Isla Guadalupe Shark Diving in TROUBLE

[cfisher]

An Open Letter to Mexico's Congress on Shark Ecotourism

Monday, May 19, 2008

*An Open Letter to Mexico’s Congress on Shark Eco tourism*

_MexiData.info note_:

/In April 2008, after marking up a legislatorial Point of Agreement regarding the “non-extractable exploitation of white shark at Guadalupe Island,” Mexico’s Environment and Natural Resources Committee of the federal Chamber of Deputies submitted its negative findings Point of Agreement to the lower house of Congress as a whole, where it now awaits action./

/All of which relates to supervised shark diving (in cages) adventure and ecotourism activities that take place within Mexico’s Guadalupe Island Biosphere Reserve, located in the Pacific Ocean west of Baja California. Activities that the Mexican government, after due study and review, has authorized through the issuance of a limited number of federal permits to Mexican and foreign tour operators (plus the requisite permits vessel owners/operators or their agents must obtain)./

/Following a long introductory review and criticism (with a number of unsubstantiated and/or arbitrary “facts”), the Environment and Natural Resources Committee calls for the federal government not to authorize shark watching activities at Guadalupe Island, “insofar as it may not have been determined if these practices change the behavior of this species, creating a risk to its population, the marine fauna of the area, and local fishermen.”/

/As well, the Committee is calling for Mexico’s Secretariat of Environment and Natural Resources, through its Attorney General for the Protection of the Environment and in coordination with the Secretariat of the Navy, to carryout increased vigilance and oversight in the ocean area to insure that all of the rules and regulations in the 2005 decree, that designated the land and waters off Guadalupe Island a natural protected area, are followed./ brt

March 11, 2008

*An OPEN LETTER to members of the Environment and Natural Resources Committee of the Mexican Chamber of Deputies, Honorable Congress of the Union, Mexico, D.F.*

Honorable Deputies of the Environment and Natural Resources Committee:

Diego Cobo Terrazas, Chairman

Jesús de León Tello, Secretary

José Luis Espinosa Piña, Secretary

Lucia Susana Mendoza Morales, Secretary

Benjamín Hernández Silva, Secretary

María Mercedes Colín Guadarrama, Secretary
Aleida Alavez Ruiz

Armando Barreiro Pérez

Edmundo Javier Bolaños Aguilar

Juan Hugo de la Rosa García

Adriana Dávila Fernández

José Antonio Díaz García

Emilio Ramón Ramiro Flores Domínguez

José Guillermo Fuentes Ortiz

Martha Hilda González Calderón

Christian Martin Lujano Nicholas

Cruz Humberto López Lena

Sergio Augusto López Ramírez

María Soledad López Torres

Beatriz Manrique Guevara

Carlos Roberto Martínez Martínez

Roberto Mendoza Flores

Fernando Quetzalcóatl Moctezuma Pereda

Víctor Manuel Méndez Lanz

Jorge Rubén Nordhausen González

José Ascensión Bárcenas Orihuela

Martha Angélica Romo Jiménez

Víctor Manuel Torres Herrera
Rafael Villicaña García

Carlos Ernesto Zatarain González

Esteemed Members of the Chamber of Deputies:

Several allegations have come to our attention regarding ecotourism activities of the white shark cage diving tour operators at Isla Guadalupe, Mexico. Your meeting minutes of April 3, 2008 state the following (translated):

1. "As well, it is mentioned that the techniques used by these tourist service providers in order to attract white sharks puts at risk the ecological balance in the area, the habitat and populations of this species, since their boats carry containers with /sanguaza/ (blood of different origins mixed with water), and bait that they dump into the sea once near the island with the aim of attracting sharks in order to see them rise to the surface or jump. It should be noted that the /sanguaza/ consists of blood from different origins, (which) could have been fishes, fowls or mammals, and in some cases (it) has the remains of entrails mixed with water."

2. "These boats pour out the /sanguaza/ at night so that the essence can remain in the sea, and the next day they can assure tourists (of) the presence of white sharks around this. Another of their methods, although it is utilized to a lesser degree, is the use of pinniped (sea lion, seal or elephant seal) shaped lures, combined with marine mammal oil, a situation that obviously violates federal legislation."

3. "As has been mentioned, the practices used in order to attract these species are so inadequate that they have modified the behavior of white sharks in the area, as well as its local distribution. This change of its behavior will create a potential risk to the populations of sea elephant (/Mirounga angustirostris/) and Guadalupe fur seal (/Arctocephalus townsendi/), as well as abalone fishermen."

4. "Regarding /sanguaza/, this must be considered hazardous waste and even potentially infectious, therefore its use to attract could result in the spread of pathogen agents or viruses that may be potentially infectious and harmful to the marine and terrestrial fauna of the region."

