We have over 370 individual Great White Shark identified at Guadalupe Island. The Marine Conservation Science Institute has been keeping track of these awesome animals since 2001. Lets look at what makes these unique and the methods we use to identify them. The first thing we determine is the sex of the sharks. Male sharks have claspers and Females don’t. Female Shark, no claspers Male shark, claspers Once we know the sex of the shark,…
Special Great White Shark Expedition
Shark Diver is excited to announce that we will have a very special expedition to Guadalupe Island this fall. From Sept. 8-13 we will have both Nicole Nasby-Lucas, the scientist responsible for the Guadalupe Photo ID database and Tanya Houppermans, a world-renowned underwater photographer on board. Nicole has been studying the white sharks of Guadalupe Island, Mexico since 2001. Her research includes satellite tagging and tracking studies to examine migration patterns and behavior. She also…
Shark Diver is excited to announce that we will have a very special expedition to Guadalupe Island this fall. From Sept. 8-13 we will have both Nicole Nasby-Lucas, the scientist responsible for the Guadalupe Photo ID database and Tanya Houppermans, a world renowned underwater photographer on board. Nicole Nasby-Lucas Nicole has been studying the white sharks of Guadalupe Island, Mexico since 2001. Her research includes satellite tagging and tracking studies to examine migration patterns and…
Is shark diving good for conservation?
Conservation and Shark Diving are often seen as opposites and not compatible. Let’s look at some of the concerns raised and see how valid they are. The biggest issue a lot of people have with shark diving and specifically feeding dives is that “It conditions sharks to associate people and divers with food!” While it does indeed condition sharks to associate divers with food, it definitely doesn’t condition those sharks to associate divers AS food….
How easy is it to dive with Sharks?
One of the big reasons why people never fulfill their dreams or take a leap of faith to try new things is because they fear the process requires a lot of work. So they throw up their hands and say “Forget it. It’s not worth it.” We are here to tell you that the steps to experiencing an incredible life-changing adventure are easier than you think when you book with Shark Diver. It is our…
Guadalupe Great White Sharks in danger.
I started SCUBA diving and spear-fishing at Guadalupe Island in 1996, 5 years before we started shark diving there. It is during that time that we discovered the Great White Sharks that are aggregating at there. At first it was just the occasional encounter, mainly while spear-fishing, but over the years those encounters grew in frequency and it was not unheard of to see a GWS while SCUBA diving. My first encounter with a GWS happened…
Why do sharks attack?
Why do sharks attack?
Recently there was another shark attack on a spear fisherman in California and a fatal shark bite at Cocos Island in Costa Rica. Inevitably when someone gets bitten by a shark, there is speculation about why it happened. “Mistaken identity” is a popular explanation, and of course the people arguing “it’s their home” and the “fill in the blank” kills more people than sharks every year are always ready to chime in.
There are statistics on shark bites, like the “international shark attack files” by the Florida Museum of Natural History, and we have a pretty good idea of how many people actually get bitten by sharks each year. Most of those statistics only collect data on what happened and are recording the circumstances of the attack. Since in very few cases was the shark actually seen before it bit the victim, most of the information we have is only about what the victims were doing before they got bit. When we discount the provoked attacks, like someone pulling a nurse shark by the tail, a fisherman getting bit by a shark he hooked, or like in the case of the Manhattan Beach incident, a fishermen hooking a shark and pulling it through a group of swimmers, very little is known about what the sharks were doing prior to biting the victim.
Obviously I don’t know what those sharks were doing or thinking either, nor do I know what lead them to bite. I wasn’t there and don’t have any firsthand knowledge. What I do have is some first hand knowledge of how some of the shark species implicated in attacks on humans behave and how that behavior might determine why they attack.
I have been diving with and observing Great White Sharks for over 17 years at Guadalupe Island and been around Bull-, Tiger– and Hammerhead Sharks for more than 6. What I found is that there are a lot of misconceptions about how these animals behave. Probably the biggest mistake is that people think “A shark is a shark”, pretty much assuming they all behave the same way.
There are well over 400 species of sharks, with most of them absolutely harmless to humans. Think about it this way. We have the top 10 deadliest sharks list. With an average of fewer than 10 fatal shark bites worldwide each year, that means that if a species is listed as #10, it stands to reason that that species is responsible for fewer deaths than #1, it may in fact only be responsible for a death every 30-40 years. Most of the species responsible for deadly bites on humans are the Great White, Tiger and the Bull Shark.
So let’s take a look at a couple of those species.
The Great White Shark is probably the most feared animal in the world. Movies like “Jaws” and the way the media reports any encounter with them have instilled fear into most people who contemplate going into the Ocean. The thinking that one drop of blood in the water will cause a huge frenzy and pretty much any shark within 10 miles will come and attack you is very common.
The reality looks a lot different. Did you know that Great White Sharks don’t “frenzy”. In 17 years of observing them, I have never seen a bunch of Great Whites buzzing around a food source or a prey animal. When we put tuna heads in the water, or back when we used chum to attract sharks, we sometimes have to wait for hours for a shark to approach the cages. We could see them swimming below, but even though there was fish blood and Tuna in the water, they would not come up. When multiple sharks are around a food source, they typically measure each other up in order to decide who gets first crack at the food, instead of a free for all frenzy.
If that measuring doesn’t settle it, the bigger shark tends to bite the smaller one to assert it’s dominance. It is only after the pecking order is established, that they go after the food. They give each other space, with the smaller ones only going for the food after the bigger shark is a safe distance away.
Another common belief is that Great White Sharks will attack just about anything, even if they don’t know what it is. My observations have actually shown that Great White Sharks are not only very cautious, but seem to be almost timid. For example, a couple of years ago, a beach towel fell overboard and 3 sharks came to investigate it. 2 of them jerked away and took off, like something was chasing them, while the 3rd shark kept approaching it, jerking away repeatedly, until I lost sight of both the towel and the shark. I don’t know if the shark eventually bit the towel to figure out what it was, but it clearly kept checking it out repeatedly, being very cautious in it’s approach. We have actually observed the same timidness in some sharks when they approached a Tuna head. They clearly smelled the tuna, but when it was pulled slightly when they approached, a lot of them jerked away and would not attempt to bite the tuna until the made several passes to inspect it.
Screaming Mimi, a subadult female Great White Shark swam by my go pro that I had on a 20ft. pole 3 times, coming really close and checking it out, before biting it on the 4th pass. Again, she didn’t just attack, she first checked out the go pro a few times, before she decided to take a bite at it.
Another interesting observation we made is that Great Whites attack a sea lion differently than a seal. If they are not biting their head off, the bite a seal in the butt, because seals swim with their rear fins, while they bite sea lions in the pectoral fins, which is the way they swim. So if Great Whites know the difference between a seal and a sea lion, I think it’s unlikely they would mistake a surfer for a turtle or a sea lion.
There is a general belief that if you are bleeding, a shark can smell your blood from miles away and will come and bite you. Did you know that the Great White Sharks can differentiate between the blood from different species of fish? There is a distinct difference in how they react when they smell tuna blood, vs. yellow tail blood. So if they can tell the difference between the blood from different fish, it stands to reason that they can tell the difference between human blood and the blood of a seal or fish. Instead of increasing the chance of an attack, I actually think that if you are bleeding you might be even safer. Since your blood is giving the shark a way to know what you are, it actually might prevent an investigatory bite.
So why do White Sharks attack? There are of course different reasons. In the case of the spear fishermen who got bit in California, I believe that the shark wanted the fish and is was not actually going for the diver. When we were spear fishing at Guadalupe Island, we always put the fish on our float and didn’t attach it to our body, so that if a shark wanted the fish, it would not come for us. With surfers and swimmers, since I don’t believe in the mistaken identity, I think that most bites were actually an investigation. After they checked out the victim for a while, they took a bite, trying to figure out what it is.
However, I don’t want to take away the possibility that some of the bites are actual predatory attacks. Bites on humans by Great White Sharks are extremely rare, and the number of actual predatory attacks even rarer. While Great Whites are not mindless killers, out to get us, they are apex predators and definitely not harmless pets. There is no need to fear these animals, but we have to respect them for what they are.
We all heard that Bull Sharks are the most aggressive, because they have more testosterone than any other shark. While the testosterone part may be true, it has nothing to do with them supposedly being aggressive. People mistake aggression with hunger. When a Bull Shark is hungry, it has to eat. Unless it finds some animal that is already dead, that means it has to hunt and kill something. That’s not aggression, that’s just simply feeding. Aggression is fighting for territory, dominance etc. and that is actually something that is strangely absent from my observations. In an environment, where up to 70 bull sharks were competing for food, I’ve seen multiple sharks go for a tuna head, without any of them biting the others to get to the food. It was very rare to see a Bull Shark with a bite mark on them, something that definitely can’t be said about White Sharks.
Something I found out in Fiji really surprised me. DaShark, told me that the Bull Sharks that are taking tuna heads offered by hand from a feeder, are not the same as the ones who go for the tuna heads dropped from a trash can. He even told me that sharks that take a tuna head from one particular feeder would not take it from a different feeder. I would have thought that as soon as the sharks smell and see the tuna, they would go for it and not be picky.
Bull Sharks don’t naturally hunt for prey that is human sized, but they do hunt in brackish water, where the visibility can be quite bad. That is also the place where a lot of humans are in the ocean. So I think it’s not the “fact” that they are aggressive and attack anything, but rather their proximity to humans that makes it more likely that they are implicated in an attack. When chasing fish, Bull Sharks are not stalking. They pretty much have to attack at full speed in order to get the fish. When they are hunting, specially around humans, it’s easily possible that a foot flashes in the middle of some fish and the shark bites it by mistake. Also while more common than bites by Great Whites, Bull Shark bites tend to be less severe.
So what does all this mean for anyone going into the ocean? First and foremost, think about the rarity of a shark bite. There are far greater dangers in the oceans than sharks. Currents, waves and heat strokes have killed more people in the ocean than sharks. You are also more likely to get hurt on the way to the Ocean, than by a shark in it. There are however some common sense things you can do though to reduce the extremely small chance of getting bit even further.
1. If you see a potentially dangerous shark, get out of the water while keeping your eyes on it. Since they are stalkers, they are unlikely to attack when they first notice you and since they like to ambush their prey, they are less likely to attack if they know that you see them.
2. Don’t swim at dusk and dawn, when sharks tend to be more active.
3. Avoid shiny jewelry, sharks hunting in shallow water might mistake that for a fish.
4. Don’t go spearfishing or surfing in an area known to have big predatory sharks. In some areas that depends on the time of year.
Again, to put everything into perspective. In California, some of the most famous surf spots are in an area that seasonally has adult White Sharks. The busiest time for surfing is before and after work, dusk and dawn, the time sharks are most likely to hunt. The surfers are on the surface of the water, the most dangerous place in the water, because these sharks tend to attack from below, yet with all that, in 100 years from 1900 to 2000, there were only about a dozen fatal shark attacks. That’s about one every 9 years and those happened all over California, not just the area where White Sharks aggregate.
Bull Sharks can not only swim in salt water, but can go from salt to brackish and even fresh water. That fact means that they tend to be in waters that are also frequented by humans, which naturally increases the chances of that species being implicated in an attack. With the ever growing number of people going into the water, we would expect the frequency of bites to go up every year, something that actually hasn’t happened.
When it comes to our fear of shark, I keep thinking of a quote by President Roosevelt that says: “the only thing we have to fear is…fear itself”.
Go out and enjoy the Ocean. And if you want to observe these awesome animals yourself, 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 crew@sharkdiver.com.
Great White Mystery?
In 17 years of diving with the Great White Sharks at Guadalupe Island, we have learned a lot about these awesome creatures. From not knowing where they are heading when they leave the Island, to thinking they are heading to an area offshore to mate, to finding out that we were wrong on that and realizing that they are actually mating at Guadalupe, we have come a long way.
What never ceases to amaze me is the fact that we keep learning new things and that things we thought we knew were actually wrong. Observing them over time has given us some insights into their behavior and how the relate to each other and how their personality changes as they grow. The most important thing I have learned is that just when you definitively think you know something about them, you find out that it may not always be true.
First I have to make a disclaimer. I’m not a marine biologist, so most of what I know about their biology and migration I learned from my friends who are biologists and study these sharks. What I know about their behavior comes from literally thousands of hours spent observing them, both in the water and from above.
The latest theory that has come into question is how the shape of their teeth changes as they growand the reason for that.
Georgina French, a PhD student at the University of Sussex, published a new study that deals with that theory.
From her paper: Up until now, scientists have accepted that white sharks start out their lives with cuspidate (pointy) teeth, which are thought to be adapted for gripping onto slippery fish. When the sharks hit roughly 3m in length, they’re then thought to develop much broader teeth, which are believed to be adapted for catching and eating marine mammals like seals and dolphins. This shift in diet and tooth shape with age/size is referred to an ontogenetic shift.
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| ©Georgina French |
Her new discovery seems to be that there is a distinct difference between male and females, something I have never heard before.
She writes: Previous studies of white shark teeth have always lumped males and females in together, despite the fact that they are quite different in other aspects of their biology and ecology. I decided to explore their tooth shape/shark length relationships separately. When I combined all of the data from the photographs, the literature and the KZN jaws, I found startling differences between the sexes. While males seem to follow the accepted pattern of broadening teeth when they get to about 3m long, females didn’t. Instead, a female of any size could have either broad, pointed or intermediately shaped teeth. Females also didn’t change the angle of their upper third teeth, while males did.
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| ©Georgina French |
As with any new discovery, there are instantly a bunch of new questions. In this case, first and foremost,
What does this mean?
