Shark feeding

[H2Andy]

You should really think twice before supporting a website that has a very bad reputation for spamming, plagiarism & fraud.

hmmmm hmmmm hmmm? hmmmm hmmm hmmm... hmmmmmm hmmm!!

(darn it's hard to talk with a gag in your mouth)

 

[SpritelyMermaid]

on the contrary. i just don't want to take as gospel the word of someone who has a vested interest in promoting shark feeding. they might be...what's the word... a little biased? forgive me if i am a little skeptical of your position.



hmmm... so if someone doesn't agree with you they are ignorant?

Arrogance may not be bliss, but it sure comes close.

Didn't say if they didn't agree, they're ignorant. What I am saying is you are not asking the people that are out there at least once a week with these animals. You are taking the stance of not actually wanting to learn anything about these creatures. You want to base your opinion on what you've seen or heard on TV. Rather than ask people that are out there every week.

Ask them about the sharks themselves. Learn about the sharks' behavior. Did you know that the only time we see males is during mating season?

I definitely do not claim to be an expert. But I am willing to learn more about the Caribbean Reefs because I'm out there at least once a week with them. And I am not afraid of them. They go where the food is. Directly to where the food is. They do not get confused and 'charge' anyone. And they also are very organized on how they feed. They don't go after another shark that got to the bucket first. They do take turns.

 

[SpritelyMermaid]

That's interesting. I know some feeders have been bitten, but always assumed observers might have been too. Might I inquire as to the source of your information? Shark feedings I believe count as "provoked attacks" on the shark attack website, so they're not included with the normal statistics. I'd be quite keen on getting the stats for shark feeding injuries.


Oh yeah, forgot to put in my opinion for the poll. I believe shark feeding is bad, BUT I really LOVED participating in them. I'd argue that lots of people are against feeding, but these same people would almost certainly attend one if they hadn't previously.

I'm also an "evil ecologist", so that makes me biased towards the wildlife.

Information from shark feeds in Florida and shark feeds on Grand Bahama.

"Evil Ecologist"? Does that mean you're a hippy turtle hugger? :yl2jump:
I claim to be one as well. Only I have fed sharks in the past and I will in the future as well.

 

[archman]

Information from shark feeds in Florida and shark feeds on Grand Bahama.

Is this anecdotal information, or a compilation of all activity for these two areas? Do they have online records? I would like to reference them and add them to my Caribbean database.

I tracked down this Rodale's blasting article (I love it when groups bash Rodale's...) on shark feeding by the Marine Safety Group. These guys seem to be the scientific group leading the front on the Florida and Hawaii bans.

http://www.marinesafetygroup.org/feeding/rsdfacts.htm

Dang! I can't find records of provoked attacks due to shark feeding anywhere. In fact I can barely find anything on provoked attacks (in all categories) other than for great white's, PERIOD. The politicians who passed the recent Hawaiian ban on shark feeding stated that no attacks were reported in Hawaii, but there were some "on the mainland." I need hard info!

 

[mempilot]

I believe shark feeding is bad, BUT I really LOVED participating in them. I'd argue that lots of people are against feeding, but these same people would almost certainly attend one if they hadn't previously.

I'm also an "evil ecologist", so that makes me biased towards the wildlife.

I thought about Dr. 'Evil' Archman's comment here and what I would do. I love sharks. I love seeing sharks in the wild. Then I asked myself if I would do the 'rodeo' to get close to a bunch of em. The answer was unfortuneatly, yes. Sharks are threatened, and I myself can gain a better appreciation for them. I, however, do not condone these practises unless there is a knowledge event that happens first.

For instance, I swam with the dolphins in Islemorada last year. The experience was incredible. I sat through the mandatory lecture on dolphins and actually found it very interesting and I learned a lot. It made the dolphin contact that much more meaningful to me and the rest of the participants. I was the only certified diver in the group.

If they are doing this type of lecture prior to the dive, then I'll back off a little on my belief that it is all bad. If they throw you on a boat and go plunge, then it's all about the money and I won't support it.

I did some research and found instances of bites on divers/snorkelers/swimmers in the vicinity of hand feeding areas. While this is not scientific, one would have to compare these incidents to areas where this activity wasn't taking place when someone was bitten. If there is a correlation, then statistics will prove that this activity presents danger to the public.

Most bites are mistaken identity. Small shark species don't target adult humans as food. They have target children though. While most will survive an accidental nip or bite from a small species, doing this activity in the presense of large species would be foolish, hence chumming bans.

 

[cyklon_300]

How about we stick to the facts

Sixty-four percent of the respondents to this poll think shark feeding is an inappropriate activity.

Even if the relevant ecological and saftey issues are discounted, it's hard to dismiss the fact that the feeds create contrived/artificial/non-natural conditions...seeing sharks lured to a location because there's a handout for them apparently diminishes the value of the experience.

The guarantee of seeing sharks might sell tickets to some, but I'm guessing most people would rather avoid the underwater theme park premise and enjoy the sensation of being 'fortunate' to be in the right place at the right time to view a wild animal.

 

[SpritelyMermaid]

The guarantee of seeing sharks might sell tickets to some, but I'm guessing most people would rather avoid the underwater theme park premise and enjoy the sensation of being 'fortunate' to be in the right place at the right time to view a wild animal.

If that were the case, there would be no shark feeds. The ONLY reason shark feeding stopped in Florida was because it was banned, not because people weren't paying to do it. And it sells in the Bahamas - if it didn't it wouldn't be advertised or done.

When people stop paying for the feeds, then the feeds will stop.

 

[H2Andy]

ok, that's like saying, there's nothing wrong with crack, if people didn't want it,
they wouldn't pay for it.

the fact that a demand exists for something doesn't make it desirable or acceptable for society to embrace that activity (for example, child pornography)

 

[Tavi]

ok, that's like saying, there's nothing wrong with crack, if people didn't want it,
they wouldn't pay for it.

the fact that a demand exists for something doesn't make it desirable or acceptable for society to embrace that activity (for example,
child pornography).

Crack and child pornography are both Illegal!!

Shark feeding in the Bahamas is not!!

 

[H2Andy]

well, all three are illegal in Florida, where i live.

but that's not the point =P

the point is that just because people want to do something and are willing to pay for it
doesn't make that "something" right, whatever it is. it MAY be good, or it MAY not.