

Bremer Canyon - two!

Source.

Remember?

Here is a more recent article.

These are really wonderful observations, and we can only hope that the Riggs team will translate them into yet another fascinating documentary - highly successful funding drive here!

Here are those Orcas - nice! :)

And the mysterious super-predatory giant GWS?

They really got to stop riding that tired old pony - last June, CSIRO did reveal that it was much ado about nothing, and that the tag, not the Shark carrying it had been likely eaten by another GWS.

End of mystery - sorry!

But I sure look forward to the next documentary!

PAT Tags - fishy Data, cagey Manufacturers?

Acoustic tag in front, PSAT tag at the rear. Source.

Please do read this.

Prima vista, nothing spectacular.

As far as I understand it (correct me if I'm wrong), it simply states that the researchers don't have direct access to raw data but instead, they are using data that are being processed/analyzed either by the tag manufacturers or via proprietary software given to them by the manufacturers; and that some of those processed data might be faulty; and that because they are commercial entities, the manufacturers tend to be reticent about their algorithms and software specs - meaning that the researchers need to engage in constant dialogue with the manufacturers and not simply blindly rely on those processed data.

So what's the big deal?

Turns out that behind the scenes, this has led to some major kerfuffle, with some reviewers encouraging a more open dialogue about this issue but not wanting to stand in the front lines; whereas others have been positively outraged and have accused Juerg of being cavalier and incendiary, of disrespecting fellow researchers and more nonsense of this sort.
IMO this is a clear indication of the fact that a) there is a problem, b) many researchers are a tad too timorous (a euphemism), maybe because c) the tag manufacturers, being quasi-monopolists, are exerting way to much influence (another euphemism) on their customers and d) journals may be lacking fortitude, too!

Long story short, I'm disappointed.

I thought that science was better than that.

Kudos to Juerg for having persevered and gotten this published in the end - the question being, will this now lead to more pointless demagoguery, or will this now be discussed publicly as should have happened all along?

Anybody taking bets?

Imagine then, an Ocean without its Monsters; loveless and boring.

 And I cite.

After fishing out the big sharks from the east coast waters, either through fishing methods that involve a lot of bycatch like long lines and gillnets, or through targeted shark fisheries, the ecosystem changed.
In the absence of large predators, a sizeable population (for which we had no fishery) of adorable cow-nosed rays began foraging in the eelgrass for their preferred shellfish food. I don’t blame them. It would take very little to convince me to rummage face-first in the mud for fresh scallops. The mechanical disturbance of foraging rays to the eelgrass, uprooted those plants. The habitat for all of the invertebrates and fish that need it for shelter was lost. By that same token, the rookery habitat for the juvenile fish for which we had our own fisheries was lost; damaging the fisheries and our economy. Our fishery economy was further damaged by the loss of shellfish to ray predation. Without shellfish to filter the water, pollutants were retained and plankton bloomed, causing a depletion of oxygen and creating dead-zones and poor water quality.

Plankton bloomed?

I like this guy - for obvious reasons!

I've found his long 5-part treatise about Sharks, from trophic cascades to Shark strikes, by pure serendipity when searching for a picture of a PSAT tag. Please do take the time to read it in its entirety, from first to fifth post as it is really as good as it gets - highly entertaining, intriguing, exhaustive and remarkably erudite.

Fifth post here, with links to the preceding ones.

From what I understand, the author is likely Chris Reeves - this guy.

In any case - kudos, well done!

Shark Stopper stopped?

Now THAT's what I call a REPELLENT!

Maybe!

The funding drive has been cancelled.

Provided that the backers get their money refunded, that's good news - this was nothing but a useless noise maker that would have lulled its wearers into a false sense of security and quite possibly triggered more risky behavior.

And the other gizmos?

Hopefully, they too will go the way of the AquaShield and all those other previous scams and failures before somebody gets hurt.

We shall see shall we not!

Malapascua - Video!

And talking of those Pelagic Threshers.

I really did like this.