Broadly speaking, the results indicate that either males and females are feeding on different things as they grow up, or that the tooth shape change isn’t related to diet.
When sharks mate, males hold onto the females using their teeth. It’s possible that the broadening of the teeth and the change in tooth angle found in males could be an adaptation for mating, rather than for handling different prey. Alternatively, females with broad, pointy and intermediate teeth may be specializing on different types of prey i.e. they are polymorphic. I also found significant variation in the size at which males developed their broad teeth, which combined with other evidence indicates that some individuals mature a lot more quickly than others. Polymorphism and differing rates of maturity among individuals can have pretty big ecological consequences, and these factors need to be taken into account in future studies and white shark management.
This is what I love about working and diving with Great White Sharks. Every question that gets answered opens up a lot more questions. I wonder to what new insights about Great White Sharks this new discovery leads to. Maybe we should call these sharks Great White Mysteries instead.
Let’s go shark diving and discover new and exciting things about these awesome animals!
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’s eating the brains of sharks and rays in California?
Between February and July, there have been a lot of incidents, where dying or dead sharks and rays have washed up on beaches in San Francisco bay. What is causing them to die?
According to an article in National Geographic, CDFW senior fish pathologist Mark Okihiro, Joseph Derisi, an expert on the genetics of infectious diseases at the University of California, San Francisco and Hanna Retallack, an MD-PhD graduate student have found the answer.
Their headline reads : “Mysterious Brain-Eating Shark Killer Identified, Though Questions Remain”
It looks like the culprit is “a well-known fish-killing parasite called Miamiensis avidus.”
The article further states: This appears to be the first case, Retallack said, of Miamiensis avidus infecting wild sharks. It’s noteworthy, she added, because sharks are evolutionarily quite different from the bony fish that have previously been known to suffer infections.
Read the entire article here
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 causes sharks to have crooked spines?
Earthtouchnews has an article describing a bull shark with a crooked spine. That shark was found by the shark lab in Bimini. They named him “Quasimido” and are speculating on what caused that deformity.
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| The Bimini Shark Lab team secures “Quasimodo” for workup (a short checkup that includes taking various measurements of the animal). Image: Chelle Blais/Bimini Biological Field Station |
Sarah Keartes writes: “Dr. Natalie D. Mylniczenko, a veterinarian who has spent time with the Shark Lab beforepresented several possible explanations for the bull shark’s strange skeleton. It’s possible that a deep abscess, granuloma, or slow-growing cancer is to blame – but Quasimodo’s overall state seems to suggest otherwise. If disease were at the root of the deformity, we would expect to see at least some abnormal behaviour. The more likely culprit, according to Mylniczenko, is either a congenital or traumatic incident. In either case, this would have occurred when the shark was very young, and over time, his body would have compensated and healed in a skewed position.”
Read the full story here: https://www.earthtouchnews.com/oceans/sharks/meet-quasimodo-the-bull-shark-with-a-very-crooked-spine/
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Image: Chelle Blais/Bimini Biological Field Station
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This Bull Shark is not the only shark with a deformed spine. At Guadalupe Island, we have our own Great White Shark with the same deformation. When we first met her a couple of years ago, I nicknamed her “Kinky” because of the very distinct kink in her tail. I have no idea what caused that kink, since she doesn’t have any obvious scars or signs of injury. She was named “Screaming Mimi” by someone through the “Sponsor a shark” program of the Marine Conservation Science Institute. That sponsor program, is one of the ways they raise funds for the Photo ID database at Guadalupe Island.
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| “Screaming Mimi” |
Just like the “Quasimodo” in Bimini who was seen swimming around a couple of weeks after the people from the Shark Lab examined it, “Screaming Mimi” also seems to be doing well and has been very active around our cages at Guadalupe Island.
If you want to meet “Screaming Mimi”, or any of our other sharks at Guadalupe, contact us at 619.887.4275, crew@sharkdiver.com or www.sharkdiver.com
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 ‘s hurting the Great White Sharks at Guadalupe?
We are coming towards the end of another great season at Guadalupe Island. Just like last year, we added a lot of new sharks to the photo ID database and saw a lot of our regulars that came back. We definitely see an increasing number of sharks, specially for sharks in the 10-12′ range. It’s great to see that conservation efforts seem to have a positive impact on shark numbers. We regularly see in excess of 20 different sharks on our expeditions, a huge increase over 10 years ago, when we were lucky to see 10 and often went whole days without seeing a single shark.
One thing that I noticed though is the increasing number of sharks with injuries caused by ropes or fishing gear. A couple of years ago it was “Luca” that swam around with a rope around his body. Luckily his rope was cut and he’s doing fine. There is just a black scar left that will disappear in a year or so.
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| Luca with a black scar from a wrapped rope. |
This year we saw a few sharks with either fresh wounds from ropes or still having the ropes attached around them. One of these sharks is a new female.
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| New female with rope around her |
The rope around her body is embedded in the gills on both sides.
Her underside shows a faint scar from the rope that was digging into her. (It’ kind of hard to see, just in front of her pectoral fins) The rope goes around her head and into the bottom of her gills on both sides, so it looks like the rope is still inside and the wound has closed around it. She must have gotten that rope wrapped around her quite a while ago, for it to be completely embedded.
This makes at least 3 sharks now that had a rope wrapped around them. Where do these ropes come from?
I hope that somehow this rope can get cut, otherwise I fear that this shark is not going to survive. We also need to find out where these ropes are coming from, so that we might be able to stop the sharks from getting entangled in the future.
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.
Deadly tiger shark stalks stranded diver?
The sensationalist media is at it again, or should I say still at it? This time it’s an outlet not normally prone to sensational headlines. Sky News has a headline that reads “Deadly tiger shark stalks stranded diver four miles back to shore”
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| Tiger Shark |
Turns out that a spearfisherman got separated from his boat and had to swim back 4 miles to shore. What they describe as “A diver who became separated from his boat has said he is lucky to be alive after swimming miles back to shore while being stalked by a large tiger shark.” and “He swam…in shark-infested waters. I just can’t believe anybody could do that. It’s such a massive effort.”, was in reality just a really long swim, where he encountered a couple of sharks.
That “deadly” shark was just checking him out and the diver even says that “For about 500 metres the shark swam on the same path as me towards the shore and then in a moment banked and disappeared completely as if to say ‘you’re OK now, I’ll leave you alone’. So the real danger to the diver were not the sharks, but the fact that he had to swim for 4 miles to reach shore.
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| Tiger Shark coming close to a diver |
Maybe a headline that says “Diver lost at sea has to swim 4 miles to reach shore” or something similar would be more appropriate than making the sharks out to be those mindless killers again, would be more appropriate.
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| Me with a Tiger Shark ©Rene Buob |
We dive with Tiger Sharks in various places around the world and learned that we have to respect them, but there is no need to fear them. They are neither mindless killers, nor harmless pets, but awesome predators that are curious, but in most cases not interested in attacking us.
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 crew@sharkdiver.com.
Six new sharks at Guadalupe Island
This season has started out completely different from the last. Where we had lots of juvenile females early last year, this season it has been all males so far. On our last expedition, we saw 30 different Great White Sharks, with 6 of them being first timers.
The Marine Conservation Science Institute marinecsi.org is keeping the photo ID database and you can contact them if you are interested in naming one of these sharks. I don’t want to keep referring to them as “Unknown 1” etc. Naming a shark is a great way to support the research and how cool would it be if you see “your” shark on sharkweek?
The only female we have seen so far this season is “Screaming Mimi”. She is as active and curious as she was last year and has given our divers many memorable moments.
Aside from all the new sharks, we have also been visited by a lot of our regulars. Bruce, Bite Face, Chugey, Andy, Hunter, Silent Hunter Bolton, Ace, El Diablo, Johnny, Jacques, Mickey, Sad Face, ChumChum, Thor, Atlantis, Drogin, Joker, Monkey, Hooper, Horizon along with a few that are as of now unnamed, have all made an appearance. We had 30 different individuals on our last expedition!
Here are a few of our new sharks.
To sponsor one of these beauties, contact MCSI here.
To join us on one of our expeditions, contact crew@sharkdiver.com or call 619.887.4275
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.
The big white sharks are back at Guadalupe!
We just got back from our second Great White Shark expedition to Guadalupe Island last night and are happy to report that the big boys are back in town! On our first day, Bite Face showed up. He has been present every single year, since we first met him in 2001. A little after Bite Face, Chugey made an appearance and chased some hangbaits by the cages. Chugey has been a regular since 2004. On day two, Bruce, one of the biggest males we regularly see came back. Bruce has also been there every season since 2001.
Chugey with the Smyth family at Guadalupe Island
It is absolutely amazing to see how these sharks come back year after year. To think that we see the same individuals for this many years just blows my mind.
Aside from these guys we originally encountered during our first year at Guadalupe back in 2001, some of our other old time favorites showed up as well. Mau whom we first met in 2006, Johnny from 2005, Joker, Drogin and El Diablo from 2007 are all back. That is eight sharks that have all been there every single years for at least 10 years!
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| Jeanine with El Diablo |
Of our more recent acquaintances, Monkey from 2011, Hooper and Luca Arnone from 2013, #186 from 2016 (he needs a name by the way, contact MCSI to sponsor his name) and finally Husker, Mickey and Poseidon who first showed up last year all made an appearance.
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| #205 Mickey |
This season has been different from last year, where we encountered many small females in early August. This year it’s been all males. It never ceases to amaze me that after all these years diving with the Great White Sharks at Guadalupe, they keep surprising us. For anyone trying to figure them out, in my experience, I find them to be predictably unpredictable.
Come join us on one of our expeditions and find out first hand that experiencing these amazing creatures in real life is completely different from anything you see on TV.
Call us at 619.887.4275 or email crew@sharkdiver.com for more info.
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.
Which sharks are back at Guadalupe Island?
We just came back from our first expedition of the year to Guadalupe Island, where we saw 12 different sharks. As is usual for this time of the year, the smaller males were the most frequent visitors to our cages. On our trip we saw the following sharks that are all in our photo ID database.
#107 Atlantis: He was the first shark that showed up on day one and stayed around all day.
#65 Johnny: He came really close to show off his new mutilation to his tail. He’s now sporting a cut in the center of his caudal fin.
#206 Poseidon: He was super active and made may close passes by the cage.
#97 Drogin: Drogin was his usual self. He’s a super active shark, coming at the cages from all different directions, trying to steal a hang bait.
#188: We can’t leave this shark without a name! How would you like to name him? Contact http://www.marinecsi.org/ and sponsor his name! Make it a cool one! He deserves it!
#149 Kenrick: He was one of the bigger males that showed up and swam around like he’s the boss. He’s still a sub-adult though and won’t be the dominant one, once Bruce, Bite Face, Thor etc. show up.
#168 Sad Face: He was named last year, because he had bite marks that looked like a sad face on his side. This year those marks were barely noticeable, so it’s a good thing that we can use the color markings to positively identify him.
#121 Don Julian: He’s growing up. Last time I saw him, he was probably close to a foot shorter than he is now. Maybe in a couple of years he’ll be mature.
#199 Who wants to name this awesome shark? Contact the Marine Conservation Science Institute to sponsor his name.
#186 He came by with a bunch of pilot fish. He can also be named by contacting http://www.marinecsi.org/
#83 Joker He was pretty shy and didn’t come close.
We also saw a young male with a cookie cutter bite on his head, but I didn’t get any photos of him, so I couldn’t identify him.
Tonight we leave for another trip. I can’t wait to see who else is back at Guadalupe and am ready to meet some new sharks. Last year we added 29 new sharks to our database, how many will it be this year?
Come join us and get to know these awesome creatures. How great would it be to know the individual shark, next time you watch shark week? Call 619.887.4275 or email crew@sharkdiver.com for more information on how to join.
www.sharkdiver.com
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.
Great White Shark “Lucy” in the media.
Just as we are about to embark on our first Great White Shark expedition of 2017, there is a piece about Lucy, one of our favorite sharks, in the media. The piece is by none other than Lalo Saidy, our instructor on these expeditions.
Read all about what he had to say and see some great pictures of “Lucy” here.
Come join me and Lalo on one of our expeditions this year. We have just a few spaces left. Let’s find out if Lucy is back again and see who else shows up. Experience your own “real sharkweek” and discover what it’s like to come face to face with a great white shark!
Call 619.887.4275 email crew@sharkdiver.com or visit www.sharkdiver.com for more information.
Lets 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.
How can you have your own private “Shark Week”?
Next week we start our 17th season at Guadalupe Island, diving with Great White Sharks.
Kinga Phillips has been coming out with us twice so far, and she’s written an excellent blog about her experience and how you can have your own private shark week.
I like how she described the Great White Shark: “The highlight of the trip is spending cage time face to face with one of nature’s most incredible examples of the perfect predatory form. So perfect evolution took one look at her design roughly 100 million years ago, dropped the mic and walked away.”
She provides a lot of insight, not just about the actual experience of diving with Great White Sharks, but about conservation and eco tourism as well.
Read her entire blog here
For more information on how you can experience your own “real sharkweek”, call us at 619.887.4275, email crew@sharkdiver.com or visit www.sharkdiver.com
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.
47 meters down, review by Cindy Michaels
Shark Diver’s Communications Director, Cindy Michaels is not just the heart and soul of our company, she’s also a former writer, broadcaster, news director and professional movie reviewer.
Her review of 47 Meters Down combines her experience from her previous work, with the knowledge she has about the subject matter of the movie, Shark Diving.
Enjoy her review!
