Update from our friends in Fiji

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This is a reblog from Mike in Fiji. http://fijisharkdiving.blogspot.com/2016/02/cyclone-winston-images.html

It looks like they made it through the Cyclone OK, but that can’t be said for other parts of Fiji.

Just amazing.
I’ve just come back from Suva.
Insiders know the route which leads through several villages and settlements with plenty of ramshackle dwellings, and then through the suburb of Lami and finally, Suva proper. I was expecting to see some signs of the devastation but… nothing! 
Everything is clean and tidy, and all I could discern were a total of three missing roofs where repairs were already well underway.
Like I said, just amazing!
But in the North and in the islands, things are completely different.
This is yesterday’s local News bulletin.



These poor people need urgent help.
Should you want to contribute, please re-read this  – and should you want to use other channels, you may want to first ascertain whether the funds will be ultimately disbursed to the National Disaster Management Office  and then, the District Disaster Management Committee (DISMAC) that are coordinating the efforts, and what portion of your funds will be wasted on overheads as is too often the case. Like the PM said, this is really not the moment for waste, duplication let alone obstruction!
Thank you very much!

If you would like to help out, Mike is recommending the following ways.
The Prime Minister’s disaster relief fund  http://www.fiji.gov.fj/Media-Center/Press-Releases/FIJIAN-GOVERNMENT-ESTABLISHES-DISASTER-RELIEF-FUND.aspx

The Fiji Red Cross: http://www.fijitimes.com/story.aspx?id=342687

I’m glad that our friends have made it through the Cyclone OK and I urge you to help the less fortunate one in Fiji via one of the above means.

Cheers,
Martin Graf
CEO Shark Diver

About Shark Diver. As a global leader in commercial shark diving and conservation initiatives Shark Diver has spent the past decade engaged for sharks around the world. Our blog highlights all aspects of both of these dynamic and shifting worlds. You can reach us directly at staff@sharkdiver.com.

Update from our friends in Fiji

Instagram 

This is a reblog from Mike in Fiji. http://fijisharkdiving.blogspot.com/2016/02/cyclone-winston-images.html

It looks like they made it through the Cyclone OK, but that can’t be said for other parts of Fiji.

Just amazing.
I’ve just come back from Suva.
Insiders know the route which leads through several villages and settlements with plenty of ramshackle dwellings, and then through the suburb of Lami and finally, Suva proper. I was expecting to see some signs of the devastation but… nothing! 
Everything is clean and tidy, and all I could discern were a total of three missing roofs where repairs were already well underway.
Like I said, just amazing!
But in the North and in the islands, things are completely different.
This is yesterday’s local News bulletin.



These poor people need urgent help.
Should you want to contribute, please re-read this  – and should you want to use other channels, you may want to first ascertain whether the funds will be ultimately disbursed to the National Disaster Management Office  and then, the District Disaster Management Committee (DISMAC) that are coordinating the efforts, and what portion of your funds will be wasted on overheads as is too often the case. Like the PM said, this is really not the moment for waste, duplication let alone obstruction!
Thank you very much!

If you would like to help out, Mike is recommending the following ways.
The Prime Minister’s disaster relief fund  http://www.fiji.gov.fj/Media-Center/Press-Releases/FIJIAN-GOVERNMENT-ESTABLISHES-DISASTER-RELIEF-FUND.aspx

The Fiji Red Cross: http://www.fijitimes.com/story.aspx?id=342687

I’m glad that our friends have made it through the Cyclone OK and I urge you to help the less fortunate one in Fiji via one of the above means.

Cheers,
Martin Graf
CEO Shark Diver

About Shark Diver. As a global leader in commercial shark diving and conservation initiatives Shark Diver has spent the past decade engaged for sharks around the world. Our blog highlights all aspects of both of these dynamic and shifting worlds. You can reach us directly at staff@sharkdiver.com.

Who is more aggressive, a Bull Shark or a Great White?

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We hear a lot about how aggressive shark are. Some people think that if they encounter a shark in the ocean, they will get bit. This kind of thinking is at least partially fueled by the media that seems to portray any encounter with a shark as a near death experience.

