Ok I am glad he is ok,
But the whole thing is wrong just not natural and is just teaching these endangered creatures a unnatural habit.
My thought is how many are going to have bit before they ban it in the Bahamas?
it's all about money $$$$$$$$$ nothing more> nothing less< for all the shark tour operators!
and the Bahamian government.
Got to feed sharks go to Pier 1 Grand Bahamas stay dry,have a drink and toss your meal over the porch when the bell rings!
just my 2 cents
1, Jim is a professional diver with an experience level greatly dwarfing yours with sharks and the way he does business.
2, He knows that once in a while [whilst working with sharks] he is going to get bitten, it's a fact, not if, but when. It's accepted - it's obviously not desired! I've been nipped a dozen times through the chain-mail and I'm glad I had it. Pointing a camera in their [sharks] faces might be considered an offer to nibble on it!
3, Jim's safety records over the years have been staggeringly excellent. Other dive ops who work with sharks have a 100% dive guest perfect safety record - and don't forget that most of these ops staff work in chain-mail or in cages, perhaps Jim will decide what is best for his operation.
4, Sharks
need human intervention by divers and shark protection groups to bring about the total ban on killing them for fins and landing them for ego trips. Humans are destroying the sharks
not the other animals who survive on this planet. If that means diving underwater with them, then that is what it needs to wipe away people's misconceptions about shark behaviour, open their eyes and realize what the ocean would turn into with a human-forced shark extinction on the cards.
5, the Bahamas Government is listening to the National Trust currently about being bombarded by the Chinese for permission to fin sharks in the Bahamas,
which is being FOUGHT by whom?: The DIVERS and DIVE companies, conservation groups and shark protection groups here in the Bahamas and abroad.
6, If you want to preach about something then preach to our government about how the sharks are being devastated across the globe and how our appreciation of them can save them. Shark dives bring appreciation too, you can't argue that a live shark is better than a dead one can you?
DanVolker is right - and being proactive to help the sharks can come in all shapes and sizes, so why not start afresh and join a shark protection group, make a donation and sign a shark-fin ban petition - there are many. Be constructive and pay it back to the oceans- it's our responsibility as divers, who appreciate the gift of the oceans.
OH and most importantly - It was one of WE operators [I won't mention names] who actually persuaded the owner of Pier One to take OFF shark fin soup from his menu. He was applauded by the Cousteau Society for doing so, and now he has more business because of it.
Best regards,
Eddy