Monad Shoal close to Malapascua Island is where divers get to experience those Sharks being cleaned, whereas they have been filmed hunting at Pescador Island.

Enjoy!

El Diego - Interview!

El Diego's favorite Shark, the Pelagic Thresher, with Cleaner Wrasse. Source.

Nice!

Meet El Diego!

Please don't tell him, or he may get even cockier than he already is - but I actually do agree with Jillian that he's a really nice guy with tons of passion, and a huge positive influence on the Shark research of Projects Abroad.

Enjoy!

Fish Counts - better on Rebreather!

John's geek on rebreather, surveying a deep reef at Johnston Atoll. Source.

Cool stuff, and I cite,

Inside MPAs, fish surveys conducted with close-circuit rebreathers (CCR) recorded similar community metrics to fish surveys conducted with conventional open-circuit SCUBA. 

In contrast, outside the MPAs, the bubble-free diving system recorded 48% more species and up to 260% greater fish abundance. These differences reflected the ability of a diver wearing the silent CCR unit to sample the larger, most heavily targeted species that are shy of divers in fished areas. This difference was also large enough to change some results from ‘reject’ to ‘accept’ the null hypothesis of ‘no significant differences exist between fished and protected areas’. 

The use of CCR for fish surveys clearly minimizes behavioural biases associated with fish avoiding open-circuit SCUBA divers. 

We recommend the use of this bubble-free diving system for surveys assessing reef fish populations, especially in areas where fish are heavily targeted by spearfishing. If fish behaviour is not accounted for, surveys using SCUBA could result in erroneous conclusions when comparing fished and protected areas. While the behaviour of fish towards divers is rarely mentioned in conclusions from studies using Underwater Visual Census, it is an important source of bias that should be acknowledged and minimized where possible.

Now that I read it, it's pretty obvious.

With one caveat: only in places where spearfishing on SCUBA is legal!

Where it is not = where spearfishing is only being conducted on breath-hold, any such recorded difference between the counts of SCUBA divers vs those of rebreather divers would be perplexing.

Anyway, good to keep this in mind.

Paper here.

And what about the Shark Shield?

Wowza. All sharks are dangerous and unpredictable. Source.

And why am I not surprised.

A friend just sent me this.

I hadn't seen it before, but I knew that the gizmo was likely to be pretty useless after talking to the Taylors many years ago. They had tested the then SharkPOD and found the prototype to be rather effective, at least with some species - but the voltage in the final product was then substantially reduced, likely for liability reasons, and the Taylors told me that they were convinced that the device would not anymore deter a motivated Shark.

And here we now have the scientific confirmation - the efficacy is dependent on context, motivation and even differs from individual Shark to individual Shark.

In brief, the Shark Shield is not 100% effective, see at top.

And if so... :)

GWS vs GWS - two!

Male GWS from the Neptunes with battle scars. In females, the scars could stem from either brawling or mating. Source.

Here we go again.

This is really highly disappointing.

DNS is usually strictly science-driven, with authors that know exactly what they are talking about. But alas, 5,000 dives or no 5,000 dives, Rocha is a Coral Fish guy, not a Shark behaviorist - and it sure shows, along with the fact that like many of his peers, he appears to be against Shark provisioning without having bothered to engage in even the most basic due diligence.

So there.

The Neptune Islands feature a natural GWS aggregation, meaning that the operators did not in any way cause it. Actually, they relocated to there from their initial site at Dangerous Reef once it became clear that GWS sightings at the Neptunes were more regular, numerous and predictable.

Read this - bravo Andrew and once again, no thanks to Barry Bruce whose unfortunate papers are now continuously being abused by the anti-feeding faction!

Anyway.

When the GWS reach those islands, they  sometimes brawl.

They are from two genetically distinct populations and likely do this in order to establish and re-affirm rank. Those confrontations are usually ritualized but can become combative. This behavior is species specific: the same happens in Guadalupe, another natural GWS aggregation, and e.g. the same is being reported from brawling Sicklefin Lemons at Moorea where provisioning has however created an aggregation that is not natural but instead man-made.