I’ve been diving with Great White, Bull and Tiger Sharks for over 15 years now and have found that most sharks are actually pretty shy and not very aggressive. Despite the fact that shark bites and attacks are extremely rare, the common perception is that they are dangerous. When it comes to what species is most dangerous, people tell me that because they have more testosterone than any other shark, Bull Sharks are the most aggressive and therefore the most dangerous to humans.

It is true, that since Bull Sharks can swim and hunt in very shallow, brackish and even fresh water, they tend to be in much closer proximity to humans than Tiger or Great White Sharks. This obviously leads to a greater chance of an encounter with them, which can result in an occasional bite or attack. Such bites however remain extremely rare. Last year there were 96 shark bites with 6 fatalities reported worldwide. These numbers include all species of shark.

I think that a lot of people confuse feeding with aggression. Biting that is related to hunting or feeding has nothing to do with the testosterone level, but is simply and indication that the shark is hungry. Aggression has to do with defending their territory, establishing dominance and is usually directed toward another shark or a perceived competitor. So if we look at it that way, who is more aggressive, the Bull Shark, or the Great White Shark?

Well, let me show you a couple of pictures.

These pictures all show Great White Sharks with bite marks from their own kind. It is rare to see an adult Great White Shark that doesn’t have some kind of scar or fresh bite mark on them. These sharks are very much into keeping their “personal space” and it is rare for them to touch each other, without there being some biting involved. Typically when 2 White Sharks encounter each other, they pass each other head on, to establish who is bigger. If that doesn’t settle it, they tend to come back together and swim parallel with each other, to get a closer look. Now if that still doesn’t settle it, the more dominant sharks usually shows the other who’s boss by biting it on the head or in the gill area.

Now I want to stress that the aggression I have observed on White Sharks is shown towards other shark and not humans, or other animals in the ocean. Just like any other “dangerous” shark, they are not very likely to attack a human.

Add caption
2 of these sharks just got a tuna head, they show no aggression.

In the pictures above, you can see lot’s of Bull Sharks swimming very close together and there doesn’t seem to be any aggression. I’ve seen over 70 of those sharks, without noticing any that had bite marks on them. This is something that definitely can’t be said about Great Whites.

It never ceases to amaze me, how little we know about sharks and how much of what we “know” is actually wrong. We tend to think that something like testosterone will have the same effect in sharks as it does in humans. On the flip side of the “sharks are mindless killer” attitude, there is the “sharks want to be hugged” crowd, that is trying to show how harmless these sharks are by riding, grabbing, flipping and hugging them.

Let’s appreciate the sharks for who and what they are. They are not mindless killers, but neither are they harmless pets. As I always say, “I absolutely love “my” sharks, but it is not a mutual feeling and that is perfectly fine with me”. I don’t feel the need to assign human emotions to them, I love em just they way they are.

Cheers,
Martin Graf
CEO Shark Diver

About Shark Diver. As a global leader in commercial shark diving and conservation initiatives Shark Diver has spent the past decade engaged for sharks around the world. Our blog highlights all aspects of both of these dynamic and shifting worlds. You can reach us directly at staff@sharkdiver.com.

Who is more aggressive, a Bull Shark or a Great White?

Instagram 
We hear a lot about how aggressive shark are. Some people think that if they encounter a shark in the ocean, they will get bit. This kind of thinking is at least partially fueled by the media that seems to portray any encounter with a shark as a near death experience.

I’ve been diving with Great White, Bull and Tiger Sharks for over 15 years now and have found that most sharks are actually pretty shy and not very aggressive. Despite the fact that shark bites and attacks are extremely rare, the common perception is that they are dangerous. When it comes to what species is most dangerous, people tell me that because they have more testosterone than any other shark, Bull Sharks are the most aggressive and therefore the most dangerous to humans.