Cheers,
Martin
By Cindy Michaels,
Before I begin my informative rant about the movie 47 Meters Down, keep in mind that the film was originally only meant for a 2016 DVD release under the name In the Deep. (My grandmother always said, “leave well enough alone.” Apparently, they didn’t listen to my g-ma.) A film company bought the rights, recalled the DVDs, and it was unfortunately released on the big screen. But some DVD copies that had already been distributed to retailers landed in the hands of the public. So if it becomes a cult classic, those DVD holders may be able to make an extra buck for owning a collector’s item. My suggestion… recycle at your local redemption center.
The movie: I laughed; and frustratingly so. Mandy ‘Moan’ Moore stars in this unrealistic film about two sisters that venture to Mexico for a little R and R. The girls get sweet-talked by a couple of local guys into taking a shark dive in a surface cage. Now, I would normally say…”good move, guys!” But the boat was rusty, rickety, and run by a scruffy Captain Taylor, played by Matthew Modine. Ohhhh Matt.
Anyway, things go horribly wrong and the cage drops 47 meters down. Yada yada yada. That’s 154 feet! Have any of you dived that far down? If so, you know your dive time changes dramatically; air is used 4.7 times faster at that level. But for Kate and Lisa, or rather the writers of this mess, no rules apply. The girls are having conversation, hugging each other, and yes, Mandy Moore cannot stop moaning. They just would not have had the time to do all that. One intake from all her crying would have used up the air she had left. And for the amount of times each of them tried to swim to the surface but were told to go back down to the cage…seriously? If you’ve already gone half way, keep swimming! Just keep swimming. Just keep swimming.
I ponder this one. Why did all the guys that took them on this venture hang around topside with spear guns, waiting for the girls to be rescued by the Coast Guard? If Kate and Lisa make it to the top, there’s NO WAY the boys are getting another date! “Hello, Mr. Coast Guard man, what’s your name?” And where are the big beautiful great whites? There really weren’t that many in this film. Clearly Bruce or Lucy would have said ‘hello.’ They must have found more entertaining places to swim, like Guadalupe Island, chatting it up with our divers!
Ok, for those of you (and there’s got to be at least 1) who are a tad bit apprehensive about cage diving, after nervously sitting through 47 Meters Down, let me reassure you of some vital things.
Our cages are awesome! They are reinforced with floatation material bolted to the INSIDE and indestructible, water-tight dock floats secured to the outside; four on each cage. The cages are tied together and then attached to the boat at 3 points by chains and lines.
 |
| our surface cages are attacked to the vessel |
My friend, the cages are secure; they are basically an extension of the boat.
And just for giggles, I’ll tell you this. If our crew was in that movie, they would have jumped overboard to save Kate and Lisa with their bare hands, strong arm muscles, and fearless attitudes! All would be safely brought on board OUR VESSEL, just in time for a lovely sit-down dinner specially prepared by our fabulous chefs, Mark and Shay.
So, please don’t let Mandy Moore moan you into being afraid of cage diving with us. It is an incredible experience where we INVITE shark folk, like Bruce, Lucy, Chugey, Scarboard and the rest of our fishy friends, to come say ‘hi.’ If they were willing, we’d invite them to dinner. Mark! Prepare the tuna!
~Shark Diver has been diving with great white sharks for 16 years with a 100% safety record. Our great white shark diving season at Isla Guadalupe, Mexico runs from August-November. We take 18 divers per trip and treat our guests to 3 meals a day, unlimited snacks, beer and wine, a comfy bed and fluffy pillow, and lots of excitement. Dive equipment provided, no certification necessary, shark-sighting guaranteed. We love the sharks and you will too. Come dive with us! www.SharkDiver.com
Let’s go Shark Diving!
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.
47 meters down, review by Cindy Michaels
Shark Diver’s Communications Director, Cindy Michaels is not just the heart and soul of our company, she’s also a former writer, broadcaster, news director and professional movie reviewer.
Her review of 47 Meters Down combines her experience from her previous work, with the knowledge she has about the subject matter of the movie, Shark Diving.
Enjoy her review!
Cheers,
Martin
By Cindy Michaels,
Before I begin my informative rant about the movie 47 Meters Down, keep in mind that the film was originally only meant for a 2016 DVD release under the name In the Deep. (My grandmother always said, “leave well enough alone.” Apparently, they didn’t listen to my g-ma.) A film company bought the rights, recalled the DVDs, and it was unfortunately released on the big screen. But some DVD copies that had already been distributed to retailers landed in the hands of the public. So if it becomes a cult classic, those DVD holders may be able to make an extra buck for owning a collector’s item. My suggestion… recycle at your local redemption center.
The movie: I laughed; and frustratingly so. Mandy ‘Moan’ Moore stars in this unrealistic film about two sisters that venture to Mexico for a little R and R. The girls get sweet-talked by a couple of local guys into taking a shark dive in a surface cage. Now, I would normally say…”good move, guys!” But the boat was rusty, rickety, and run by a scruffy Captain Taylor, played by Matthew Modine. Ohhhh Matt.
Anyway, things go horribly wrong and the cage drops 47 meters down. Yada yada yada. That’s 154 feet! Have any of you dived that far down? If so, you know your dive time changes dramatically; air is used 4.7 times faster at that level. But for Kate and Lisa, or rather the writers of this mess, no rules apply. The girls are having conversation, hugging each other, and yes, Mandy Moore cannot stop moaning. They just would not have had the time to do all that. One intake from all her crying would have used up the air she had left. And for the amount of times each of them tried to swim to the surface but were told to go back down to the cage…seriously? If you’ve already gone half way, keep swimming! Just keep swimming. Just keep swimming.
I ponder this one. Why did all the guys that took them on this venture hang around topside with spear guns, waiting for the girls to be rescued by the Coast Guard? If Kate and Lisa make it to the top, there’s NO WAY the boys are getting another date! “Hello, Mr. Coast Guard man, what’s your name?” And where are the big beautiful great whites? There really weren’t that many in this film. Clearly Bruce or Lucy would have said ‘hello.’ They must have found more entertaining places to swim, like Guadalupe Island, chatting it up with our divers!
Ok, for those of you (and there’s got to be at least 1) who are a tad bit apprehensive about cage diving, after nervously sitting through 47 Meters Down, let me reassure you of some vital things.
Our cages are awesome! They are reinforced with floatation material bolted to the INSIDE and indestructible, water-tight dock floats secured to the outside; four on each cage. The cages are tied together and then attached to the boat at 3 points by chains and lines.
|
| our surface cages are attacked to the vessel |
My friend, the cages are secure; they are basically an extension of the boat.
And just for giggles, I’ll tell you this. If our crew was in that movie, they would have jumped overboard to save Kate and Lisa with their bare hands, strong arm muscles, and fearless attitudes! All would be safely brought on board OUR VESSEL, just in time for a lovely sit-down dinner specially prepared by our fabulous chefs, Mark and Shay.
So, please don’t let Mandy Moore moan you into being afraid of cage diving with us. It is an incredible experience where we INVITE shark folk, like Bruce, Lucy, Chugey, Scarboard and the rest of our fishy friends, to come say ‘hi.’ If they were willing, we’d invite them to dinner. Mark! Prepare the tuna!
~Shark Diver has been diving with great white sharks for 16 years with a 100% safety record. Our great white shark diving season at Isla Guadalupe, Mexico runs from August-November. We take 18 divers per trip and treat our guests to 3 meals a day, unlimited snacks, beer and wine, a comfy bed and fluffy pillow, and lots of excitement. Dive equipment provided, no certification necessary, shark-sighting guaranteed. We love the sharks and you will too. Come dive with us! www.SharkDiver.com
Let’s go Shark Diving!
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.
Get to know the Great White Sharks of Guadalupe Island
Over the last couple of weeks I wrote about a few of the Great White Sharks we encounter at Guadalupe Island. Before I introduce you to more of those, I want to tell you a bit about the sharks we are less familiar with. While we have a lot of sharks we see every year, or every other year for the females, there are many that don’t follow that pattern. Some sharks we have only seen during one season, while others visit Guadalupe at irregular intervals.
“Geoff Nuttall” was a regular from 2003 until 2011, then he wasn’t seen for 2 years, before returning to his annual returns in 2014.
 |
| “Geoff Nuttall” |
Quezalcoatl, #58 in our database was first seen in 2005 and then didn’t appear until 2013, an absence of 8 years. Where did he go during those 8 years? While we have really good tracking data from the sharks that were outfitted with satellite tags, showing the migration pattern of the sharks we see regularly, we have no data on where the shark we see infrequently are going. There is so much we don’t know.
 |
|
| #56 Quetztalcoatl |
Dr. Bob, a very curious and active 13″ sub-adult shark only visited in 2014, the now world famous “Deep Blue” was seen in 1999 and then again in 2012. “Lou”, “Oscar” and “Hefe” all had absences of 6 or more years, before showing up again. Some of these absences may simply be due to them not showing up at the cages during those years. We simply don’t know.
Below is a video of “Dr. Bob”. Check out his bite marks on the right and look at his eyes as he swims over the camera. He’s looking straight down at the divers.
My favorite shark, “Shredder” has not been seen since 2011, after 11 continuous years at Guadalupe. I hope that his absence is just like those of the other sharks that were taking a break from visiting Guadalupe, but I have to say that I’m worried about him. He’s never been the most careful individual in the first place, as evidenced by his many scars and mutilations.
Anyway, I can’t wait to go back to Guadalupe and see who’s back. I’m equally excited to meet some new sharks. In the last 2 years we added over 50 new individuals to our database! Are they going to be back? Come join us for a real “sharkweek” and find out!
Call us at 619.887.4275, email crew@sharkdiver.com or visit www.sharkdiver.com for more info.
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.
Get to know the Great White Sharks of Guadalupe Island
Over the last couple of weeks I wrote about a few of the Great White Sharks we encounter at Guadalupe Island. Before I introduce you to more of those, I want to tell you a bit about the sharks we are less familiar with. While we have a lot of sharks we see every year, or every other year for the females, there are many that don’t follow that pattern. Some sharks we have only seen during one season, while others visit Guadalupe at irregular intervals.
“Geoff Nuttall” was a regular from 2003 until 2011, then he wasn’t seen for 2 years, before returning to his annual returns in 2014.
|
| “Geoff Nuttall” |
Quezalcoatl, #58 in our database was first seen in 2005 and then didn’t appear until 2013, an absence of 8 years. Where did he go during those 8 years? While we have really good tracking data from the sharks that were outfitted with satellite tags, showing the migration pattern of the sharks we see regularly, we have no data on where the shark we see infrequently are going. There is so much we don’t know.
|
|
| #56 Quetztalcoatl |
Dr. Bob, a very curious and active 13″ sub-adult shark only visited in 2014, the now world famous “Deep Blue” was seen in 1999 and then again in 2012. “Lou”, “Oscar” and “Hefe” all had absences of 6 or more years, before showing up again. Some of these absences may simply be due to them not showing up at the cages during those years. We simply don’t know.
Below is a video of “Dr. Bob”. Check out his bite marks on the right and look at his eyes as he swims over the camera. He’s looking straight down at the divers.
My favorite shark, “Shredder” has not been seen since 2011, after 11 continuous years at Guadalupe. I hope that his absence is just like those of the other sharks that were taking a break from visiting Guadalupe, but I have to say that I’m worried about him. He’s never been the most careful individual in the first place, as evidenced by his many scars and mutilations.
Anyway, I can’t wait to go back to Guadalupe and see who’s back. I’m equally excited to meet some new sharks. In the last 2 years we added over 50 new individuals to our database! Are they going to be back? Come join us for a real “sharkweek” and find out!
Call us at 619.887.4275, email crew@sharkdiver.com or visit www.sharkdiver.com for more info.
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.
Get to know “Luca Arnone” Great White Shark at Guadalupe Island
“Luca Arnone” listed as #163, is one of our recent additions to the photo ID database at Guadalupe Island. We first met him in 2013 and he has been coming back every year since.
Last year “Luca” looked a bit rough. He was partially wrapped in a thick rope, which fortunately was being removed by Dr. Mauricio Hoyos, the local researcher at Guadalupe Island. The cut caused by the rope was not too deep and since white sharks have an amazing ability to heal, it should not cause him any permanent harm.
“Luca” is a fairly small shark, probably just shy of 12′, but he doesn’t seem to mind the bigger sharks and is a frequent visitor to our cages.
Luca was named by one of our diver, who named 2 different sharks, one after his son, Luca and the other after his daughter Milana. Naming a shark is one way you can support the ongoing research at Guadalupe Island. The Marine Science Conservation Institute, “MCSI” who maintains the photo ID has various levels of sponsorship available, including naming a shark.
Another way you can support “MCSI” is by coming on one of our “science” trips. A portion of these expeditions goes to fund the research and Nicole Lucas-Nasby, the researcher maintaining that database is coming along as the host. She is sharing the results of her research with you and if we encounter a new shark, you’ll also have an opportunity to name that shark. How cool would it be, if you see a shark that you named on “Sharkweek”?
If you want to find our for yourself what it’s like to come face to face with a great white shark and maybe name one of these sharks, come join us on one of our expeditions. We do have some spaces open and would love to introduce you to our sharks.
Call 619.887.4275, email crew@sharkdiver.com or visit www.sharkdiver.com for more information.
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.
Get to know “Luca Arnone” Great White Shark at Guadalupe Island
“Luca Arnone” listed as #163, is one of our recent additions to the photo ID database at Guadalupe Island. We first met him in 2013 and he has been coming back every year since.