Conversely, although we observe the exact same hierarchical confrontations among our Bulls when they come back in January, in this species, dominance is being asserted by posturing and not brawling and therefore, we observe no intra-specific bites other than extremely rare genuine mistakes.

Back to the GWS.

Those confrontations are likely to happen where- and whenever GWS aggregate, and this specifically whenever new arrivals upset the established order - but it stands to reason that we are much more likely to observe them at those commercial sites and not out there in the wilderness, and hence those images, so far, stem from there. 

Do I need to elaborate?

Case in point, this recent video that is equally from the Neptunes.

See? No competition over food but same bite and same tail slapping etc - and remember Howard's video, equally from the Neptunes, equally featuring tail slapping and equally happening away from any bait?

Yes that would be evidence - and Rocha's conviction?

That this “brutal battle” wouldn’t have happened without human intervention and that the correct description of that video would be “Shark feeding by humans causes sharks to attack each other”; “Endangered species of shark forced into battle by human feeding"?

Nothing but the usual unsubstantiated anti-feeding claptrap!

Like I said, highly disappointing!

Sutor ne supra crepidam!

Living Planet Report, 2014!

Click for detail or explore here!

Watch.

From the article.

Currently, the global population is cutting down trees faster than they regrow, catching fish faster than the oceans can restock, pumping water from rivers and aquifers faster than rainfall can replenish them and emitting more climate-warming carbon dioxide than oceans and forests can absorb.

Just great isn't it.

Living Planet Index here, Ecological Footprint here.

Difficult choices here.

Indonesia - Manta Ray Bust!

Wow.

This (and here) is really excellent new!

Should this become an ongoing commitment rather than a spectacular one off, then it would really mean that the rampant poaching and the illegal wildlife trade in Indonesia could be finally curbed.

And I really like the strategy of targeting the traders.

It is they that encourage the fishing and poaching, and they are far fewer than the fishermen and thus easier to keep in check.

Well done!

WA - second GWS killed!

Source.

This all sucks big time.

There is even uncertainty about which species may have been involved.

It is impossible to determine whether one is targeting the correct Shark until after it is dead, and even if they can ascertain that they did kill the Shark that bit the surfer, it would add nothing to the safety of that area. It is GWS season, Esperance has always been an anchor point for GWS approaching the coast, and strikes have happened there before.

More Sharks will turn up, and the prudent thing would be to educate the public and discourage them from engaging in recreational, and possibly even commercial aquatic activities during this time frame.

Oh well.

PS: Likely not two Bronzies. One killed Shark had a tag. Both Sharks cannot be confirmed as being the perpetrator. Some extremist assholes have abused Fisheries officials.

PPS: talking about anchor points, read this; and this.
 

Imminent Threat Policy - first GWS killed in WA!

Source.

This is bad - the strike and the reaction.

And I very much fear that it will re-ignite the bloody controversy.
To be continued no doubt!

Sharkbanz?

Batspray - will even stop a Sharknado! Source.

Yay!

We got ourselves a new Shark repellent!

After the wetsuit scam, the rash guard and not one but a second ludicrous noise maker where a bunch of suckers have already pledged 20 grand, here comes the latest and of course GREATEST gizmo of them all!

Watch.

Wow - absolute genius!

After a whopping 3 years of research, no less, guaranteed to keep you safe - and MUCH MUCH more innovative and WAY better than the surfing leash, the Shark Shocker and these unfashionable gizmos!

And this?

Utter balderdash - those banz are, obviously, 100% safe!

Or maybe not?

Next: portable bubble curtains and Rent-a-Dolphin bodyguards!

IGFA Weight Records - Rebuttal!

This stuff is just not cool - source.

The debate continues.

Remember David's paper, an the lame reply by the IGFA?
Here is his response, and I cite,

We are grateful for the productive discussion...

Hahahahahahaha!

PS - published version here!

 

GWS vs GWS!

Cannibalism does happen.

Watch.

Methinks it's a mistake.