It is true, that since Bull Sharks can swim and hunt in very shallow, brackish and even fresh water, they tend to be in much closer proximity to humans than Tiger or Great White Sharks. This obviously leads to a greater chance of an encounter with them, which can result in an occasional bite or attack. Such bites however remain extremely rare. Last year there were 96 shark bites with 6 fatalities reported worldwide. These numbers include all species of shark.

I think that a lot of people confuse feeding with aggression. Biting that is related to hunting or feeding has nothing to do with the testosterone level, but is simply and indication that the shark is hungry. Aggression has to do with defending their territory, establishing dominance and is usually directed toward another shark or a perceived competitor. So if we look at it that way, who is more aggressive, the Bull Shark, or the Great White Shark?

Well, let me show you a couple of pictures.

These pictures all show Great White Sharks with bite marks from their own kind. It is rare to see an adult Great White Shark that doesn’t have some kind of scar or fresh bite mark on them. These sharks are very much into keeping their “personal space” and it is rare for them to touch each other, without there being some biting involved. Typically when 2 White Sharks encounter each other, they pass each other head on, to establish who is bigger. If that doesn’t settle it, they tend to come back together and swim parallel with each other, to get a closer look. Now if that still doesn’t settle it, the more dominant sharks usually shows the other who’s boss by biting it on the head or in the gill area.

Now I want to stress that the aggression I have observed on White Sharks is shown towards other shark and not humans, or other animals in the ocean. Just like any other “dangerous” shark, they are not very likely to attack a human.

Add caption
2 of these sharks just got a tuna head, they show no aggression.

In the pictures above, you can see lot’s of Bull Sharks swimming very close together and there doesn’t seem to be any aggression. I’ve seen over 70 of those sharks, without noticing any that had bite marks on them. This is something that definitely can’t be said about Great Whites.

It never ceases to amaze me, how little we know about sharks and how much of what we “know” is actually wrong. We tend to think that something like testosterone will have the same effect in sharks as it does in humans. On the flip side of the “sharks are mindless killer” attitude, there is the “sharks want to be hugged” crowd, that is trying to show how harmless these sharks are by riding, grabbing, flipping and hugging them.

Let’s appreciate the sharks for who and what they are. They are not mindless killers, but neither are they harmless pets. As I always say, “I absolutely love “my” sharks, but it is not a mutual feeling and that is perfectly fine with me”. I don’t feel the need to assign human emotions to them, I love em just they way they are.

Cheers,
Martin Graf
CEO Shark Diver

About Shark Diver. As a global leader in commercial shark diving and conservation initiatives Shark Diver has spent the past decade engaged for sharks around the world. Our blog highlights all aspects of both of these dynamic and shifting worlds. You can reach us directly at staff@sharkdiver.com.

Our friends in Fiji made it through the cyclone!

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It looks like our friends in Fiji made it through Cyclone Winston, the worst in history.

Here is Mike’s first hand report. http://fijisharkdiving.blogspot.com/2016/02/back-in-business.html?spref=fb

A picture of the devastation.

Back in Business!

We’re opening tomorrow.


But first.

This has been the worst cyclone to ever hit the SoPac, and one of the very worst globally.

Our thoughts go to the families of the deceased and missing, to the many who got injured, to the countless displaced, many of whom have literally lost everything.


But this is Fiji.

Yes the widespread stoicism in the face of the onrushing onslaught may have seemed peculiar – but the flip side is that after the event, there is no drama whatsoever as instead of lamenting and waiting for others to help, we get up, dust ourselves off and carry on. 

Case in point, the power and water are miraculously back on, and everybody is busy cleaning up and helping friends and neighbors to get back on their feet. And a big bravo to Government who has been handling this admirably right from the get go, and who continues show leadership by being proactive, efficient and effective all throughout the country.


I also want to thank our friends.

Your outpouring of support has been frankly humbling, and we all thank you for that. No we really don’t need anything – but should you want to make a valuable contribution, please make a donation to the Fiji Red Cross or to the Prime Minister’s Disaster Relief and Rehabilitation Fund as right now, those are by far the most effective venues for quickly getting the right help to the affected people.

Thank you very much.
 