We would like the opportunity to refute these allegations, and to speak directly with any members or deputies of the Environment and Natural Resources Committee. What you have been made aware of at this pristine site is factually incorrect, and it does a great disservice to the overall positive efforts that this fleet, in good faith, has put forward within the Biosphere Reserve boundaries of Isla Guadalupe over the past seven years of operations.

If this site, and the fate of a large percentage of the Pacific’s white shark population, is to continue to thrive the actions you take in coming months will be a deciding factor. We ask that the esteemed members of the Environment and Natural Resources Committee come to understand exactly how these white shark operations are run, and how this fleet, on its own accord, has made great strides in building a long term ecotourism benefit for Mexico.

We stand ready and committed to working with the Mexican government in developing this site as a world class ecotourism and white shark research destination. These small steps have already begun at this site, and we would like to introduce you to them.

Respectfully,

Patric Douglas

CEO

Great White Shark Diving - Shark Diver - Absolute Adventures <http://www.sharkdiver.com/>
Great White Shark Diving - Absolute Adventures <http://www.sharkdivers.com/>
Guadalupe Island Conservation Fund :: Providing contributions towards Great White Shark and Biosphere protection <http://www.guadalupefund.org/>
Home page for a unique, new shark documentary DVD <http://www.islandofthegreatwhiteshark.com/>

415-235-9410

[Web Monkey]

I don't see a problem with this.

Training sharks to associate humans and boats with food would seem to be bad for the sharks, since as soon as they use their trained behaviour when it isn't a "shark dive", someone will get killed, and the public will get their shorts all twisted and start yelling about "shark infested waters".

Terry

[deco_martini]

One of the main criticisms I've seen is that by attracting more white sharks to be in the area more often with chum (creating a food response), you upset the ecosystem balance since more marine mammals near those areas are consumed.

White sharks in natural habitats are mindless gluttons. They don't eat that often.

[danclem]

Sorry to disagree with the previous two posts, but great whites are not "mindless gluttons." They are intelligent creatures that have survived for eons. You may want to read the current issue of Smithsonian (June, 2008): great cover article about the animals.

Second, I don't believe chumming increases the number of sharks at Guadalupe. The sharks apparently migrate long distances and spend part of the year in Guadalupe, which is 35 km in length. I believe the shark encounters are concentrated in a bay on the northeast side of the island. The chumming brings them close for photography. They are fascinating fish to observe and photograph.

Lastly, the jury is still out on the pros and cons of chumming to bring them in close. From my perspective it is a positive. The more we know about these animals, and the greater number of people who observe them, the better appreciation the general public will have of great whites and their role in the oceans. Fewer slaughters, less shark finning.

The Mexican government has done a good job of conservation in areas like Guadalupe and the Revillagigedos. I think they are, in part, reacting to recent attacks on surfers near Acapulco. When tourist dollars are threatened the immediate reaction is to take it out on the sharks. Hopefully level heads and conservationists will work through this latest challenge. It is an outstanding site to visit, photograph, and observe.

Dan

[mike the brit]

well said danclem, my fear is that due to hunting and over reaction by local authorities around the world after any attack, we could loose these amazing, intellegent fish.
Look at the recent lost divers in Australia, the headline was 'shark infested water', the media have alote to answer for.
Mike

[drbill]

I think the Mexican government is getting concerned about the "human infested" waters off Guadalupe. They may have a point.

[deco_martini]

Originally Posted by danclem

Sorry to disagree with the previous two posts, but great whites are not "mindless gluttons."

I meant to say "aren't mindless gluttons". However, I can no longer edit that post. You should have been tipped off by the next statement I made which completely contradicted the previous statement.

[Like a Doll's Eye]

So what is the likely timetable for any of these actions to be implemented, and how will operators in the vicinity be affected?

Should consumers (like myself) cancel reservations for this season to see how it shakes out?

[danclem]

I made a trip to Guadalupe last October with Shark Diving International on the Solmar V, and am looking at heading back down this August for some more photography. Spoke with them this morning (June 17) about possible new regs, and this was their response.

Rules are currently the same as they were a year ago. The Guadalupe preserve is well managed and the push for additional restrictions is not coming from folks associated with managing the Island and environs. SDI staff were heading off to Mexico tomorrow to work on firming up plans for this season. I have not been able to find much information on Mexican sites.

So, my guess is that there will be a season this year with very few changes. I don't think I would purchase trip insurance: if the trip is cancelled, the payment would be refunded. The caveat here is to either fly business class or on an economy fare that can either be resceduled without a penalty, or applied to a different destination.

One additional consideration for me was going out with a high calibre outfit on a boat with Mexican registery. My thinking is that the last restrictions, if any major new ones are added, would apply to Mexican ships. SDI busses clients from San Diego to Ensenada.

Hope this helps,

Dan

[Like a Doll's Eye]

Helpful indeed - It was my original guess that legislation of this kind in any case would be slow to pass. I too am looking at a late August trip on the Solmar.

Perhaps our paths shall cross!