I've seen it happen twice at Shark Reef - once when two Bulls homed in simultaneously on a Tuna head falling from the suspended bin, once when there was a bit of a kerfuffle about who would first get a head from Rusi. Both Sharks were bitten on the head, with everybody hearing a loud crunch - but they appeared rather unfazed and continued feeding, and did turn back up on subsequent days.

Anyway, lucky, spectacular footage!

Tagging Controversy - Paper!

Howlymackerel!

You really got to read this!

Neil, Austin et al are wading right into the hornet's nest that is the whole bloody Shark tagging controversy -biofouling, harassing and all- and attempting to encourage dialogue to establish a set of possible rules that may satisfy all the diverging resource users from researchers to operators to fishermen to conservationists to aficionados.

Not gonna happen of course - but valiant try! :)

And I cite.

Some recommendations to help engage local stakeholders in the significance of tagging research include

• (1) use of informative posters or flyers; 

• (2) meetings with stake holders ahead of time; 

• (3) involving members of the public in the research (i.e. citizen science) or inviting them to observe the tagging activities; 

• (4) providing public talks (e.g. schools, clubs and museums); 

• (5) working closely with stakeholders (such as hiring guides or tourism operators to help with research)

• (6) use of traditional mass media (print, radio and television)

• (7) publishing tagging results in peer-reviewed journals in a timely fashion

• (8) use of online materials such as websites, short videos, teaching via social media and even online platforms that allow the public to follow the movements of the tagged animals; and

• (9) keeping the public updated on results.

Indeed - see Fischer's bloody communication breakdown in SA vs the much improved outreach when he moved operations to the US East Coast!

And I did like this.

While this discourse has mostly focused on stakeholder attitudes as well as user consideration and responsibilities, manufacturers have an important role to play in improving tag function and animal welfare.
While there is certainly considerable manufacturer effort to improve tag performance (battery life, transmission rate and size), there needs to be a greater focus on engineering instruments that eventually detach from animals, especially if a large proportion of tags inevitably become functionally impaired. The software does exist for some tags (mostly satellite tags) to determine their functionality (e.g. battery life/power level or light level that could determine biofouling) which could trigger release mechanisms of external tags. Tools could be further developed or studies designed in a way that tagged animals are recaptured at the end of a study.

Again, indeed!

Kinda reminds me of a rather lengthy (!!!) post somebody wrote a few years ago! :) 

Anyway, brave and interesting paper!

Like I said, you really got to read it, and I'm sure the authors will be happy to provide you with a copy should you ask them!

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?

Shark Nets in Western Australia?

Shark barrier in Old Dunsborough - source.

Read this.

And this.

Yes they are planning to install up to 20 nets.

And I cite.

The state government is now considering installing shark nets on a number of metropolitan beaches as well as others in the South West and further up the coast north of Perth. 
According to a review of the Dunsborough Beach Enclosure Trial compiled by the state government, no by-catch was recorded as part of the net trialled in Dunsborough. 

A spokeswoman for the Premier told Fairfax Media that while the net announced on Friday was not the same type of net used in Queensland and New South Wales, it was made up of a mesh type netting. The state government's review said the planned net for Busselton would be more of a "beach enclosure" deployed to create "an impenetrable barrier to sharks".

So calm down people.

Before going out and pandering to the whacks by lamenting about wildlife traps and the linke, do your bloody due diligence. This is good news as it a) keeps the Sharks out and people within the enclosures safe whilst b) not harming the Sharks and the Fishes, see links under the picture at top and below.

Capisc?

Source.

If you want to rant, rant about this! 

Rogue Sharks are as real as Megalodon, Sharknados and Godzilla. 

But if a large Shark should linger in some spot, which they certainly do, evacuate the area til, being migratory, it moves on. No need/sense to remove, let alone kill it.

That simple.

And then, there's this.

Philopatry teaches us that those Sharks, far from being distributed randomly/evenly, favor determined locations. Identify those locations (which are but a few and may be determined by telemetry and/or past sightings and/or past strikes) and tell people to stay away during the GWS season which is only relatively short anyway.