Anyway, we’re open for business.

Can’t wait to have my first look at Shark Reef that has been battered by phenomenal seas. We’ve recently established a shallow nursery for different endangered Giant Clams, and I’m fearing the worst – but who knows, we here are resilient.


Keep watching this space! 
We are all glad you made it through OK and are looking forward to diving with you in May.
Cheers!
Martin Graf

About Shark Diver. As a global leader in commercial shark diving and conservation initiatives Shark Diver has spent the past decade engaged for sharks around the world. Our blog highlights all aspects of both of these dynamic and shifting worlds. You can reach us directly at staff@sharkdiver.com.

Our friends in Fiji made it through the cyclone!

Instagram 

It looks like our friends in Fiji made it through Cyclone Winston, the worst in history.

Here is Mike’s first hand report. http://fijisharkdiving.blogspot.com/2016/02/back-in-business.html?spref=fb

A picture of the devastation.

Back in Business!

We’re opening tomorrow.


But first.

This has been the worst cyclone to ever hit the SoPac, and one of the very worst globally.

Our thoughts go to the families of the deceased and missing, to the many who got injured, to the countless displaced, many of whom have literally lost everything.


But this is Fiji.

Yes the widespread stoicism in the face of the onrushing onslaught may have seemed peculiar – but the flip side is that after the event, there is no drama whatsoever as instead of lamenting and waiting for others to help, we get up, dust ourselves off and carry on. 

Case in point, the power and water are miraculously back on, and everybody is busy cleaning up and helping friends and neighbors to get back on their feet. And a big bravo to Government who has been handling this admirably right from the get go, and who continues show leadership by being proactive, efficient and effective all throughout the country.


I also want to thank our friends.

Your outpouring of support has been frankly humbling, and we all thank you for that. No we really don’t need anything – but should you want to make a valuable contribution, please make a donation to the Fiji Red Cross or to the Prime Minister’s Disaster Relief and Rehabilitation Fund as right now, those are by far the most effective venues for quickly getting the right help to the affected people.

Thank you very much.
 


Anyway, we’re open for business.

Can’t wait to have my first look at Shark Reef that has been battered by phenomenal seas. We’ve recently established a shallow nursery for different endangered Giant Clams, and I’m fearing the worst – but who knows, we here are resilient.


Keep watching this space! 
We are all glad you made it through OK and are looking forward to diving with you in May.
Cheers!
Martin Graf

About Shark Diver. As a global leader in commercial shark diving and conservation initiatives Shark Diver has spent the past decade engaged for sharks around the world. Our blog highlights all aspects of both of these dynamic and shifting worlds. You can reach us directly at staff@sharkdiver.com.

Is “BAD” really GOOD?

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The shark dive at the Shark Reef Marine Reserve in Fiji has been dubbed “The best shark dive in the world” by none other than shark diving pioneers Ron and Valerie Taylor.

Now Beqa Adventure Divers, the “Conservation project masquerading as a dive shop” that was instrumental in the creation of the reserve has received another great award. They were honored with the ANZ Excellence in Tourism award for Tourism Sustainability! This is a very prestigious award, being recognize as the best of the thousands of tourism businesses in Fiji! 

Congratulations to all the guys and gals at “BAD You are truly awesome!

Read more about the ANZ awards here http://www.fijitimes.com/story.aspx?id=342289

On a different note, I hope you guys are staying safe with Cyclone “Winston” heading your way. I’m looking forward to diving with you again in a couple of months.

Cheers,
Martin Graf
CEO Shark Diver
 
About Shark Diver. As a global leader in commercial shark diving and conservation initiatives Shark Diver has spent the past decade engaged for sharks around the world. Our blog highlights all aspects of both of these dynamic and shifting worlds. You can reach us directly at staff@sharkdiver.com.

What is sustainable shark diving?

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We in the shark conservation field have been saying for years that a shark is worth more alive than dead. We have been citing various examples of how a live shark can bring a lot more money to an area through tourism than it would being sold one time for it’s meat or fins.

