Shark feeding

[Kim]

to me that argument is a cop out. statistical and eventually... statistically and eventually goats will injure kids in petting zoos,

I took my two daughters to an animal farm last weekend - they are one and a half and three. There was one enclosure where the small kids were encouraged to mix with goats and rabbits - including petting them and feeding them lettuce. Most of the kids there were the same age as mine. We squatted down with a few rabbits and fed them some lettuce. When the lettuce was finished the rabbits still hung around to be petted. Suddenly my youngest screamed, and when I checked she had been bitten on a finger - and it drew blood. I'm sure the rabbit wasn't being aggressive, but I'm equally sure that it was so used to being fed, and her fingers were so small that it just got carried away and tried an exploratory nip to see if the food was really finished. Obviously May is now scared in that situation - NOT what I was intending! (For the rest she was alright)

 

[DiverEvans]

Definately an interesting thread. I received my "Shark Diving" certification with two full days of education and dives with the chum bucket. I have always been fascinated by the big animals underwater and was thrilled with the opportunity to learn more and witness these awesome creatures up close. Anytime I go to an area that offers shark dives my husband and I sign up! By strapping on a tank and exploring the seas you put yourself in danger... we all make that choice... whether we participate in shark feeding or not. I also love diving with the dolphins and while it's cool to see them leaping by the boat... it's much cooler to interact 60' under water. Is shark & dolphin diving commercialized? absolutely. Is it a most excellent adventure? You betcha.

 

[badassbill]

Hello all!!! What a great board! I'd like to say thanks to all for the spirited discussion. I have far too many hobbies and belong to close to a dozen forums. (I feel I have to say this every time I join a new forum because they assume a new poster is a newbie)
I'm going to go against the crowd here, and respectfuly disagree. I went to the Bahamas last year and went on about 5 dives. The first one, was on the Paradise Island side of the Bahamas. Beautiful reefs only 30 feet down. Didn't see a shark all day. Why? Sharks are not fed there, why would a shark go to a reef with lots of people...but none of them feed the sharks. A few days later we went on a shark dive with the most popular outfit down there. GREAT experience. I can't say enough good things about it. It would be naive to think that divers would "wander" into this area without knowing it was a shark feeding area. Every DM down there knows the other ones. I did here of a DM getting bit on the head during a shark feed, he was the feeder, and everyone down there now wears "helmets". All diving is somewhat dangerous, and I find it very hard to believe that the shark feeding 10 miles out in an exact location every day would affect sharks everywhere. Are they conditioned? Sure, but they are not conditioned in a way to head over to Atlantis and start looking for food from Sally wading in the ocean.
This is an amazing, amazing experience. I think that spear fishing for flounder in Bull Shark territory is more dangerous than what we did. The Caribean sharks know exactly what the deal is, and after my initial fear of getting in the water I never felt in danger.
I can certainly understand the moral and enviornmental dilemas that people are talking about and would be kidding myself if I didn't see the point. I suppose there is a little voice in all of us saying..."Is this right". However, the majority of the arguments against it seem to be danger. I signed up for the feed, and I accept the risks that come with that. As for the enviornmental impact, are a dozen shark feedings around the world going on every day really affecting the world poplulation of sharks? I doubt it, but I don't claim to be an expert.
Thanks again for a great forum!

My 2 cents...
Bill

 

[cdiver2]

Just a small point, what happens when there are no paying guests no or not enough to feed all the sharks, maybe they will go elsewhere looking for food and they have already associated humans with food. Besides the ethical side " changing there behaviour " how many accidents (bites to humans) are acceptable just so we can satisfy a need to see a shark with the minimum amount of effort. IMHO it is worth the time waiting to see a shark in its natural environment a lot better than a punch and judy show, if thats what you want go to sea world they feed sharks every day.

 

[badassbill]

I doubt that the feedings are feeding the worlds oceans. It was banned in FL, and I don't think they showed up on Jersey beaches looking for handouts. How many scuba deaths are acceptible before we stop that? How many car deaths are acceptable before we stop driving? It is regulated, there are precautions taken, and the DM are looking out for peoples safety. If you don't like it...then don't do it.
"IMHO it is worth the time waiting to see a shark in its natural environment a lot better than a punch and judy show, if thats what you want go to sea world they feed sharks every day."...If this is what YOU wanted...why would you scuba dive when you could go see a Queen Angel at Sea World?
"how many accidents (bites to humans) are acceptable just so we can satisfy a need to see a shark with the minimum amount of effort."...Here again...this is not a rapant problem. If it were...it would be stopped. I would say that more surfers are attacked by sharks than feeders. Maybe we should stop surfing while we are at it?
The arguments against shark feeding seem to be seeded in feelings, not facts. If it's not your thing, which is what the original post asked, then don't do it. It's as simple as that.

 

[cdiver2]

Bill I dive to see Nature in a natural enenvironment not a side show you can-not say a feed is natural.

"If it were a rampant problem it would be stoped" . Bill it has been stoped in a few places not just "Fl".

" More surfers are attacked than feeders" True it is well known that a surfer looks like natural prey, but the surfer is not changing the natural behaviour by associating humans with food and therefore endangering other people.

I really dont care how many participants in a shark feed get bit/killed as you said they paid the $ and you get what you get. My concern is for the people that get hit that are not participants.. and the sharks when humans go on a killing spree after someone is attacked.

Yes it is hard to give facts FOR and AGAINST and it is true most of what I am saying is my feelings on the subject. But by the same token you can not prove that it do's not adversely effect shark behaviour, but the bottom line is if you are right ? and we stop shark feeding, no harm done a few people losse a few bucks and instant gratification has lost this one. On the other hand if I am right ? and we dont stop the feeding then innocent people get hurt, and we start abnormal behaviour in the sharks.

And for what someone to make a buck and feed instant gratification ?. I dont think that is a lot to give up.

 

[badassbill]

Well taken. I guess this is why there is both Vanilla and Chocolate.

 

[cdiver2]

LOVE vanilla HATE chocolate
David

 

[nbdiver]

I voted yes only because I would be a hypocrite to say no since I did a shark feeding with Stuart's Cove in the Bahamas. I do see both sides of the point and am unsure of my true belief on this. I can tell you it was the best dive I have ever done bar none! I would definitely do it again whether its right or wrong. I at no time felt I was in any danger with a bunch of Carribean Reef Sharks and a couple of Nurse Sharks in the feeding. In all the articles I have ever seen about shark attacks, I have never heard of a Carribean reef shark nor a nurse shark attacking a human! My opinion might change if the shark feeding was with Bull and Tiger Sharks, but I have I don't think that is the case. Just my 2 cents!

 

[partridge]

I was diving last month in a protected area in Cebu, Philippines. Hilutungan Isaland for those who have been. Fish feeding is encouraged here. It was really cool to have all the fish around me. There were also some big batfish there. They would really come close to divers and even follow us around. Towards the end of the dive, one of them took a nibble on my finger. I guess he thought there was food there.

I cannot even begin to imagine what it would be like if it were a shark.......of any size or any kind.