SHARK FEEDING BANNED IN FLORIDA...

The Chairman · Sep 6, 2001

Hey all,

Right or Wrong, here's the gory details...

http://www.icflorida.com/news/special/ap/sharks_906.html

If you want to make one of these dives, you have till January, unless the public hearings reverses them. Given the public scrutiny of our relationships with these awesome beasts, I rather doubt that.

BTW, this in NO WAY stops our tourist season... The gators and sharks say that ya'll are still fair game and personally invite you for dinner!!! :tease:

syruss32 · Sep 6, 2001

So you are saying that if we feed them with our hands that could be bad, but feeding them our hand is ok?

I'd rather they eat the scraps than some 10 year olds legs, but hey we are not the supreme predator of the sea, we are but guest in his domain. And as we all have learned from Hannibal Lechter, often the host eats his guests!

Syruss
http://www.coraladventures.net

Mario S Caner · Sep 6, 2001

NetDoc, thanks for the story. I knew it would happen sooner or later. Honestly I'll go out on a limb here and be the first to say that [red]I agree with their decision.[/red] A quote I heard on TV a while back, and then again yesterday got me thinking... "If someone was feeding a pack of wild dogs in your neighborhoods playground everyone would be up in arms, but feeding wild sharks a few miles away from some of the most popular beaches is somehow acceptable?!?"

Right or wrong, they acted much like they were expected to. Let's just see if it has any effect on local shark behavior.

Warhammer · Sep 6, 2001

Like Mario, I figured as much, but I don't agree with it. It would be different if they were feeding the actual sharks that were responsible for the attacks. Or even if the same species was responsible for the attacks. What gets me is that people somehow think that feeding a reef shark makes a Bull shark attack someone miles away at a beach. To me that's like saying that feeding my German Shepard makes a Coyote attack my neighbors kid. I know, I know, to the general public a shark is a shark, like a snake is a snake, but that doesn't make the assumption right.

Lost Yooper · Sep 6, 2001

Not that I know much about the subject, but it sounds like a typical governmental policy of reacting to hype for the sake of reacting. Kind of like gun control, eh? Doesn't matter if it works or makes sense, so long as they react -- politics.

Mike

wheezy · Sep 6, 2001

Dare I say it on this board? Yes I dare. I've been a proponent of the "anti-feeding" laws. I've always thought it was a bad idea and still think so. Sharks looking for handouts is a bad thing in my book. They are beautiful creatures but should be just as scared of us as (I/we) are of them. It's an unnatural balance to have humans hand feeding sharks.

HOWEVER

I do agree that the law seems to have been put in place for the sake of putting it in place. And you make a good point about feeding reef sharks and the Bull shark attack... but in "MOST" peoples eyes.. a shark is a shark wether it's a nurse or a Tiger a reef or a Bull... it has teeth and it "could hurt someone"... it's a shame that it has happened this way but it was bound to sooner or later.

Just my opinion and you know what they say about those...

Bob · Sep 6, 2001

After all the shark attack's this summer it had to happen. I certainly don't agree with why it was done,(a knee jerk reaction) and neither do I think that a ban on feeding Reef sharks will somehow curb Bull's from attacking people playing in the surf! I have to say that I don't agree with feeding wild animals. There is no reason to feed sharks other than for entertainment value and that's not a good enough reason. We should never teach wild creatures to expect a hand out. It will be interesting to see how all this plays out. :tree:Bob

tekdiver1 · Sep 6, 2001

Got to agree with Mario on this one. They are wild animals and we don't need to feed them. Not when there are plenty of beach goers and surfers around....

I feel bad for the people attacked, "don't get me wrong"... but I think it's kinda funny the way people walking in shallow water and surfers get attacked and they make the divers stop feeding the fish.

"DAMN... they caught us" now they know our plans... for divers to take over the beaches!

DEEP SEA · Sep 6, 2001

I wonder what they will come up with when the biting keeps happening? Maybe they should ban "Shark Fishing?" That would stop sharks from being pulled up to the shore and bitting someone! Hey, maybe they should ban swimming, scuba or wadding? Would definitely stop bitting sharks from bitting humans. HMMM, think skiers are safe - NO - Ban ocean skiing as well. That brings up Surfing, too bad surfers, see ya later. I guess that about covers it all. Wait, what if a fisherman pulls up a shark on a pier? Could bite someone, NO FISHING! ;-0

bradymsu · Sep 6, 2001

Forgive me if I'm on the wrong track here since I only dive in freshwater. I've always had it drummed into me that it is bad form for divers to feed marine life because it affects to ecological balance. In Michigan it is looked down upon for divers to feed fish. At one time in the past people often brought dog food, spray cheese, etc. down to attract fish but that is almost universally discouraged up here now, kind of like raiding wrecks. Maybe sharks are different and I'm comparing apples and oranges but it doesn't seem ecologically smart to me and as divers we pride ourselves on being very responsible in that area. Plus, I always agree with what Mario says. He's become my George Irvine!

SHARK FEEDING BANNED IN FLORIDA...

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