There are a lot of conservationists who are advocating activities like shark diving to accomplish that goal, while others are pointing to the problems those operations can create. The problem is, how do we know if the outfit we plan on going with is taking conservation serious? How do we know who to go with?

Diving safely, inside a cage at Guadalupe Island

Well, now there is a way, or to be more precise, there will be a way. Rick McPherson, a well respected conservationist is creating a website sustainablesharkdiving.com that is going to be sort of  a trip advisor for shark diving.

This is how Rick describes it himselfSustainableSharkDiving.com  was created as a free, online tool for the rapidly growing shark dive tourism community to make more informed choices about the businesses shark divers choose to support, recognize those businesses employing sustainable best practices, and encourage businesses that may need to improve their environmental performance to ensure the safety of both their clients and sharks. This is an experiment to see if consumer voices can help build a stronger, safer, more sustainable industry.

This website will give the customers the ability to rate the dive operations, not just on their service, but also on their practices. Categories for the ratings include: are they following good practices in their interactions with the sharks, are they educating their customers, are they supporting the local community etc.?

Rick still need some funds to complete the website. He has a gofund me page, where you can support his efforts. Please send him a few dollars. He is not asking for much and the website can really make a difference and be a valuable tool for those divers interested in supporting sustainable shark diving.

Please click on the following link to make a donation: https://www.gofundme.com/sharkdiving

Let’s go shark diving!

Cheers,
Martin Graf
CEO Shark Diver

About Shark Diver. As a global leader in commercial shark diving and conservation initiatives Shark Diver has spent the past decade engaged for sharks around the world. Our blog highlights all aspects of both of these dynamic and shifting worlds. You can reach us directly at staff@sharkdiver.com.

What kills fewer people than sharks each year?

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Every time a deadly shark attack occurs, people start pointing out what kills more people than sharks each year. This led me to think of a different question. What kills fewer people than sharks each year? Do you know anything that kills people, but fewer than 6 people worldwide? There might be something, but I haven’t found it yet. So keep that question in mind, when you read the following.

A record number of global shark attacks is making the news these days. As expected, the headlines proclaiming this fact vary, along with the tone of the article accompanying them.

Discovery.com has a headline that says: “Record number of shark attacks in 2015” and their article goes on to mention all the places those attacks have happened and how those numbers increased.

Shark attacks hit an all time high last year, with the United States leading all nations in numbers of such attacks, according to the University of Florida’s International Shark Attack File.

Climate change, recovering shark populations and more people in the water help to explain the high number of recorded shark attacks for 2015: 98, including six fatalities. All of the attacks were unprovoked.

Discovery stresses the fact that all of those attacks were unprovoked and is careful to point out that we can expect an increase in those numbers. They stress the fact that the number of fatal attacks doubled in 2015 versus 2014.

“Sharks plus humans equals attacks,” George Burgess, curator of the file, which houses the globe’s clearinghouse of shark attack data, said in a press release. “As our population continues to rapidly grow and shark populations slowly recover, we’re going to see more interactions.”
 
2015 broke the prior record, which was set in 2000. That year, there were 88 attacks. 2015 further saw double the number of deaths from shark attacks versus 2014.

Bull Sharks swimming along divers in Fiji

Yes, the number of fatalities doubled versus 2014, but what they fail to mention is that the 2014 number was unusually low and only about half the annual average.

From the International Shark Attack File summary: Significantly, worldwide there were only six fatalities (producing a 6.1% fatality rate) resulting from unprovoked attacks (two in Reunion and single incidents in Australia, New Caledonia, Hawaii, and Egypt).  The six attacks matched the annual average of the previous decade.  

This total is remarkably low given the billions of human-hours spent in the water each year.

Discovery is also giving some good advice on how to avoid a shark attack, but not without prefacing it with “To avoid adding to the yearly tally”, implying that not following that advice would lead to a shark attack. To avoid adding to the yearly tally, Burgess and his team advise not to swim at dusk, dawn or night. They also say not to wear shiny jewelry in the water, and not to swim where people are fishing, where fish are schooling or where seabirds are feeding. 