Once again, not rocket science!

TGIF - amazing Video!

Story here.
Enjoy!

Recreational Shark Fishing in Florida - Paper!

Watch.

Nice.

I like research with immediate implications for conservation!:)

Good to see that most operators care and practice catch-and-release - now they only need to be educated to keep off those Hammers!

Paper here, synopsis here.

Celebrando México: Jorge Cervera!

Source.

Really nice! :)
That's how you do it - bravo Jorge!

30-foot juvenile Megalodon!

Another view of the very same spectacular animal! Source:  هلال پاڪستان (Millat)

Wow.

Check this out - absolutely unbelievable!

So after all that frothy lambasting by the entirety of the Shark intelligentsia, it turns out that Discovery Channel was right after all - yes they are lurking in the deep! And considering that the fisheries authorities in Pakistan know nothing about what lives in their ocean, I would not at all be surprised at further equally spectacular discoveries!

BTW Franck is totally correct, and I cite

Well fisherman , another great living giant that you have killed for what ?
I am a great lover of sharks and seeing this makes me sick , serious think of how old is this shark , how many more sharks are we going to kill and tell me what are you going to do with this shark now , seriously your f….d up 
You guys make me sick 
Franck 

Well said!
 

More Marine Protection in the Pacific!

Source.

Bravo Obama!

Read this - and this!

This is really really great - especially considering the continued bloody shenanigans by that coalition of evil that is the  WESPAC that did mobilize the usual cabal of shady characters in a last-ditch effort to derail the process. And BTW, great to see that Matt is back doing what he does best - inspiring others to enact spectacular marine conservation!

Now, can somebody please finally investigate those folks and pull their funding?

And the controversy about the Shark Sanctuary/Fin Ban legislations?

Correct me if I'm wrong - but we're still bloody waiting for NMFS/NOAA to bloody make up their bloody mind.

Standing by!

F@$%ing Mermaid and Ecoterrorist!

This or dead Mantas from here - decisions decisions... Source.

Oh I know I know.

This is gonna earn me plenty more irate comments!

Anyway.

I've been remiss in not posting earlier about Shawn the Ecoterrorist's indefatigable efforts in trying to establish some sort of an economic alternative in Lamakera, one of the hot spots of Manta hunting in Indonesia. I was there, and in neighboring Lamalera where they Hunt Sperm Whales in the early eighties, and can attest that those hunts are their ancestral way of life - meaning that any change will, if at all, only eventuate slowly, and only if pursued in a respectful, consensual and culturally sensitive way.

But money talks, and should Shawn's project be embraced by, say, the fleet of Indonesian diving live-aboard vessels, then there is a real chance. Shoestring land-based ecotourism by enlightened travellers methinks not so much, as the economics are probably too feeble, and the logistics may prove to be prohibitive - but who knows, he is there and I am not, and he probably knows best.

Anyway, as always, huge kudos for trying!

And his co-conspirator, the f@$%ing mermaid?

Oh yes, turns out that it was really her!

And still, although that was an exercise in utter foolishness, and although I shall never really fathom the whole phenomenon of why people choose to dress up in fish tails, and why other people love that, I must reluctantly confess that I've become sort of a fan. No NOT of the mermaid thingy - but Hannah Fraser has a genuine wish to make a difference, does so in her own fashion = artistic expression, and probably really does make a real contribution.

Case in point, after her much reviled (and much more admired) Tiger Shark dance, she did launch this petition and was able to have over 8,000 anti-cull signatures hand delivered to both the WA EPA and the Federal Minister - and guess what, she just DID it and didn't brag about it!

Anyway, here is a recent interview I found rather endearing.

So well done and godspeed to both of them!

And before you ask - NO, there will be no f@$%ing mermaid bloody dancing with Bull Sharks in the SRMR anytime soon! :)

Shark Chick - curiouser and curiouser!

Source.

Wow wow wow!

But first.