Last year “Luca” looked a bit rough. He was partially wrapped in a thick rope, which fortunately was being removed by Dr. Mauricio Hoyos, the local researcher at Guadalupe Island. The cut caused by the rope was not too deep and since white sharks have an amazing ability to heal, it should not cause him any permanent harm.
“Luca” is a fairly small shark, probably just shy of 12′, but he doesn’t seem to mind the bigger sharks and is a frequent visitor to our cages.
Luca was named by one of our diver, who named 2 different sharks, one after his son, Luca and the other after his daughter Milana. Naming a shark is one way you can support the ongoing research at Guadalupe Island. The Marine Science Conservation Institute, “MCSI” who maintains the photo ID has various levels of sponsorship available, including naming a shark.
Another way you can support “MCSI” is by coming on one of our “science” trips. A portion of these expeditions goes to fund the research and Nicole Lucas-Nasby, the researcher maintaining that database is coming along as the host. She is sharing the results of her research with you and if we encounter a new shark, you’ll also have an opportunity to name that shark. How cool would it be, if you see a shark that you named on “Sharkweek”?
If you want to find our for yourself what it’s like to come face to face with a great white shark and maybe name one of these sharks, come join us on one of our expeditions. We do have some spaces open and would love to introduce you to our sharks.
Call 619.887.4275, email crew@sharkdiver.com or visit www.sharkdiver.com for more information.
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.
Get to know “Scarboard” Great White Shark at Guadalupe Island
“Scarboard” is another one of my favorite sharks. You’re probably beginning to see a pattern here. I have a lot of “favorite” sharks. It’s is amazing how all these sharks have different behaviors. Some are a bit skiddish, others are seemingly relaxed without a care in the world. Observing them for 16 years, I have grown attached to these guys and girls. However, as I always point out, I absolutely love these sharks, I’m crazy about them, but it is NOT a mutual feeling. As much as some people want you to believe that they just want to be hugged, they really don’t. They are awesome predators, not out to get us, but they are not harmless pets either.
 |
| “Scarboard” |
Scarboard is a massive female shark, one of our biggest at Guadalupe Island at around 19′. When we first met her in 2002, she was already huge. Like most of our adult females, she shows up at Guadalupe Island every other year. After getting mating at Guadalupe, she is spending the year in between offshore, before giving birth off the coast of Baja or in the Sea of Cortez. She doesn’t have any mutilations, like “Lucy” and so many others, but she does have a very unique characteristic that makes identifying her easy. She has a very distinct line from her nose halfway to her dorsal fin. Where most Great White Sharks‘ lines have a continuous curve, Scarboard’s is straight.
 |
| “Scarboard” |
After we first encountered her in 2002, she came back in 04 and 06, but then we didn’t see her again until 2011. We don’t know, if we simply didn’t see her, or if she stayed away from Guadalupe for 5 years.
When we don’t see a shark during the season we expect to see them, we always worry that something might have happened to them. Luckily, sometimes, like in Scarboard’s case, we worry about nothing. Where do they go during that extended time away from the Island, what do they do? There is so much we don’t know about those sharks.
The first time we saw Scarboard, after her 5 year absence, I was in the middle of our 2 cages, she slowly swam by the first cage, checking out each individual diver and when she came to me, she looked me straight into the eyes, stopped and did a 180 degree turn, looked at me again, swam off, turned and swam back at me, stopped again, turned and swam off. It looks like that she recognized me, even after a 5 year absence.
Last season “Scarboard” was being used for protection by some bait fish. I’ve never seen anything like that before. When she swam by, she looked like the “Bearded Lady”.
 |
| Scarboard the “Bearded Lady” |
A lot of people are surprised to learn that Great White Sharks recognize individual divers. The fact that they do is not as strange as it seems. We know of lots of fish that recognize divers. Groupers that have a favorite individual they follow around, moray eels that come out of their holes when they recognize a diver, Wolf eels that wrap themselves around the neck of an individual etc. It’s important to remember though, just because White Sharks recognize individual divers, doesn’t mean that they “love” us, want to be petted, or have any feelings towards us. We need to respect them for what they are, amazing predators, neither mindless killers, nor harmless pets.
For me there is nothing quite like seeing a familiar shark and realize it recognizes me as well. It still amazes me that we keep seeing the same individuals on a regular basis. They migrate thousands of miles, but come right back to the same spot.
If you want to find our for yourself what it’s like to come face to face with a great white shark and want to learn how to identify these sharks, join us on one of our “science” expeditions. We do have some spaces open and would love to introduce you to our sharks.
Call 619.887.4275, email crew@sharkdiver.com or visit www.sharkdiver.com for 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.
Get to know “Scarboard” Great White Shark at Guadalupe Island
“Scarboard” is another one of my favorite sharks. You’re probably beginning to see a pattern here. I have a lot of “favorite” sharks. It’s is amazing how all these sharks have different behaviors. Some are a bit skiddish, others are seemingly relaxed without a care in the world. Observing them for 16 years, I have grown attached to these guys and girls. However, as I always point out, I absolutely love these sharks, I’m crazy about them, but it is NOT a mutual feeling. As much as some people want you to believe that they just want to be hugged, they really don’t. They are awesome predators, not out to get us, but they are not harmless pets either.
|
| “Scarboard” |
Scarboard is a massive female shark, one of our biggest at Guadalupe Island at around 19′. When we first met her in 2002, she was already huge. Like most of our adult females, she shows up at Guadalupe Island every other year. After getting mating at Guadalupe, she is spending the year in between offshore, before giving birth off the coast of Baja or in the Sea of Cortez. She doesn’t have any mutilations, like “Lucy” and so many others, but she does have a very unique characteristic that makes identifying her easy. She has a very distinct line from her nose halfway to her dorsal fin. Where most Great White Sharks‘ lines have a continuous curve, Scarboard’s is straight.
|
| “Scarboard” |
After we first encountered her in 2002, she came back in 04 and 06, but then we didn’t see her again until 2011. We don’t know, if we simply didn’t see her, or if she stayed away from Guadalupe for 5 years.
When we don’t see a shark during the season we expect to see them, we always worry that something might have happened to them. Luckily, sometimes, like in Scarboard’s case, we worry about nothing. Where do they go during that extended time away from the Island, what do they do? There is so much we don’t know about those sharks.
The first time we saw Scarboard, after her 5 year absence, I was in the middle of our 2 cages, she slowly swam by the first cage, checking out each individual diver and when she came to me, she looked me straight into the eyes, stopped and did a 180 degree turn, looked at me again, swam off, turned and swam back at me, stopped again, turned and swam off. It looks like that she recognized me, even after a 5 year absence.
Last season “Scarboard” was being used for protection by some bait fish. I’ve never seen anything like that before. When she swam by, she looked like the “Bearded Lady”.
|
| Scarboard the “Bearded Lady” |
A lot of people are surprised to learn that Great White Sharks recognize individual divers. The fact that they do is not as strange as it seems. We know of lots of fish that recognize divers. Groupers that have a favorite individual they follow around, moray eels that come out of their holes when they recognize a diver, Wolf eels that wrap themselves around the neck of an individual etc. It’s important to remember though, just because White Sharks recognize individual divers, doesn’t mean that they “love” us, want to be petted, or have any feelings towards us. We need to respect them for what they are, amazing predators, neither mindless killers, nor harmless pets.
For me there is nothing quite like seeing a familiar shark and realize it recognizes me as well. It still amazes me that we keep seeing the same individuals on a regular basis. They migrate thousands of miles, but come right back to the same spot.
If you want to find our for yourself what it’s like to come face to face with a great white shark and want to learn how to identify these sharks, join us on one of our “science” expeditions. We do have some spaces open and would love to introduce you to our sharks.
Call 619.887.4275, email crew@sharkdiver.com or visit www.sharkdiver.com for 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.
Get to know “Screaming Mimi” Great White Shark at Guadalupe Island
We met “Screaming Mimi” a couple of years ago. When I first encountered her, I nicknamed her “Kinky”. She has a very distinct kink in her tail. I have no idea what caused that kink, since she doesn’t have any obvious scars or signs of injury. She was named “Screaming Mimi” by someone through the “Sponsor a shark” program of the Marine Conservation Science Institute. That sponsor program, is one of the ways they raise funds for the Photo ID database at Guadalupe Island.
Mimi is a very active and curious shark. When she encounters something new in the water, she exhibits a typical white shark trait. Unlike what most people think, white sharks don’t just attack when they encounter something they don’t know. They swim by close to check it out. It is actually quite funny some times. A couple of years ago, a beach towel blew overboard and started to drift down. 3 white sharks came by to investigate it. 2 of them jerked away and rapidly swam away, when the towel moved a little in the current. The 3rd. one kept swimming close to it, jerking away, and getting closer again. I don’t know if it eventually bit the towel or not, as I lost sight of both the shark and the towel in the distance.
Watch the video below of Mimi checking out my gopro camera that was attached to a long pole and handled from the boat.
You can see that they don’t just attack something they don’t know. The swim by and check things out first.
 |
| Screaming Mimi ©Tim Peterson |
Mimi also likes to swim really close to the cages and makes eye contact with the divers.
Mimi is around 14′ long and not quite mature yet. It is amazing how big these sharks have to be, before they are mature and able to reproduce.
I hope we’ll see her again this year. She loves to swim around the cages, sometimes for hours. It never ceases to amaze me that we keep seeing the same individual sharks year after year. It’s not like they are resident sharks. The migrate thousands of miles each year, but come right back to the same spot at Guadalupe Island.
If you want to come face to face with a great white shark and would like to learn how to identify these sharks, join us on one of our “science” expeditions. We do have some spaces open and would love to introduce you to our sharks.
Call 619.887.4275, email crew@sharkdiver.com or visit www.sharkdiver.com for 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.
Get to know “Screaming Mimi” Great White Shark at Guadalupe Island
We met “Screaming Mimi” a couple of years ago. When I first encountered her, I nicknamed her “Kinky”. She has a very distinct kink in her tail. I have no idea what caused that kink, since she doesn’t have any obvious scars or signs of injury. She was named “Screaming Mimi” by someone through the “Sponsor a shark” program of the Marine Conservation Science Institute. That sponsor program, is one of the ways they raise funds for the Photo ID database at Guadalupe Island.
Mimi is a very active and curious shark. When she encounters something new in the water, she exhibits a typical white shark trait. Unlike what most people think, white sharks don’t just attack when they encounter something they don’t know. They swim by close to check it out. It is actually quite funny some times. A couple of years ago, a beach towel blew overboard and started to drift down. 3 white sharks came by to investigate it. 2 of them jerked away and rapidly swam away, when the towel moved a little in the current. The 3rd. one kept swimming close to it, jerking away, and getting closer again. I don’t know if it eventually bit the towel or not, as I lost sight of both the shark and the towel in the distance.
Watch the video below of Mimi checking out my gopro camera that was attached to a long pole and handled from the boat.
You can see that they don’t just attack something they don’t know. The swim by and check things out first.
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| Screaming Mimi ©Tim Peterson |
Mimi also likes to swim really close to the cages and makes eye contact with the divers.
Mimi is around 14′ long and not quite mature yet. It is amazing how big these sharks have to be, before they are mature and able to reproduce.
I hope we’ll see her again this year. She loves to swim around the cages, sometimes for hours. It never ceases to amaze me that we keep seeing the same individual sharks year after year. It’s not like they are resident sharks. The migrate thousands of miles each year, but come right back to the same spot at Guadalupe Island.
If you want to come face to face with a great white shark and would like to learn how to identify these sharks, join us on one of our “science” expeditions. We do have some spaces open and would love to introduce you to our sharks.
Call 619.887.4275, email crew@sharkdiver.com or visit www.sharkdiver.com for 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.
Get to know “Lucy” Great White Shark at Guadalupe Island
I love “Lucy”, and I’m not referring to the popular TV show in the 50ies. “Lucy” is a large female Great White Shark, that is regularly visiting Guadalupe Island. Most mature females are only seen every other year. They mate at Guadalupe Island and then stay away from the Island until after they give birth off the coast of Baja and in the Sea of Cortes, about 18 months after they get pregnant at Guadalupe.
Unfortunately “Lucy” doesn’t seem to get pregnant. In 2008 she suffered and injury to her tail, most likely from a bite by another shark. Her tail is pretty much mangled and it probably affects her speed. I don’t know if that’s the reason she doesn’t seem to get pregnant, but we have seen her every season, for the last 9 years.
“Lucy’s” tail makes it very easy to identify her. Usually we identify the individual sharks by their coloration. The transition from the white underbelly to the grey top is unique for every individual. Some people try to identify the sharks by their scars. That is how “Bite Face” got his name. The problem with scars is that they heal and if that is the only identifying characteristic you have, you would not recognize that same shark when it comes back the following year. Mutilations, like Lucy’s tail don’t change and can be used in conjunction with the markings to identify her. We have a photo id database that is managed by Nicole Nasby-Lucas from the Marince Conservation Science Institute, with over 220 individual sharks in identified.
If you are coming out on one of our “science” expeditions, you’ll get a chance to learn how to identify these sharks from Nicole herself. You will also get the complete photo ID database, so you can identify all the sharks you encountered and what’s really cool, you will then be able to identify the sharks you see on TV. How awesome will it be, when you see a shark on TV and realize that this is the individual that swam inches from your face at Guadalupe?
Even with her tail slowing her down, she seems to be healthy in every other way. She is definitely getting enough food and is holding her own among all the sharks at the Island. Lucy is a very curious shark and she swims very close to the cages, making eye contact with our divers as she is gliding by slowly.
I hope to see Lucy when we return in the fall. I do have mixed emotions though. While I would love to see her, it would of course mean that she didn’t get pregnant again last season.
