Hand Feeding Sharks & Shark Awareness Video

[danvolker]

Ok, let's assume that the one sentence we are taking out in this debate, "There has been no evidence that the hand feeding of sharks promotes such attacks" (In swimmers) is false. Clearly this is the phrase that has brought all this attention. I did not make that up, it is stated in the bibliography I mentioned earlier. Let's assume that is wrong. So here we go. Human feeding interaction with ocean creatures is wrong because it associates and teaches these creatures to become comfortable around humans and can lead to accidental bites and aggressivness among all sea creatures. We have to assume that all sea folk may and can be compared to all the studies of land animals as well. Bears, Lions, Deer...etc. We are still all on the same page right? Follow me here. Is it possible that our very presence underwater or even out in the wild interferes with wildlife behavior regardless of having food in hand. Perhaps big oil didasters or overfishing promotes devastation and aggresivness to the habitat? Is it possible that our disregard for our resources has brought on a change in behavior to all walks of life on this planet because we have upset the balance that has been in place since the dawn of time up until 100 years ago? So I'll ask you, and you are all divers, and I will assume that you are aware of the fragile balance of the eco system; All things being equal are you ready to give up diving in general if a study came out saying you were harming and disrupting the coral reef just by being down there? Let's not just point fingers at shark feeding, are you really willing to stop diving? You know all the "Scuba Guppies" out there who have no boyancy controll, and many others are kicking and killing corral with there fins...etc...Our film was meant to try and help, perhaps the ends cannot justify the means, but I feel good about it all. If only one person sees this film and becomes someone who helps save a shark, or any species, then
LOVE.

It is not human feeding interaction with marine life that we are discussing....it is Hand Feeding of Sharks...concerning ourselves with effecting the behavior of groupers or most other fish is of no concern whatever, given there will be tons of these netted or caught per day by commercial fishing operations...what divers do is insignificant...Hand feeding sharks is stupid - while some scientist could be paid to do a paper supposedly showing no risk, this would be of as much value as the scientists that used to be Owned by the Tobacco industry, who for years put out studies showing no link between cigarettes and lung cancer...We need to apply common sense here....
This film is not a problem...the problem is hand shark feeding operations proliferating and at some point, causing a shark to bite a diver swimming nearby....then it will be criminal negligence of the hand feeding operation....and whether the charge sticks will be less important than the common sense issue, and the moral issue.
You have the film already...I hope someone sees it and cares more about sharks as a result.....but dont push for more hand feeding.

Going toward the future, there will be better video opportunities for you to use to help people connect with sharks....without teaching them that divers mean food.

 

[supergaijin]

My take was that the film showed hand-feeding which has been shown in other places to create 'accidents' and then justified as a 'save the sharks' campaign.

The OP says they created the film to voice the other side of the story- which I took to mean that hand-feeding sharks does not create potential problems for other divers which has happened with other conditioned fishes. However apart from the mention in the video saying that some studies suggest that hand-feeding hasn't been proved to increase shark attacks, it doesn't make any other argument.

I applaud the OP for creating a 'save the sharks' awareness video. However hand-feeding is arguably more of a circus-show than a shark awareness campaign.

 

[dumpsterDiver]

I've worked as a "professional staff member" on organized shark feeds/dives and I've also rode large sea turtles while diving.. I doubt I will be participating in either activity anymore (not to mention they are both illegal where I'm from).

Hand feeding sharks may go the way of turtle riding... off into the archives of scuba diving history.

 

[supergaijin]

A few people would have seen this video here- it has been posted before. This is what can happen when some people get involved with shark feeding.

[video]http://www.petethomasoutdoors.com/2012/03/scuba-diver-pulls-foot-from-jaws-of-large-tiger-shark-video.html[/video]

 

[Docandwyatt1]

I have moved on from the conversation about the video and the hand feeding of sharks. You all disagree, and I understand why. Have I not acknowledged this already? I am asking you, if you are going to go down the road of "human interaction", as scuba divers and what is right and what is wrong; feeding, witnessing, kicking corral, certifing students on the conveyor belt, or just simply being in a place you are not supposed to be, is that not just as wrong? Or are some things OK and not others? You tell me. It will make me a better humanatarian if I hear something I have not already decided upon. It's like all of you read my last post, and ignored all of it, and restated how shark feeding is bad, but not diving in general.

 

[supergaijin]

Ok, let's assume that the one sentence we are taking out in this debate, "There has been no evidence that the hand feeding of sharks promotes such attacks" (In swimmers) is false. Clearly this is the phrase that has brought all this attention. I did not make that up, it is stated in the bibliography I mentioned earlier. Let's assume that is wrong. So here we go. Human feeding interaction with ocean creatures is wrong because it associates and teaches these creatures to become comfortable around humans and can lead to accidental bites and aggressivness among all sea creatures. We have to assume that all sea folk may and can be compared to all the studies of land animals as well. Bears, Lions, Deer...etc.

I believe you don't have to compare marine animals to terrestrial as there is enough empirical evidence that feeding/conditioning has resulted in accidents.

"There has been no evidence that the hand feeding of sharks promotes such attacks" (In swimmers) is false. Clearly this is the phrase that has brought all this attention. I did not make that up, it is stated in the bibliography I mentioned earlier.

​

You use wikipedia as a source?
Project Aware does not promote shark feeding from my knowledge.
Which leaves one- some guy's blog.

Is it possible that our very presence underwater or even out in the wild interferes with wildlife behavior regardless of having food in hand.

Possible? Sure- probable? No. You are introducing a strawman argument here.

 

[danvolker]

I have moved on from the conversation about the video and the hand feeding of sharks. You all disagree, and I understand why. Have I not acknowledged this already? I am asking you, if you are going to go down the road of "human interaction", as scuba divers and what is right and what is wrong; feeding, witnessing, kicking corral, certifing students on the conveyor belt, or just simply being in a place you are not supposed to be, is that not just as wrong? Or are some things OK and not others? You tell me. It will make me a better humanatarian if I hear something I have not already decided upon. It's like all of you read my last post, and ignored all of it, and restated how shark feeding is bad, but not diving in general.

Man you just dont get it..

This is not about tree hugging or ecology....

If you were hand feeding sharks, and one of the hand fed sharks goes and bites "some guy's girlfriend", and she dies, then this diver is duty bound to kill you..

You would deserve it, and many of us would take up a collection to help with his legal fees.

This has nothing to do with the nonsense you are spouting about diver interaction with marine life.... I would say You are feeding bears in the park, but this hand feeding of sharks is actually worse.

 

[Docandwyatt1]

You use wikipedia as a source?
Project Aware does not promote shark feeding from my knowledge.
Which leaves one- some guy's blog.

Just so you know, it wasn't "Some Guys Blog" I used him for the coconut in the head. Inform yourself before you call someone out and try to make them sound like an idiot.

Caribbean reef shark - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

---------- Post added May 21st, 2012 at 08:47 PM ----------

I also run an outfitting company where people are allowed to ride horses. So i believe I just read if "Someones girlfriend...the diver is duty bound to kill you" and you would take up a collection and I would deserve it. I think my staff would dissagree, and so would my insurance company. It's why we have "release forms". I think you are the one who does not get it. Have a nice life people. I'm finished here. not going to corrospond with folk who think murder is ok.​

 

[danvolker]

I had horses growing up....I could hand feed a horse for years with no danger of the horse trying to eat one of my friends or neighbors.


You apparently can't process , and are lacking in common sense.



Watch the door on the way out

 

[Rooster59]

shark = hungry wild animal with sharp teeth = leave it alone.