Andrew Scerbo feels slighted.

As per my reply here, apologies. I thought that in my last post, it was clear that I was linking to this thread containing the picture - but obviously, this has led to confusion which I regret. It is Andrew who has first pointed out the discrepancies in the posted picture of the Shark bite, and all credit for that belongs to him alone.

Anyway.

I've woken up to a myriad of e-mails, the story keeps evolving, and this is what I read.

• On Sunday = before  the pic was outed as being a fake, the privileged Shark chick states.

  Clean bite refers to quote a minor injury relatively speaking and anyone who knows me in person knows I am barely 5foot3 and any injury does look mammoth.

  Meaning that the picture is legit, but that the injury looks bigger than it is.

• Yesterday = after questions are being asked, she states.

  A picture was used that I posted to Instagram with no caption and no explanation.

  The caption and explanation being...?

• On her website, under Corrections and Retractions, this is what she had posted. The page is currently "in maintenance" - let's see if afterwards, even that statement will be corrected and retracted! :)

  Pictures of alleged injuries vary site to site and may have not been vetted by Elissa. 

  No they don't vary. There is only one. So, has it been vetted, or not?

• Then Andrew notices that several and not only two pairs of staples are identical.

• Then David reports that more than 80% of her Twitter followers are fake.

• THEN, out comes this article that pisses off Andrew.

I'm done with this.

By now it should be clear to everybody that this is, for lack of a better word, highly bizarre. That Corrections and Retractions link on her website alone (read it when it's back up!) is a red flag for pathological behavior - and I can certainly leave it at that.

Just this.

These things don't happen in isolation, or like I said a while ago.

The Heroes and heroines, warriors, whisperers, experts, specialists and whatnot are all legit if the moniker is being assigned by others - but when it is self promotion and really nothing more than branding, it becomes irritating.
Does sharktivism really need its own version of the Kardashians and the associated frothy adulation and gossip? Maybe – but like in real life, I don’t like it one bit!

Think about it please.

We really got to stop adulating those self promoting frauds, narcissists and media whores.

Seriously!

PS:



And here.

I don't seek out the spotlight like a number of other scientists

Hahahahahaha 

PPS: 

the take home message for today is that the old eco-tactic of fabricating events to boost your cause is no longer viable

PPPS: David as always (well, mostly...) brilliant

It's all very well rounding on Elissa, getting the pitchforks and flaming torches out but maybe we might want to start looking at the more uncomfortable truths, that the people looked upon as bastions of Shark Conservation because they ride sharks ("for the sharks"), wear bikinis ("for the sharks"), make crappy TV ("for the sharks"), get you to donate your hard earned money to their projects which don't actually do anything ("for the sharks") or simply spend all their time on Facebook telling you how brilliant they are ("for the sharks") aren't actually doing it "for the sharks," at all but instead, are doing it solely for themselves and that these narcissists are merely creating more narcissists who do nothing other than push their brand at people who believe they are helping by supporting them in doing so?

PPPPS: Christine Haines

Last summer I joined the nosharkcull movement because I was appalled that sharks were being killed and maligned for being sharks.
Over the course of the trial I learned alot about the politics in environmental groups. And it's not nice. I was shocked to find that these groups were just as hypocritical as the wrongs they were fighting. They used misinformation, sex, phsychic connections and other questionable practises with as much abandon as the wrong they were fighting. I was sure that the tactics used by some people and groups were not right. I have unliked and unfollowed some organisations because I think that while the cause is right the methods were wrong and only served to reinforce the stereotype of the cosmic, tree hugging, hippie type of activist that would stop at nothing (including deliberate false and misleading information). I want a group whose ideals agree with mine and who deals in scientific fact. My illusions were shattered but at least I'm wiser.

P5S: Have you seen this?
Now she is a bloody "PETA Celebrity" = more fucking branding even whilst trying to make that totally insincere retraction?