If you would like to join us, or just get more information, call 619.887.4275, email crew@sharkdiver.com or visit our website www.sharkdiver.com
Let’s go sharkdiving!
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.
Get to know “Lucy” Great White Shark at Guadalupe Island
I love “Lucy”, and I’m not referring to the popular TV show in the 50ies. “Lucy” is a large female Great White Shark, that is regularly visiting Guadalupe Island. Most mature females are only seen every other year. They mate at Guadalupe Island and then stay away from the Island until after they give birth off the coast of Baja and in the Sea of Cortes, about 18 months after they get pregnant at Guadalupe.
Unfortunately “Lucy” doesn’t seem to get pregnant. In 2008 she suffered and injury to her tail, most likely from a bite by another shark. Her tail is pretty much mangled and it probably affects her speed. I don’t know if that’s the reason she doesn’t seem to get pregnant, but we have seen her every season, for the last 9 years.
“Lucy’s” tail makes it very easy to identify her. Usually we identify the individual sharks by their coloration. The transition from the white underbelly to the grey top is unique for every individual. Some people try to identify the sharks by their scars. That is how “Bite Face” got his name. The problem with scars is that they heal and if that is the only identifying characteristic you have, you would not recognize that same shark when it comes back the following year. Mutilations, like Lucy’s tail don’t change and can be used in conjunction with the markings to identify her. We have a photo id database that is managed by Nicole Nasby-Lucas from the Marince Conservation Science Institute, with over 220 individual sharks in identified.
If you are coming out on one of our “science” expeditions, you’ll get a chance to learn how to identify these sharks from Nicole herself. You will also get the complete photo ID database, so you can identify all the sharks you encountered and what’s really cool, you will then be able to identify the sharks you see on TV. How awesome will it be, when you see a shark on TV and realize that this is the individual that swam inches from your face at Guadalupe?
Even with her tail slowing her down, she seems to be healthy in every other way. She is definitely getting enough food and is holding her own among all the sharks at the Island. Lucy is a very curious shark and she swims very close to the cages, making eye contact with our divers as she is gliding by slowly.
I hope to see Lucy when we return in the fall. I do have mixed emotions though. While I would love to see her, it would of course mean that she didn’t get pregnant again last season.
If you would like to join us, or just get more information, call 619.887.4275, email crew@sharkdiver.com or visit our website www.sharkdiver.com
Let’s go sharkdiving!
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.
Get to know “Bruce” Great White Shark at Guadalupe Island
The world is full of celebrities, but how often do you actually get to meet them and spend some quality time with them? Over the past 16 years, I’ve been privileged to do just that. I’ve met many stars of film and TV at Guadalupe Island. Stars like the…
Get to know “Bruce” Great White Shark at Guadalupe Island
The world is full of celebrities, but how often do you actually get to meet them and spend some quality time with them? Over the past 16 years, I’ve been privileged to do just that. I’ve met many stars of film and TV at Guadalupe Island. Stars like the…
Get to know the Great White Sharks of Guadalupe
It’s been 16 years, since we started diving with Great White Sharks at Guadalupe Island and we have identified well over 200 individual sharks. Nicole Lucas from the Marine Conservation Science Institute is the scientist that started and maintains the photo ID database for all the sharks at Guadalupe, which allows us to know all the sharks we encounter.
Quite a few of these sharks have been seen every year since 2001 and we got to know them quite well. Some of them are easily recognized and have become celebrities, not just for the divers lucky enough to see them face to face, but to a worldwide audience, thanks to videos on Youtube and sharkweek on TV.
I’m going to introduce you to some of my favorite sharks and show you what makes them special to me.
Since the adult female sharks have a 2 year visitation cycle at Guadalupe and the males show up every year and typically much earlier in the season, we get to know the males a lot better than the females. So I’ll start my introduction with a male.
Meet “Bite Face”
Bite Face has been around every year since 2001. He has grown quite a bit over the year and has mellowed out considerably. When we first met him, he was a sub adult who often got into some altercations with other sharks. That is how he got his name, when we first identified him, he had a big bitemark on his face from a run in with another shark. Nowadays he is much mellower and can be seen cruising around calmly, even when pestered by a sealion.
Bite Face is also famous on wikipedia, where you find this picture of him.
 |
| source wikipedia.com |
If you look closely, you’ll notice that his dorsal fin is intact in this picture and in the photo on top, the very tip of his dorsal is cut. This is a mutilation that is not going to change and is one way to identify Bite Face today. For accurate identifications, we use the color patterns in the transition from white belly to grey top, which is like a fingerprint. (more on that in a future blog).
Bite Face was also one of the first sharks tagged by Dr. Domeier from MCSI, which was filmed for the television series “Expedition Great White” and seen by million. The satellite tag that was attached to him showed that he is heading offshore, towards Hawaii in the summer, before returning to Guadalupe in the fall. He’s been doing this every year, since we first met him in 2001.
I can’t wait to go back in August and see him again for the 17th year in a row. Come join me and get to know him personally. He loves to swim by the cage and look the divers straight into the eyes.
Find out more info on www.sharkdiver.com, call us at 619.887.4275 or email crew@sharkdiver.com
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 crew@sharkdiver.com. Phone 619.887.4275
Get to know the Great White Sharks of Guadalupe
It’s been 16 years, since we started diving with Great White Sharks at Guadalupe Island and we have identified well over 200 individual sharks. Nicole Lucas from the Marine Conservation Science Institute is the scientist that started and maintains the photo ID database for all the sharks at Guadalupe, which allows us to know all the sharks we encounter.
Quite a few of these sharks have been seen every year since 2001 and we got to know them quite well. Some of them are easily recognized and have become celebrities, not just for the divers lucky enough to see them face to face, but to a worldwide audience, thanks to videos on Youtube and sharkweek on TV.
I’m going to introduce you to some of my favorite sharks and show you what makes them special to me.
Since the adult female sharks have a 2 year visitation cycle at Guadalupe and the males show up every year and typically much earlier in the season, we get to know the males a lot better than the females. So I’ll start my introduction with a male.
Meet “Bite Face”
Bite Face has been around every year since 2001. He has grown quite a bit over the year and has mellowed out considerably. When we first met him, he was a sub adult who often got into some altercations with other sharks. That is how he got his name, when we first identified him, he had a big bitemark on his face from a run in with another shark. Nowadays he is much mellower and can be seen cruising around calmly, even when pestered by a sealion.
Bite Face is also famous on wikipedia, where you find this picture of him.
|
| source wikipedia.com |
If you look closely, you’ll notice that his dorsal fin is intact in this picture and in the photo on top, the very tip of his dorsal is cut. This is a mutilation that is not going to change and is one way to identify Bite Face today. For accurate identifications, we use the color patterns in the transition from white belly to grey top, which is like a fingerprint. (more on that in a future blog).
Bite Face was also one of the first sharks tagged by Dr. Domeier from MCSI, which was filmed for the television series “Expedition Great White” and seen by million. The satellite tag that was attached to him showed that he is heading offshore, towards Hawaii in the summer, before returning to Guadalupe in the fall. He’s been doing this every year, since we first met him in 2001.
I can’t wait to go back in August and see him again for the 17th year in a row. Come join me and get to know him personally. He loves to swim by the cage and look the divers straight into the eyes.
Find out more info on www.sharkdiver.com, call us at 619.887.4275 or email crew@sharkdiver.com
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 crew@sharkdiver.com. Phone 619.887.4275
Do we need a shark cull at Reunion Island?
After a recent deadly shark attack at Reunion Island, world renowned surfer and conservationist Kelly Slater has called for a serious daily shark cull.
Grind TV writes “After the 20th shark attack off Reunion Island since 2011 occurred earlier this week, the world’s greatest surfer made a comment that “there needs to be a serious cull on Reunion and it should happen everyday.”
The attack happened at a spot that is well known for it’s sharks and there are signs warning people that it is closed for waters ports. Unfortunately those sign were cut down the weekend before, but the local fishermen reported that they warned the body-boarders.
Sky news writes: “It is reported young people had been there for several days, despite being warned by locals of a shark.”
Kelly Slater’s response to this attack is this.
“Honestly, I won’t be popular for saying this but there needs to be a serious cull on Reunion and it should happen everyday. There is a clear imbalance happening in the ocean there. If the whole world had these rates of attack nobody would use the ocean and literally millions of people would be dying like this. The French govt needs to figure this out asap. 20 attacks since 2011!?”
Read more at http://www.grindtv.com/surf/kelly-slater-calls-for-the-culling-of-sharks-off-reunion-island-after-another-death/#9UTBb73KTjdJh1IT.99
Read more at http://www.grindtv.com/surf/kelly-slater-calls-for-the-culling-of-sharks-off-reunion-island-after-another-death/#9UTBb73KTjdJh1IT.99
First off, I want to extend my condolences to the friends and family of the victim. This is truly a tragedy and the fact that I don’t blame the sharks is not diminishing that fact.
I think Kelly Slater is one of the good guys and I admire a lot of the things he does. In this case, I have to respectfully disagree with his stance. By all accounts, this location is well known for it’s shark population and the associated danger to water sports enthusiasts. The surfers and body- boarders were warned that those areas are closed to water sports and they still decided to go into the water.
There are tons of places, all around the world, where it is safe to go into the ocean, so why would you want to kill the sharks that seem to aggregate in this area, so you can have another spot? There are relatively few and well known areas, where sharks are found in larger numbers. Why go surfing there? Calling for a shark cull, because someone ignored all the warnings is not the way to protect the oceans. Are we calling for the top of Mt. Everest to be cut down, because people die of hypoxia there? There are always people that want to take risk. Don’t blame the sharks when things go wrong.
Also I want to put things in perspective. There have been 20 shark bites since 2011, 8 of them fatal. That amounts to about 3 bites and a little more than one fatality per year. While each death is tragic, there are a lot of other things that are far more dangerous without anyone doing anything to mitigate the danger.
Kelly, I hope that you change your mind on this. A lot of people listen to you and respect your opinion. It’s not just about Reunion Island. If people think that shark culls are a good option, there will be calls for those in a lot of other places. I would like to invite you to be my guest and come out with us to experience what these sharks are like when you come face to face with them. Maybe that will change your mind.
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.
Do we need a shark cull at Reunion Island?
After a recent deadly shark attack at Reunion Island, world renowned surfer and conservationist Kelly Slater has called for a serious daily shark cull.
Grind TV writes “After the 20th shark attack off Reunion Island since 2011 occurred earlier this week, the world’s greatest surfer made a comment that “there needs to be a serious cull on Reunion and it should happen everyday.”
The attack happened at a spot that is well known for it’s sharks and there are signs warning people that it is closed for waters ports. Unfortunately those sign were cut down the weekend before, but the local fishermen reported that they warned the body-boarders.
Sky news writes: “It is reported young people had been there for several days, despite being warned by locals of a shark.”
Kelly Slater’s response to this attack is this.
“Honestly, I won’t be popular for saying this but there needs to be a serious cull on Reunion and it should happen everyday. There is a clear imbalance happening in the ocean there. If the whole world had these rates of attack nobody would use the ocean and literally millions of people would be dying like this. The French govt needs to figure this out asap. 20 attacks since 2011!?”
Read more at http://www.grindtv.com/surf/kelly-slater-calls-for-the-culling-of-sharks-off-reunion-island-after-another-death/#9UTBb73KTjdJh1IT.99
Read more at http://www.grindtv.com/surf/kelly-slater-calls-for-the-culling-of-sharks-off-reunion-island-after-another-death/#9UTBb73KTjdJh1IT.99
First off, I want to extend my condolences to the friends and family of the victim. This is truly a tragedy and the fact that I don’t blame the sharks is not diminishing that fact.
I think Kelly Slater is one of the good guys and I admire a lot of the things he does. In this case, I have to respectfully disagree with his stance. By all accounts, this location is well known for it’s shark population and the associated danger to water sports enthusiasts. The surfers and body- boarders were warned that those areas are closed to water sports and they still decided to go into the water.
There are tons of places, all around the world, where it is safe to go into the ocean, so why would you want to kill the sharks that seem to aggregate in this area, so you can have another spot? There are relatively few and well known areas, where sharks are found in larger numbers. Why go surfing there? Calling for a shark cull, because someone ignored all the warnings is not the way to protect the oceans. Are we calling for the top of Mt. Everest to be cut down, because people die of hypoxia there? There are always people that want to take risk. Don’t blame the sharks when things go wrong.
Also I want to put things in perspective. There have been 20 shark bites since 2011, 8 of them fatal. That amounts to about 3 bites and a little more than one fatality per year. While each death is tragic, there are a lot of other things that are far more dangerous without anyone doing anything to mitigate the danger.
Kelly, I hope that you change your mind on this. A lot of people listen to you and respect your opinion. It’s not just about Reunion Island. If people think that shark culls are a good option, there will be calls for those in a lot of other places. I would like to invite you to be my guest and come out with us to experience what these sharks are like when you come face to face with them. Maybe that will change your mind.
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.
How many Great White Sharks are at Guadalupe Island?
The last 2 seasons at Guadalupe Island were awesome with more sharks than we have ever seen before. On some of our expeditions we saw over 30 individual sharks. Some of those sharks were old “friends”, while a lot of them were new. We started the 2015 season with 170 identified great white sharks and ended with 200. That was one of the largest number of new sharks we encountered, since we started cage diving in 2001.
