Shark Feeding

When chosing a dive destination , how would you react to a country's decision to prohibit harassing ( Feeding , Touching , Riding , Petting) Marine life?

More likely to visit ?

Less likely to visit ?

It dosnt matter ?

doesnt matter to me really, unless feeding is my main reson for going.

I think any dive site where they encourage you to feed the wild life is not worth visiting or at least not worth participating in. When we dive we are there to observe not to disturbe.

fooks once bubbled...
When we dive we are there to observe not to disturbe.

Click to expand...

I agree. Although there are no studies that prove this conditions a shark to associate food with humans, we may find out there are detrimental effects down teh road. Either way, it's unnatural and we shouldn't be doing it. We already intrude enough, we don't need to disrupt their natural feeding habits.

So in answer to your question, I'd be less inclined to dive with that operator. I don't think it would stop me from going to a particular country. I don't agree with Castro's policies, but that didnt' stop me from going to Cuba.

We have both situations in South Africa.
In the Cape Town area chumming/feeding the Great Whites is allowed together with cage diving.
In Kwazulu Natal, shark feeding is not allowed - this is where we find Tiger Sharks, Zambezi (Bull) Sharks, Ragged Tooth Sharks, and the odd Great White.
I prefer to dive with the sharks in a natural environment, and will refuse to dive where sharks are fed and where cages are used - you might as well go and look at them in the aquarium then.

Just MHO.

I support locales that prohibit the harrassment or feeding of animals (I do not include spearfishing in that list), to feed sharks imho is insane, I certainly understand the desire to see a shark up close (in a cage) but associating food and humans seems like a dangerous practise, I'm sure there isn't enough data to form a scientifc opinion but common sense suggests we shouldn't do it zeN||

I think feeding is a bad idea, it wouldn't stop me from visiting a particular country. I'd rather see animals in a natural environment and left alone.

I have personally hand fed sharks and was given the oportunity
in the most unlikely location.Won't say on the board though.

It was possibly one of the greatest experiences of my 23 in diving.

Apparently,other than the location staff, famous uw/Photographer
Marty Sniderman , myself and my buddy have been the only ones to have done it.

I can take it or leave it , as long as the water's warm and clear.

Ron

In Cayman, we have one of the most popular feeding dives in the entire Caribbean - Stingray City. There has never been any confinement of these animals, and the chumming that initially attracted them was not intentional.

Stingray City started with the local fishermen anchoring inside the reef in North Sound to clean their catch. Various unwanted bits of fish guts and such would be tossed overboard. The stingrays gathered to take advantage of a free meal, which generally frightened the fishermen.

Pat Kenney and Jay Ireland, then working at Bob Soto's, started snorkeling this area during surface intervals between dives. Eventually, they decided to try hand feeding. It was a long time before the rays would approach, but eventuallythey took to hand feeding.

The research that has since been done on southern stingrays, and the countless interactions have now long dispelled the fears related to these fish.


But on the flip side, shark feeding was (and perhaps still is) going on. It was outlawed in Cayman in January of 2002. Rumor has it that certain operators may be continuing to run shark feeding dives. The power of the almighty dollar? No research. No substantial education. Not worth it.

Deb,

I thought you'd left the board.

I'm not sure I agree with your definition of harassing "( Feeding , Touching , Riding , Petting)."

In my mind harassing would include riding, but would not necessarily include feeding, touching and petting. OTOH, touching and petting can be harassment, depending on how it is done. I would include chasing as harassment. I am against the practice of feeding, I just wouldn't classify it as harassment. There are many animals which can be touched or petted with no harm to either the diver or the animal. I have no problem with that type of interaction.