It’s not until the very end of their article that they mention that there is really no reason to worry by saying this. Even with 2015’s record-breaking number of shark attacks, your chances of experiencing such a risky encounter are very slim. Burgess reminded that the following culprits killed more people than sharks last year: spiders, dogs and lightning.
  
So Discovery’s headline could just as easily have said “Spiders, dogs and lightning kill more people than sharks!” but then again, who would read such an article? I’m really disappointed that an outlet that is supposedly meant to educate on nature and science, is stooping to sensationalizing and spreading fear instead. 

On the other hand, an outlet not usually known for holding back on sensational headlines, FOX 13 news in Tampa Bay had this headline: Researchers: 2015 breaks shark attack record, but don’t panic.

They start their article by saying: A record number of unprovoked shark attacks in 2015 prompted University of Florida researchers to find out why.

The school released its report on what might be behind the 98 attacks – a number which breaks the 2000 record of 88 attacks. However, researchers said the increase should not be cause of alarm. Although there were more attacks in 2015, fatality rate was half that of 2000. Also, the increase in attacks was likely due to a growing human population, not a growing hunger amongst sharks for human flesh.

Kudos to FOX 13 in Tampa Bay for reporting a shark attack story factually, without any sensationalism! Who knew that the mainstream media could do a better job at covering this story than a science network?

Cheers,
Martin Graf
CEO Shark Diver

About Shark Diver. As a global leader in commercial shark diving and conservation initiatives Shark Diver has spent the past decade engaged for sharks around the world. Our blog highlights all aspects of both of these dynamic and shifting worlds. You can reach us directly at staff@sharkdiver.com.

Wanna dive with Bull Sharks?

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Bull Shark Diving Fiji

Bull Sharks in Fiji are calling you in May of 2016.

Experience what many call the world’s best shark dive. We are diving with big, really big bull sharks. The sharks at the Shark Reef Marine Reserve are up to 12 ft. long.

Beqa Adventure Divers will take us out to shark reef, where we will be diving with as many as 70 bull sharks at a time, with the occasional tiger shark showing up for a visit. If that is not enough, during our safety stop we will be surrounded by scores of black- and white-tip reef-sharks, making for the perfect end to an unforgettable dive. On our non shark diving days, we’ll go out and explore the soft corals and wrecks of Beqa Lagoon. Discover what over a decade of conservation efforts have resulted in!

This May, Shark Diver‘s CEO Martin Graf is personally going to lead you on this shark lover’s dream vacation!

We will be staying at the luxurious Pearl South Pacific Resort in Pacific Harbor,  where we’ll feast on a delicious breakfast buffet each day, to prepare us for the exciting shark diving that lies ahead.

Price: $1800 per person/ double occupancy

Price includes:

  • 7 nights in a brand new Garden View room at The Pearl South Pacific Resort (double occupancy)
  • Breakfast buffet daily
  • 4 days of 2-tank Bull Shark Diving
  • 1 day of 2-tank Soft Coral Diving
  • Round-trip transfers from Nadi Airport to The Pearl South Pacific Resort
  • All taxes (tip for dive crew and hotel staff not included)

Our dates are: 

May 2016, 6-15, 13-22, 20-29, 27- June 6 and June 3-12 (sold out) The trip dates are from the US. We are crossing the date line on our way to Fiji. When we leave on Friday night, we arrive in Fiji on Sunday morning. On our way back, we leave Fiji on Sunday night and arrive in Los Angeles on Sunday afternoon.

Above dates don’t work for you? Call us and we can customize a trip for you.


Come join us on this incredible adventure!

Call 619.887.4275 or email staff@sharkdiver.com to book or get more information.

Let’s go Shark Diving.

Cheers,
Martin Graf
CEO Shark Diver

About Shark Diver. As a global leader in commercial shark diving and conservation initiatives Shark Diver has spent the past decade engaged for sharks around the world. Our blog highlights all aspects of both of these dynamic and shifting worlds. You can reach us directly at staff@sharkdiver.com.