We are still working on a final count for the just finished 2016 season, but we definitely have more than 20 new individuals to add. The last couple of seasons were not only very productive as far as the total number of sharks seen (both new and already identified), but it was also unusual that we saw a lot of juvenile females early in the season and generally a much larger number of sharks late in the season. In seasons past, we saw the really big females in October and November and when they showed up, the smaller sharks stayed away. The last 2 seasons the smaller sharks stayed around, when the big females arrived. What will we see this coming season? We never know what to expect when going to Guadalupe Island, but after 16 seasons of diving with these sharks, I can’t wait to go back in August.
This last season was extremely unique in that we saw all sizes of sharks together. Anything from a small 8ft. male to Tzitzimitl and Scarboard, two of the largest females at Guadalupe Island.
Why are we seeing these sharks in larger numbers? Are the conservation efforts paying off? I don’t really have an answer to this, but hope that the continued efforts of the Marine Conservation Science Institute, (MCSI) with their tagging and photo ID program will provide the answers we are looking for.
If you would like to support the ongoing research, MCSI has various ways you can become involved, including the right to name a shark. Wouldn’t it be cool, if you watch shark week and see a shark you named? You can contact them by clicking here.
 |
| Lucy, one of our regular females, easily recognizable by her tail. |
We also have 3 science expeditions to Guadalupe Island, with Nicole Nasby-Lucas from MCSI. These expeditions are a great opportunity to learn from the scientist who is maintaining the photo ID database. You also get a copy of that database, so you can identify all the sharks you’ll encounter on the trip, as well as the sharks you see on shark week.
To join us on one of our trips, call 619.887.4275 or email staff@sharkdiver.com for 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.
How many Great White Sharks are at Guadalupe Island?
The last 2 seasons at Guadalupe Island were awesome with more sharks than we have ever seen before. On some of our expeditions we saw over 30 individual sharks. Some of those sharks were old “friends”, while a lot of them were new. We started the 2015 season with 170 identified great white sharks and ended with 200. That was one of the largest number of new sharks we encountered, since we started cage diving in 2001.
We are still working on a final count for the just finished 2016 season, but we definitely have more than 20 new individuals to add. The last couple of seasons were not only very productive as far as the total number of sharks seen (both new and already identified), but it was also unusual that we saw a lot of juvenile females early in the season and generally a much larger number of sharks late in the season. In seasons past, we saw the really big females in October and November and when they showed up, the smaller sharks stayed away. The last 2 seasons the smaller sharks stayed around, when the big females arrived. What will we see this coming season? We never know what to expect when going to Guadalupe Island, but after 16 seasons of diving with these sharks, I can’t wait to go back in August.
This last season was extremely unique in that we saw all sizes of sharks together. Anything from a small 8ft. male to Tzitzimitl and Scarboard, two of the largest females at Guadalupe Island.
Why are we seeing these sharks in larger numbers? Are the conservation efforts paying off? I don’t really have an answer to this, but hope that the continued efforts of the Marine Conservation Science Institute, (MCSI) with their tagging and photo ID program will provide the answers we are looking for.
If you would like to support the ongoing research, MCSI has various ways you can become involved, including the right to name a shark. Wouldn’t it be cool, if you watch shark week and see a shark you named? You can contact them by clicking here.
|
| Lucy, one of our regular females, easily recognizable by her tail. |
We also have 3 science expeditions to Guadalupe Island, with Nicole Nasby-Lucas from MCSI. These expeditions are a great opportunity to learn from the scientist who is maintaining the photo ID database. You also get a copy of that database, so you can identify all the sharks you’ll encounter on the trip, as well as the sharks you see on shark week.
To join us on one of our trips, call 619.887.4275 or email staff@sharkdiver.com for 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.
Have a Sharky New Year!
In 2106 we had some awesome expeditions to Guadalupe, Fiji and Tiger Beach. We made many new friends and reconnected with old ones. We want to thank all of you that came out with us this year and are looking forward to meeting those of you who are coming out in 2017.
We want to wish all of you the best for a healthy, prosperous, happy and sharky 2017!
Cheers,
Cindy and Martin
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.
Have a Sharky New Year!
In 2106 we had some awesome expeditions to Guadalupe, Fiji and Tiger Beach. We made many new friends and reconnected with old ones. We want to thank all of you that came out with us this year and are looking forward to meeting those of you who are coming out in 2017.
We want to wish all of you the best for a healthy, prosperous, happy and sharky 2017!
Cheers,
Cindy and Martin
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.
Do shark repelling devices work?
We see a lot of devices advertised that claim to repel sharks. The question is, do they work?
A lot of these devices use either electricity or magnets that are supposed to repel sharks, others claim that a certain color pattern will prevent a shark from biting the wearer.
I have always been skeptical of these devices, since I have seen sharks been simultaneously attracted to and repelled by the same object. Some of the makers of these devices use videos that show sharks jerk away from their gadgets in their advertising. (just search for shark repellent on youtube) In my experience, anything that causes a reaction by a shark, even one that shows it jerking away and taking off, is also peaking its curiosity, which could mean that these devices may actually increase your chances of getting bit.
I have seen 3 white sharks swim in to investigate a beach towel that got blown overboard. All of them jerked away and took off. While 2 took off for good, one came back, jerked away again, but kept coming back. I don’t know weather it eventually bit the towel or not, because I lost sight of them, as they descended too deep to see. It definitely did show though, that even if something causes a shark to take off, it can also peak its curiosity and bring it back to investigate.
Now we have proof that at least one of these devices definitely does not work. The Daily Mail reports that a surfer in Florida got bit while wearing the “sharkbanz”
 |
| source |
The article states that:
“A teenager has been bitten by a shark while wearing the new shark-repelling band he got for Christmas for the first time. Zack Davis suffered a huge bite to his arm while surfing near Avalon Beach State Park on North Hutchinson Island in Florida. The teen was wearing a new band with magnetic technology that claims to repel sharks away from swimmers.“ Read the entire article here
Of course I’m not the first to say that these devices don’t work. DaShark has called it back in January, when he wrote “Sharkbanz – total scam” You can read his what he said here
Don’t get suckered in and buy these products. At best, they simply don’t work and at worst may actually increase your chances of a shark encounter.
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.
Do shark repelling devices work?
We see a lot of devices advertised that claim to repel sharks. The question is, do they work?
A lot of these devices use either electricity or magnets that are supposed to repel sharks, others claim that a certain color pattern will prevent a shark from biting the wearer.
I have always been skeptical of these devices, since I have seen sharks been simultaneously attracted to and repelled by the same object. Some of the makers of these devices use videos that show sharks jerk away from their gadgets in their advertising. (just search for shark repellent on youtube) In my experience, anything that causes a reaction by a shark, even one that shows it jerking away and taking off, is also peaking its curiosity, which could mean that these devices may actually increase your chances of getting bit.
I have seen 3 white sharks swim in to investigate a beach towel that got blown overboard. All of them jerked away and took off. While 2 took off for good, one came back, jerked away again, but kept coming back. I don’t know weather it eventually bit the towel or not, because I lost sight of them, as they descended too deep to see. It definitely did show though, that even if something causes a shark to take off, it can also peak its curiosity and bring it back to investigate.
Now we have proof that at least one of these devices definitely does not work. The Daily Mail reports that a surfer in Florida got bit while wearing the “sharkbanz”
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| source |
The article states that:
“A teenager has been bitten by a shark while wearing the new shark-repelling band he got for Christmas for the first time. Zack Davis suffered a huge bite to his arm while surfing near Avalon Beach State Park on North Hutchinson Island in Florida. The teen was wearing a new band with magnetic technology that claims to repel sharks away from swimmers.“ Read the entire article here
Of course I’m not the first to say that these devices don’t work. DaShark has called it back in January, when he wrote “Sharkbanz – total scam” You can read his what he said here
Don’t get suckered in and buy these products. At best, they simply don’t work and at worst may actually increase your chances of a shark encounter.
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.
Is shark diving beneficial for the sharks?
With the recent coverage of the cage diving accident at Guadalupe, a lot of people have commented that shark diving should be banned.
Obviously my view on that may be biased, since I own a shark diving business, but I have some facts that may change your view on shark diving.
Did you know that shark diving operations have prevented poachers from fishing for sharks at Guadalupe? At this point, everyone knows there are great white sharks at Guadalupe Island, including the poachers. If we would stop shark diving there, the poachers would have easy access.
Did you know that shark diving created a National Marine Park in Fiji? The efforts of Beqa Adventure Divers, have directly led to the creation of the Shark Reef Marine Reserve. When they started diving there, they went to the local fishing village that were the traditional owners of that reef and made a deal with them. They would receive a levy from every shark diver in return for a promise from the village to not fish on that reef. Beqa Adventure Divers also hired and trained their Divemasters, Instructors and boat Captains from that village. After 10 years of diving there, the number of fish species on the reef increased from around 280 to over 480. In 2014 that reef became an official National Marine Park, the equivalent of a National Park in the US.
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| Shark Reef Marine Reserve |
Did you know that Shark Diver donates a significant portion of it’s proceeds to research? We primarily support the Marine Conservation Science Institute who created and maintains the photo ID database of all the sharks at Guadalupe Island.
Did you know that Shark Diver started Shark Free Marinas?
Did you know that Shark Diver works to get fishing tournaments to have catch and release divisions, instead of all kill? This is actually something we have been criticized for by people who don’t want to see shark fishing tournaments at all. Well, I don’t like them either, but catch and release is far better than catch and kill. One step at a time!
Shark Diver is just one company among many operators who actively uses the business to support conservation. We try to emulate our buddies in Fiji. Beqa Adventure Divers who state that they are a “Conservation project, masquerading as a dive operation” We have a long way to go, but we are working on catching up.
So how about the issue of conditioning the sharks, by providing them with food? I leave the answer to that question to DaShark who wrote a blog about that issue a while back.
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| The late Rusi feeding his sharks. |
He writes:
Conditioning via Positive Reinforcement, the big no-no.
Yes, I confess, this is precisely what we do!
We reward the Sharks whenever they approach, very much in the hopes that over time, more and more of them will turn up for a meal – which of course, being smart Apex Predators, they do!
We do so in order to show them to our clients – as opposed to, as I shall never tire to repeat, Fishermen who do exactly the same thing in order to catch and then kill them.
Get the hint? Who has the way biggest, and most negative impact on the animals? Are we going to abolish fishing as a consequence? I wish!
Just to remind you, this comes from the guy who was largely responsible for creating that national marine park I mentioned above.
There are many, many more reasons I could list that show that shark diving, when done properly can greatly benefit not only the sharks, but the ocean in general. It is easy to just oppose shark diving with often unsubstantiated claims, without taking into consideration what the alternative would be.
How many of you would be interested in sharks, or aware of them, without all the pictures and videos on TV and social media? None of those would be around, if not for shark diving?
Weather you agree with my stand on shark diving or not, let’s agree on something. Just offering our opinions on social media and criticizing others is not saving a single shark. Only actions can do that. Let’s be activists, not slacktivists and keep in mind who is killing sharks. It’s the fishing industry, not shark divers!
Let’s go shark diving! Or clean up a beach or…..
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.
Is shark diving beneficial for the sharks?
With the recent coverage of the cage diving accident at Guadalupe, a lot of people have commented that shark diving should be banned.
Obviously my view on that may be biased, since I own a shark diving business, but I have some facts that may change your view on shark diving.
Did you know that shark diving operations have prevented poachers from fishing for sharks at Guadalupe? At this point, everyone knows there are great white sharks at Guadalupe Island, including the poachers. If we would stop shark diving there, the poachers would have easy access.
Did you know that shark diving created a National Marine Park in Fiji? The efforts of Beqa Adventure Divers, have directly led to the creation of the Shark Reef Marine Reserve. When they started diving there, they went to the local fishing village that were the traditional owners of that reef and made a deal with them. They would receive a levy from every shark diver in return for a promise from the village to not fish on that reef. Beqa Adventure Divers also hired and trained their Divemasters, Instructors and boat Captains from that village. After 10 years of diving there, the number of fish species on the reef increased from around 280 to over 480. In 2014 that reef became an official National Marine Park, the equivalent of a National Park in the US.
|
| Shark Reef Marine Reserve |
Did you know that Shark Diver donates a significant portion of it’s proceeds to research? We primarily support the Marine Conservation Science Institute who created and maintains the photo ID database of all the sharks at Guadalupe Island.
Did you know that Shark Diver started Shark Free Marinas?
Did you know that Shark Diver works to get fishing tournaments to have catch and release divisions, instead of all kill? This is actually something we have been criticized for by people who don’t want to see shark fishing tournaments at all. Well, I don’t like them either, but catch and release is far better than catch and kill. One step at a time!
Shark Diver is just one company among many operators who actively uses the business to support conservation. We try to emulate our buddies in Fiji. Beqa Adventure Divers who state that they are a “Conservation project, masquerading as a dive operation” We have a long way to go, but we are working on catching up.
So how about the issue of conditioning the sharks, by providing them with food? I leave the answer to that question to DaShark who wrote a blog about that issue a while back.
|
| The late Rusi feeding his sharks. |
He writes:
Conditioning via Positive Reinforcement, the big no-no.
Yes, I confess, this is precisely what we do!
We reward the Sharks whenever they approach, very much in the hopes that over time, more and more of them will turn up for a meal – which of course, being smart Apex Predators, they do!
We do so in order to show them to our clients – as opposed to, as I shall never tire to repeat, Fishermen who do exactly the same thing in order to catch and then kill them.
Get the hint? Who has the way biggest, and most negative impact on the animals? Are we going to abolish fishing as a consequence? I wish!
Just to remind you, this comes from the guy who was largely responsible for creating that national marine park I mentioned above.
