Dive boat operators face charges of illegally feeding sharks in state waters

[HalcyonDaze]

I finally found a study: http://www.google.hn/url?sa=t&rct=j...esAdpt29xEG2rMQ&bvm=bv.65397613,d.cWc&cad=rja

Mostly inconclusive, but it does not reject shark feeding outright.

I may or may not have posted a link to that earlier. It's not a study; it's a review paper (i.e. one that summarizes multiple studies, in this case by the author of said studies) which seems geared towards non-academic readers. It's an okay summation of some of the issues in play, although it's primarily focused on the sicklefin lemon shark dives in Moorea.

As an aside, looking on the Emerald Charters FB page Randy's complaining that a NOAA-affiliated "research vessel" (possibly a commercial boat operating under NOAA auspices?) took 72 bull sharks on longline as part of a population assessment recently. I'll have to check on this with some folks I know at the Southeast Fisheries Science Center in Miami. If so, I am not happy about this. I understand that science sometimes requires lethal sampling, but if they did take 72 sharks - of a species that may take 10-15 years or more to reach sexual maturity - out of a single area that's likely a hard wallop to the population. Again, I will look into this later in the week to make sure the information is accurate and hasn't been torqued out of proportion.

 

[The Chairman]

Wow... that's quite a harvest. How sad.

 

[wspalding]

I finally found a study: http://www.google.hn/url?sa=t&rct=j...esAdpt29xEG2rMQ&bvm=bv.65397613,d.cWc&cad=rja

Mostly inconclusive, but it does not reject shark feeding outright.

The paper you posted cites the study I posted earlier in this thread that shows sharks can learn to associate divers with food, and can change their behavior. I'd point out that the author concludes that there are few benefits to the sharks with respect to shark feeding, and noted several potential hazards to both the sharks and to divers. The major benefit cited isn't to the sharks themselves, but to the economic value it brings to ecotourism vendors. In the section under "potentially negative effects", the author makes the point that many here have been arguing, that feeding sharks causes those sharks to associate divers with food, and that sharks that once were wary of approaching a diver lose their wariness and are not hesitant to approach divers, and heightens the risk of an accidental, or even intentional bite. I agree that the author does not condemn the practice of feeding sharks, but the arguments made supporting some form of it are purely based in economics. I think it is safe to say that this author would agree that there should be limitations on shark feeding.

 

[iluvtheocean]

just a search on that.... could have been referring to this http://research.myfwc.com/engine/do...urtis_2543.pdf&objid=61673&dltype=publication
mention 72 bullsharks on longlines -- but i think that was done over time. (see page 5 under season distribution)

 

[HalcyonDaze]

just a search on that.... could have been referring to this http://research.myfwc.com/engine/do...urtis_2543.pdf&objid=61673&dltype=publication
mention 72 bullsharks on longlines -- but i think that was done over time. (see page 5 under season distribution)

Possible but not likely unless Randy has his facts mixed up to hell and gone (which could be, but that's something of a whopper). First the study area is a ways north; Mosquito Lagoon to the St. Lucie inlet. Second, NMFS wasn't involved with those collections. As stated, I'm trying to get info from a couple of sources in and out of SEFSC. I have seen one post from a non-affiliated researcher stating this is a current program involving five commercial vessels selected under a lottery system to collect a set quota for "fisheries dependent" research prior to the season opening. The commercial fishermen are then permitted to sell this catch on the market. The quota (still haven't heard whether this is for the entire southeast region or a smaller sub-section) is 50 metric tons of large coastal (bull and lemon) sharks and 116 metric tons of sandbar sharks.

 

[iluvtheocean]

Possible but not likely unless Randy has his facts mixed up to hell and gone (which could be, but that's something of a whopper). First the study area is a ways north; Mosquito Lagoon to the St. Lucie inlet. Second, NMFS wasn't involved with those collections. As stated, I'm trying to get info from a couple of sources in and out of SEFSC. I have seen one post from a non-affiliated researcher stating this is a current program involving five commercial vessels selected under a lottery system to collect a set quota for "fisheries dependent" research prior to the season opening. The commercial fishermen are then permitted to sell this catch on the market. The quota (still haven't heard whether this is for the entire southeast region or a smaller sub-section) is 50 metric tons of large coastal (bull and lemon) sharks and 116 metric tons of sandbar sharks.

anything is possible the study is just what i found and it might not be what he was referring to... and no where in here am i trying to bad-mouth Randy at all. I understand he's trying to raise awareness in his own ways and i'd be interested in going on one of the dives myself. The original issue was between fwc & him and where they were -- the case will end up how it will. Most of the posts on the thread have been in regards to whether feeding is good or bad in regards to what effects it has on their behaviors.

I think we'd all be interested in whatever info you can acquire on the research. Personally, since we only this 1 world to live on and no easy means to get anywhere else -- we don't want to see the ecosystems disturbed anymore than they are - and the more we know & understand how they work - the easier is to try to fix.
(an example would be how the lionfish have disturbed the ecosystems around here and what we're trying to do to lessen their effect)

 

[HalcyonDaze]

This is the program that Randy was referring to - http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/sfa/hms/news/news_list/2013/11/11-22-13_2014_srf_noi_listserve.pdf

Atlantic Shark Commercial Fishery Landings Update Through April 10, 2014 :: Office of Sustainable Fisheries

I'm going to try and check - maybe off the record and over a couple beers - what is gathered from this program and how it's conducted. I agree that data is important if you're going to run a fishery; this is probably aimed at assessing stock numbers and CPUE (Catch Per Unit Effort, i.e. how hard do they have to work/how much gear they need to deploy to catch sharks). However, if they just ripped a big chunk out of the local bull shark population (if it is local and not just a large population whose members are passing through), that's problematic.

 

[chillyinCanada]

It's all just fun until someone loses an eye . . .erm, an arm.

 

[Capt Scotty]

I just happened to be at the local fish house a couple weeks ago when they where trying to sell a very large amount of shark meat. When I asked about it I was told it was from a Research program....

 

[HalcyonDaze]

That may have been from that run or another boat - I've heard there are five participating in this program, although I'm not sure whether that's over the entire Southeast area or just along the Atlantic. Unfortunately I wasn't able to meet up with the folks I know at SEFSC on Friday; I may try to catch them another time. I'm dismayed at this, but I would like to hear their end of the story before going completely Librarian-poo.