NO NO NO NO NO!
There's only ONE (1) Shark celebrity in Australia, and her name is Valerie Taylor - this for 50 years of pioneering diving with Sharks, for countless equally pioneering Shark documentaries, for having been instrumental in having the Cod Hole, the Gray Nurse, the GWS, Ningaloo protected.
Not the home schooled brat that keeps re-editing the footage daddy took of her whilst they were vacationing in the Bahamas. Definitely not this forgettable calculating self-obsessed chick that has ZERO ACHIEVEMENTS apart from volunteering on a SSCS boat like dozens upon dozens of other volunteers.

GO AWAY!

Privileged - and fishy?

Source.

It's all becoming very strange very fast.

Check out the analysis at the top.

The picture of the Shark chick's injury is unquestionably (!) a fake, with the two pairs of staples at the center clearly identical, and this down to the individual pixels - thread here.

And why am I not surprised.

Privileged?

GREAT conservation messaging!

Oh for crying out loud!

The 26-year-old from Burleigh Heads said she felt “privileged” to be attacked...
The activist, who has been on several free-diving expeditions in South Africa to protect great whites, said..

Right.

Looks like we got ourselves yet another one of those self promoting Shark chicks.

And after so many years, I'm STILL shocked at the abject drivel uttered by those eco-celebrities, or whatever. Mediation of extinction, pollution and cruelty to animals? Expert voice - as in, "according to the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, the great white shark is the most endangered"?

You don't fucking need to free dive with GWS in SA to protect them because a) it's a recipe for disaster and b) they are already protected both in SA and internationally! And do you really think that telling the whole fucking world (!) that you've been ATTACKED is a good strategy for changing the tired old narrative of the ever lurking beasts?

Anyway.

Like so many others, she's gonna come and go - and I may add, the sooner the better!

And I really, really got to stop paying attention!

Fiji - final Results!

Frank Bainimarama takes his oath during the swearing in ceremony at Government House in Suva.

Supplied: Fijivillage.com. Source.

Here they are!

Like I said, not much change.

And the surprise performance by Ilaijia?

The man is quite obviously enormously popular - and the fact that in an election where you had to tick the candidates' number, he was candidate # 297 whereas Frank was candidate # 279 is simply a serendipitous coincidence!

Anyway, huge congratulations.

To the successful candidates but above all, to the people of Fiji for an impressive, peaceful, joyous, free and fair election!

El Diego - Fly with me!

Simply fantastic pic by Allen - click for detail!

Nice!

This is the positive side of the drought.

Even on a less favorable tide, the viz has been good - and when the tide is right, it is simply stellar, as in gin clear!

That is, unless we get jinxed by Kira!

Anyway.

Enjoy!

Fiji - Rain, finally!

Source.

It's coming!

Fiji is currently experiencing a rather severe drought.

But depending on forecast, there will be some respite - either by Thursday or latest on the weekend.

Finger crossed!

Reefie Cleaning Station!

Cleaning station at Shark Reef - click for detail!

Check this out.

The Shark?

According to Will White, not a Grey Reefie, Carcharhinus amblyrhynchos but a Shortnose Blacktail Shark or Blacktail Reef Shark, C. wheeleri from the Western Indian Ocean and the Red Sea.

Still not convinced!

But wheeleri or not, talk about angelic patience in view of all those paparazzi!

We got two of those cleaning stations on Shark Reef but the Sharks will only play when the right current is running, and only rarely tolerate spectators. Still hoping to see a Bull joining the queue but so far, no such luck.

Anyway, cool footage!

EcoPirates - looking for Suckers!

Oh yes - this is, obviously, a first-rate research vessel! Source.

Have you seen this?

Pirates, Zombies & Sharks. Right.

No I'm not gonna dwell.

Welcome to Operation Requiem redux.

If you really believe that this cheap copy of the SSCS, with a shitty boat and a gang of highly questionable characters have full support (by whom - the authorities?) and will be working with the top researchers and ocean advocates in the world, and above all, that their moronic ecopirating kickassery will actually achieve anything meaningful for Shark conservation - then you really deserve to be conned out of your money!

Nuff said.