There are many, many more reasons I could list that show that shark diving, when done properly can greatly benefit not only the sharks, but the ocean in general. It is easy to just oppose shark diving with often unsubstantiated claims, without taking into consideration what the alternative would be.
How many of you would be interested in sharks, or aware of them, without all the pictures and videos on TV and social media? None of those would be around, if not for shark diving?
Weather you agree with my stand on shark diving or not, let’s agree on something. Just offering our opinions on social media and criticizing others is not saving a single shark. Only actions can do that. Let’s be activists, not slacktivists and keep in mind who is killing sharks. It’s the fishing industry, not shark divers!
Let’s go shark diving! Or clean up a beach or…..
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.
Is cage diving safe?
A lot of you have seen the news coverage of 2 recent cage diving incidents and are wondering, “Is cage diving really safe?”
First of all I want to point out that neither of these incidents happened involved our company. We have been operating safe and sane shark dives for 16 years, without any incidents.
In the latest video you can see that the shark is going after a hang bait that is just laying in front of the cage. This is mistake by the bait handler. The bait was too close to the cage and should have been removed. Excerpt from the regulations for Guadalupe: The permit holder shall ensure that the bait line is immediately removed from the water if the white shark following the bait approaches within 6.5 feet (2 m) of the vessel.
When the shark was going after a bait, it rolled it’s eyes back and lunged for the bait. When it did that, it was essentially blind and it’s momentum carried it into the cage. Since it can’t swim backwards, it just started thrashing around blindly, eventually coming out of the top of the cage.
There is nothing wrong with using hang-baits. Responsible use of hang-baits actually enhances safety, as it allows us to direct the shark. The shark typically follows the bait and when it lunges for it, the follow through is in the same direction. Proper use allows us to lead the shark parallel to the cage instead of into it, as happened in the video above.
You don’t have to have the bait close to the cage to get great shots.
In addition to adhering to all the established safety standards, our cages are made out of round tubing which is both stronger than the square one and safer for the sharks, since it doesn’t have any sharp corners. We also only use surface cages with a redundant air supply, that are securely attached to our vessel.
Back to the general safety question. While nothing is ever 100% safe, so far in innumerable cage dives around the world, there have been zero fatalities, which is to say, it is far safer than recreational SCUBA diving.
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.
Is cage diving safe?
A lot of you have seen the news coverage of 2 recent cage diving incidents and are wondering, “Is cage diving really safe?”
First of all I want to point out that neither of these incidents happened involved our company. We have been operating safe and sane shark dives for 16 years, without any incidents.
In the latest video you can see that the shark is going after a hang bait that is just laying in front of the cage. This is mistake by the bait handler. The bait was too close to the cage and should have been removed. Excerpt from the regulations for Guadalupe: The permit holder shall ensure that the bait line is immediately removed from the water if the white shark following the bait approaches within 6.5 feet (2 m) of the vessel.
When the shark was going after a bait, it rolled it’s eyes back and lunged for the bait. When it did that, it was essentially blind and it’s momentum carried it into the cage. Since it can’t swim backwards, it just started thrashing around blindly, eventually coming out of the top of the cage.
There is nothing wrong with using hang-baits. Responsible use of hang-baits actually enhances safety, as it allows us to direct the shark. The shark typically follows the bait and when it lunges for it, the follow through is in the same direction. Proper use allows us to lead the shark parallel to the cage instead of into it, as happened in the video above.
You don’t have to have the bait close to the cage to get great shots.
In addition to adhering to all the established safety standards, our cages are made out of round tubing which is both stronger than the square one and safer for the sharks, since it doesn’t have any sharp corners. We also only use surface cages with a redundant air supply, that are securely attached to our vessel.
Back to the general safety question. While nothing is ever 100% safe, so far in innumerable cage dives around the world, there have been zero fatalities, which is to say, it is far safer than recreational SCUBA diving.
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.
I was surrounded by bull sharks!
I just got back from my 4th annual trip to Fiji, diving with the “BAD” (Beqa Adventure Divers’) bull sharks of the Shark Reef Marine Reserve. It is an unbelievable experience to be surrounded by lots of these awesome predators.
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| We saw a shark or two |
What really fascinates me is not the sheer number of sharks though. The really interesting part is that I’m starting to recognize some individual sharks, not only by distinctive marks on them, but by their behavior.
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| Doing a lap, showing everyone that she got a tuna head. |
Anyone thinking that “a bull shark is a bull shark” should come to this place and see for themselves. These sharks have very different “personalities”, some very mellow and cautious, others not so much. Of course you need to do more than just one or 2 dives to notice these differences. The first few dives your are simply going to be blown away by the sheer number of sharks and and by how close they’ll get to you.
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| Up close and personal! |
Common wisdom holds that when it comes to sharks, size matters. The big shark always wins over a smaller shark. What I found is that this is not always the case. Some sharks think they are a lot bigger than they really are and compete with the bigger sharks for the tuna heads on offer. “Top Sail” for example is not one of the bigger sharks, but is very adept at getting more than her fair share of tuna heads.
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| Top sail getting a tuna head. |
Another thing that totally surprised me is how cautious these sharks are, even when food is offered to them. Some sharks will not approach the feeder who’s holding a tuna head and some sharks will only take a tuna head from a specific feeder. I would have thought that these bull sharks would pretty much go for any tuna head that is offered to them.
If all the bull sharks are not enough for you, just when you think the dive is over, there is the safety stop. Far from a boring hanging on to a line, waiting for the 3 minutes to pass, you are face to face wit a bunch of hungry white- and black-tip sharks, being fed by one of the divemasters.
I’m still very partial to “my” white sharks at Guadalupe, but I’m getting more and more taken by the bull sharks of the SRMR and can’t wait for next year.
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| Sam face to face with a hungry white tip shark. |
Thanks to all the guys at “BAD”, (Beqa Adventure Divers) for your hospitality and another unforgettable trip. You are simply the best! Vinaka vakalevu!
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| Blacktip shark at the safety stop |
In the coming weeks we’ll be posting a special offer for next year’s Fiji trip. My descriptions and pictures don’t do these sharks justice. You’ll have to come and experience them yourself.
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.
I was surrounded by bull sharks!
I just got back from my 4th annual trip to Fiji, diving with the “BAD” (Beqa Adventure Divers’) bull sharks of the Shark Reef Marine Reserve. It is an unbelievable experience to be surrounded by lots of these awesome predators.
|
| We saw a shark or two |
What really fascinates me is not the sheer number of sharks though. The really interesting part is that I’m starting to recognize some individual sharks, not only by distinctive marks on them, but by their behavior.
|
| Doing a lap, showing everyone that she got a tuna head. |
Anyone thinking that “a bull shark is a bull shark” should come to this place and see for themselves. These sharks have very different “personalities”, some very mellow and cautious, others not so much. Of course you need to do more than just one or 2 dives to notice these differences. The first few dives your are simply going to be blown away by the sheer number of sharks and and by how close they’ll get to you.
|
| Up close and personal! |
Common wisdom holds that when it comes to sharks, size matters. The big shark always wins over a smaller shark. What I found is that this is not always the case. Some sharks think they are a lot bigger than they really are and compete with the bigger sharks for the tuna heads on offer. “Top Sail” for example is not one of the bigger sharks, but is very adept at getting more than her fair share of tuna heads.
|
| Top sail getting a tuna head. |
Another thing that totally surprised me is how cautious these sharks are, even when food is offered to them. Some sharks will not approach the feeder who’s holding a tuna head and some sharks will only take a tuna head from a specific feeder. I would have thought that these bull sharks would pretty much go for any tuna head that is offered to them.
If all the bull sharks are not enough for you, just when you think the dive is over, there is the safety stop. Far from a boring hanging on to a line, waiting for the 3 minutes to pass, you are face to face wit a bunch of hungry white- and black-tip sharks, being fed by one of the divemasters.
I’m still very partial to “my” white sharks at Guadalupe, but I’m getting more and more taken by the bull sharks of the SRMR and can’t wait for next year.
|
| Sam face to face with a hungry white tip shark. |
Thanks to all the guys at “BAD”, (Beqa Adventure Divers) for your hospitality and another unforgettable trip. You are simply the best! Vinaka vakalevu!
|
| Blacktip shark at the safety stop |
In the coming weeks we’ll be posting a special offer for next year’s Fiji trip. My descriptions and pictures don’t do these sharks justice. You’ll have to come and experience them yourself.
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 Guadalupe Island
We just completed our 4th expedition to Guadalupe this year and the sharks have been amazing. Unlike in previous years, we are seeing more juvenile females than males this season. There have been over 10 new sharks already and every trip we encounter more new “friends”. On each expedition, we encountered over 18 different sharks, swimming along with seals, turtles and dolphins.
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| One of our new visitors |
As for the regulars, they have been slow to show their faces. So far we have seen “Joker” and “Chugey”, who looks amazing by the way. His injuries from a few years ago show fewer and fewer remaining scars.
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| “Chugey” on 8-11-2016 |
As a reminder, here is what he looked like 2 years ago.
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On our last day of our most recent expedition, Bite Face, another long time regular at Guadalupe Island made an appearance for the first time, but most of the sharks we’ve seen so far have been more recent additions to our database. Amiria, Freya, Screaming Mimi, Andy, #198 and Micks are among those encountered so far.
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| One of our new sharks inspecting the cages |
Tonight we are heading back to Guadalupe where I hope we’ll encounter more of our old friends. This is my 16th season diving with these sharks and I’m more excited to head down there than I was on my first expedition.
If you would like to join us on a future expedition or just want some information, contact us at 619.887.4275 or email staff@sharkdiver.com
I hope to get to introduce you to the amazing great white sharks at Guadalupe Island soon!
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.
Update from Guadalupe Island
We just completed our 4th expedition to Guadalupe this year and the sharks have been amazing. Unlike in previous years, we are seeing more juvenile females than males this season. There have been over 10 new sharks already and every trip we encounter more new “friends”. On each expedition, we encountered over 18 different sharks, swimming along with seals, turtles and dolphins.
|
| One of our new visitors |
As for the regulars, they have been slow to show their faces. So far we have seen “Joker” and “Chugey”, who looks amazing by the way. His injuries from a few years ago show fewer and fewer remaining scars.
|
| “Chugey” on 8-11-2016 |
As a reminder, here is what he looked like 2 years ago.
On our last day of our most recent expedition, Bite Face, another long time regular at Guadalupe Island made an appearance for the first time, but most of the sharks we’ve seen so far have been more recent additions to our database. Amiria, Freya, Screaming Mimi, Andy, #198 and Micks are among those encountered so far.
|
| One of our new sharks inspecting the cages |
Tonight we are heading back to Guadalupe where I hope we’ll encounter more of our old friends. This is my 16th season diving with these sharks and I’m more excited to head down there than I was on my first expedition.
If you would like to join us on a future expedition or just want some information, contact us at 619.887.4275 or email staff@sharkdiver.com
I hope to get to introduce you to the amazing great white sharks at Guadalupe Island soon!
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.
Shark feeding to be banned in US waters?
Senators Nelson and Rubio introduced a bill in the US Senate that would outlaw shark feeding in any portion of Biscayne National Park as part of a park fishery management plan.
Senate Bill S.3099 states:
“SEC. 104. Prohibition on shark feeding.
“(a) Prohibition.—Except as provided in section 317 of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (16 U.S.C. 1866), it is unlawful for any person—
“(1) to engage in shark feeding; or
“(2) to operate a vessel for the purpose of carrying a passenger for hire to any site to engage in shark feeding or to observe shark feeding.
I’m not a lawyer and have tried to figure out if this restriction would apply to all US territorial waters, or just the Biscayne National Park. The bill is not very clear on this, as it refers to other laws that pertain to different areas of the US, namely Hawaii and US territories in the Pacific ocean.
It seems like the politicians are giving in to the people who think that shark feeding is endangering the public, by habituating sharks to think of humans as food. This is despite the evidence to the contrary, where there are no indications that shark feeding has led to any attacks on humans not directly involved in the feeding activities. After the shark feeding ban was implemented in Florida, there was no reduction in shark bites, which is further evidence that there is no correlation between shark attacks and shark feeding.
The funny thing is that this bill is specifically asking to not put any gear restrictions or chumming bans on people trying to catch sharks. There is evidence that fishing and specially fishing for sharks can endanger the public, like in 2014, when a swimmer was bitten by a great white shark that was hooked on a fishing line. It is legal to fish for sharks from shore, which is attracting sharks to areas populated by humans, whereas shark feeding does not typically happen close to shore and/or swimmers in the water.
If you want to let the sponsors of this legislation know how you feel about this bill, you can contact them at these links.
Senator Bill Nelson of Florida https://www.billnelson.senate.gov/contact-bill
Senator Marco Rubio of Florida https://www.rubio.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/contact
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.
Shark feeding to be banned in US waters?
Senators Nelson and Rubio introduced a bill in the US Senate that would outlaw shark feeding in any portion of Biscayne National Park as part of a park fishery management plan.
Senate Bill S.3099 states:
“SEC. 104. Prohibition on shark feeding.
“(a) Prohibition.—Except as provided in section 317 of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (16 U.S.C. 1866), it is unlawful for any person—
“(1) to engage in shark feeding; or
“(2) to operate a vessel for the purpose of carrying a passenger for hire to any site to engage in shark feeding or to observe shark feeding.
I’m not a lawyer and have tried to figure out if this restriction would apply to all US territorial waters, or just the Biscayne National Park. The bill is not very clear on this, as it refers to other laws that pertain to different areas of the US, namely Hawaii and US territories in the Pacific ocean.
It seems like the politicians are giving in to the people who think that shark feeding is endangering the public, by habituating sharks to think of humans as food. This is despite the evidence to the contrary, where there are no indications that shark feeding has led to any attacks on humans not directly involved in the feeding activities. After the shark feeding ban was implemented in Florida, there was no reduction in shark bites, which is further evidence that there is no correlation between shark attacks and shark feeding.
The funny thing is that this bill is specifically asking to not put any gear restrictions or chumming bans on people trying to catch sharks. There is evidence that fishing and specially fishing for sharks can endanger the public, like in 2014, when a swimmer was bitten by a great white shark that was hooked on a fishing line. It is legal to fish for sharks from shore, which is attracting sharks to areas populated by humans, whereas shark feeding does not typically happen close to shore and/or swimmers in the water.
If you want to let the sponsors of this legislation know how you feel about this bill, you can contact them at these links.
Senator Bill Nelson of Florida https://www.billnelson.senate.gov/contact-bill
Senator Marco Rubio of Florida https://www.rubio.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/contact
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.
Another shark attack in Australia?
perth now reports that another diver has been attacked by a shark. Their headline reads
WA spear fisherman jumped by angry shark off Coral Bay coast
According to their article: A WA spear fisherman has captured the terrifying moment he was jumped by an angry reef shark off the North West coast.
Albany teenager Brad Vale, 19, was spearfishing for mackerel with friends 4km off the coast of Coral Bay on Wednesday when the shark, estimated to be about` 1.5 metres long, began to circle him.
“I dived down and just sort of sat down at the bottom and a shark came in on me,” he said.
“He got a bit close then did a big turn at me and charged so I gave him a poke. When I poked him he just turned back and without me noticing I looked down and he was already chewing on my gut.
“I got to the surface and was going to shoot it but I didn’t even have time to do that. He sort of latched on to my stomach and I tried to hit it with my gun in my hand but he let go pretty quick.”
Wow, what a terrifying experience. Getting attacked by a shark for no reason. Let’s look at the video Brad Vale shot of this incident.
Video source: youtube/brradz
Well, good thing he posted that video, because it clearly shows Brad descending and poking the shark, before it turned on him!
So when Brad says that the shark turned on him and then he “poked” it, he really meant to say “I hit it and then it turned on me”.
But hey, blame the shark, it makes for a much better headline. I would be angry too, if someone hit me with the pointy end of a speargun. Read the entire article here.
Anyway, I’m glad that Brad is OK and I hope he learned that it’s not a good idea to poke a shark.
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.
Another shark attack in Australia?
perth now reports that another diver has been attacked by a shark. Their headline reads
WA spear fisherman jumped by angry shark off Coral Bay coast
According to their article: A WA spear fisherman has captured the terrifying moment he was jumped by an angry reef shark off the North West coast.
Albany teenager Brad Vale, 19, was spearfishing for mackerel with friends 4km off the coast of Coral Bay on Wednesday when the shark, estimated to be about` 1.5 metres long, began to circle him.
“I dived down and just sort of sat down at the bottom and a shark came in on me,” he said.
“He got a bit close then did a big turn at me and charged so I gave him a poke. When I poked him he just turned back and without me noticing I looked down and he was already chewing on my gut.
“I got to the surface and was going to shoot it but I didn’t even have time to do that. He sort of latched on to my stomach and I tried to hit it with my gun in my hand but he let go pretty quick.”
Wow, what a terrifying experience. Getting attacked by a shark for no reason. Let’s look at the video Brad Vale shot of this incident.
Video source: youtube/brradz
Well, good thing he posted that video, because it clearly shows Brad descending and poking the shark, before it turned on him!
So when Brad says that the shark turned on him and then he “poked” it, he really meant to say “I hit it and then it turned on me”.
But hey, blame the shark, it makes for a much better headline. I would be angry too, if someone hit me with the pointy end of a speargun. Read the entire article here.
Anyway, I’m glad that Brad is OK and I hope he learned that it’s not a good idea to poke a shark.
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.
I was surrounded by bull sharks!
I just got back from my 4th annual trip to Fiji, diving with the “BAD” (Beqa Adventure Divers’) bull sharks of the Shark Reef Marine Reserve. It is an unbelievable experience to be surrounded by lots of these awesome predators.
|
| We saw a shark or two |
What really fascinates me is not the sheer number of sharks though. The really interesting part is that I’m starting to recognize some individual sharks, not only by distinctive marks on them, but by their behavior.
|
| Doing a lap, showing everyone that she got a tuna head. |
Anyone thinking that “a bull shark is a bull shark” should come to this place and see for themselves. These sharks have very different “personalities”, some very mellow and cautious, others not so much. Of course you need to do more than just one or 2 dives to notice these differences. The first few dives your are simply going to be blown away by the sheer number of sharks and and by how close they’ll get to you.
|
| Up close and personal! |
Common wisdom holds that when it comes to sharks, size matters. The big shark always wins over a smaller shark. What I found is that this is not always the case. Some sharks think they are a lot bigger than they really are and compete with the bigger sharks for the tuna heads on offer. “Top Sail” for example is not one of the bigger sharks, but is very adept at getting more than her fair share of tuna heads.
|
| Top sail getting a tuna head. |
Another thing that totally surprised me is how cautious these sharks are, even when food is offered to them. Some sharks will not approach the feeder who’s holding a tuna head and some sharks will only take a tuna head from a specific feeder. I would have thought that these bull sharks would pretty much go for any tuna head that is offered to them.
If all the bull sharks are not enough for you, just when you think the dive is over, there is the safety stop. Far from a boring hanging on to a line, waiting for the 3 minutes to pass, you are face to face wit a bunch of hungry white- and black-tip sharks, being fed by one of the divemasters.
I’m still very partial to “my” white sharks at Guadalupe, but I’m getting more and more taken by the bull sharks of the SRMR and can’t wait for next year.
|
| Sam face to face with a hungry white tip shark. |
Thanks to all the guys at “BAD”, (Beqa Adventure Divers) for your hospitality and another unforgettable trip. You are simply the best! Vinaka vakalevu!
|
| Blacktip shark at the safety stop |
In the coming weeks we’ll be posting a special offer for next year’s Fiji trip. My descriptions and pictures don’t do these sharks justice. You’ll have to come and experience them yourself.
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.
I was surrounded by bull sharks!
I just got back from my 4th annual trip to Fiji, diving with the “BAD” (Beqa Adventure Divers’) bull sharks of the Shark Reef Marine Reserve. It is an unbelievable experience to be surrounded by lots of these awesome predators.
|
| We saw a shark or two |
What really fascinates me is not the sheer number of sharks though. The really interesting part is that I’m starting to recognize some individual sharks, not only by distinctive marks on them, but by their behavior.
|
| Doing a lap, showing everyone that she got a tuna head. |
Anyone thinking that “a bull shark is a bull shark” should come to this place and see for themselves. These sharks have very different “personalities”, some very mellow and cautious, others not so much. Of course you need to do more than just one or 2 dives to notice these differences. The first few dives your are simply going to be blown away by the sheer number of sharks and and by how close they’ll get to you.
|
| Up close and personal! |
Common wisdom holds that when it comes to sharks, size matters. The big shark always wins over a smaller shark. What I found is that this is not always the case. Some sharks think they are a lot bigger than they really are and compete with the bigger sharks for the tuna heads on offer. “Top Sail” for example is not one of the bigger sharks, but is very adept at getting more than her fair share of tuna heads.
|
| Top sail getting a tuna head. |
Another thing that totally surprised me is how cautious these sharks are, even when food is offered to them. Some sharks will not approach the feeder who’s holding a tuna head and some sharks will only take a tuna head from a specific feeder. I would have thought that these bull sharks would pretty much go for any tuna head that is offered to them.
If all the bull sharks are not enough for you, just when you think the dive is over, there is the safety stop. Far from a boring hanging on to a line, waiting for the 3 minutes to pass, you are face to face wit a bunch of hungry white- and black-tip sharks, being fed by one of the divemasters.
I’m still very partial to “my” white sharks at Guadalupe, but I’m getting more and more taken by the bull sharks of the SRMR and can’t wait for next year.
|
| Sam face to face with a hungry white tip shark. |
Thanks to all the guys at “BAD”, (Beqa Adventure Divers) for your hospitality and another unforgettable trip. You are simply the best! Vinaka vakalevu!
|
| Blacktip shark at the safety stop |
In the coming weeks we’ll be posting a special offer for next year’s Fiji trip. My descriptions and pictures don’t do these sharks justice. You’ll have to come and experience them yourself.
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.
How do you choose the right shark diving operation?
Shark diving has gained in popularity over the last decade or so. With the increasing number of operations that offer interactions with sharks, we have also seen a growing trend for some operators to use irresponsible and in some cases down right stupid and dangerous diving practices.
So how can a diver find an operation that is using responsible and sustainable practices? How does he/she know if an operation is participating in conservation efforts, education and research?
Now there is a way to do exactly that. Rick McPherson, a marine biologist and conservationist has created a website, www.sustainablesharkdiving.com that is rating shark diving operations on various criteria, helping divers in choosing who to go with. It is sort of like a trip advisor for the shark diving industry.
We at Shark Diver are proud to provide our divers with a “Safe and Sane” shark diving experience and support research and conservation through our collaboration with the Marine Conservation Science Institute. We are excited about Rick’s new website and hope that anyone interested in shark diving will use it when choosing their next dive operation.
Here is the press release, announcing www.sustainablesharkdiving.com
San Francisco, CA
Sustainable Shark Dive Tourism Website Now Live: Best Practices and Trip Reviews
Sustainable Shark Diving (www.sustainablesharkdiving.com), a new website that provides tools and “Trip Advisor-like reviews of shark dive tourism operations around the world is now live. The website, previewed at the 2015 DEMA Show in Florida to overwhelming interest and support, has opened and now offers shark divers an opportunity to learn about best practices while helping to promote more sustainable environmental and safety within the industry.
The popularity and growth of shark dive tourism over the past decade is undeniable. Divers increasingly want to see sharks and are willing to pay well to have close encounters with these charismatic species. For a critically threatened group such as sharks, this is good news. “Over 100 million sharks die each year due to interactions with fisheries, “ reports Rick MacPherson, marine biologist, conservationist, and founder of the new online tool Sustainable Shark Diving “I believe a living shark showcased for tourism over its lifetime is better than a dead shark used once for its fins and meat,” says MacPherson. “I created sustainablesharkdiving.com as a free, open access portal for tourists and dive operators to help underscore the value of healthy shark populations to tourism as well as highlight best practices and lessons learned from shark dive operations around the world.” Dr Austin Gallagher, Postdoctoral Researcher at Carleton University and principal author of a ground-breaking 2015 global study of the shark diving industry, agrees, “The value of shark diving tourism to local economies and cultures has emerged as one of the leading arguments for the conservation of sharks around the world.”
The shark dive tourism industry has already taken note of the value of this new online tool. Jorge Loria, owner of Phantom Divers, a bull shark diving operation in Playa del Carmen, Mexico, believes this tool will help create a higher standard for the growing shark diving industry, “Diving with a sustainable business that is safe and educational results in a benefit to both divers and sharks because the more we know about sharks the better we can protect them.” Mike Neumann, owner of Beqa Adventure Divers in Fiji agrees: “This will be a game changer and a huge step towards propelling the shark diving industry towards a more long term sustainable model.”
Sustainable Shark Diving fills an industry need by providing a free, one-stop source for best safety and environmental practices and guidelines that have been established around the world for the viewing of sharks (and their flat cousins the rays). “Sustainable Shark Diving offers visitors a compilation of shark diving best practices and guidelines,” explains MacPherson. “You can search by shark species or by region. Whether you want to dive with white sharks, whale sharks, oceanic whitetip, bull, nurse, or any species, you will find the most currently accepted sustainability guidelines for that type of experience.”
Importantly, Sustainable Shark Diving features a Trip Advisor-like review section that allows divers to rate their experience with any shark dive operation against a set of sustainability criteria that includes safety, environmental performance, staff interactions, and overall educational/conservation value. “This tool has enormous potential to begin pushing the entire global industry closer to sustainability and accountability”, says Dr Gallagher. “By allowing the tourists themselves – the lifeblood of this and any tourism industry – to rank the performance, safety, and environmental ethics of operators around the world, the industry as a whole becomes more transparent and we can promote the good and hopefully phase out the bad.”
ABOUT RICK MACPHERSON, FOUNDER
Rick MacPherson is a marine ecologist and conservationist with three decades of experience in solving environmental challenges. He has a particular focus and interest in the intersection of conservation and marine tourism. As a PADI certified diver for over 35 years, he has witnessed the decline of coral reefs and shark populations during his lifetime. In response, MacPherson has become a passionate advocate and thought leader on the role of sustainable tourism as a lever for ocean conservation. Achievements have included development of the world’s first standards for scuba diving, snorkeling, and boating; designer of the Criteria and Indicators for Sustainable Marine Tours for the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), and founder of the Mesoamerican Reef Tourism Initiative–the longest-running sustainable tourism project in the Americas. With a belief and expertise in collaborative solutions, MacPherson has brokered partnerships across governments, corporations, NGOs, private sector, and local communities to arrive at pragmatic solutions to complex environmental problems. He is Founder and Principal of Pelagia Consulting, a San Francisco-based ocean science and conservation think tank, where he serves as senior advisor to international NGOs and charitable foundations. In 2013, MacPherson was awarded the Oris/Scuba Diving Magazine Sea Hero of the Year Award in recognition of his achievements in ocean conservation.
CONTACT
Rick MacPherson, Founder Sustainable Shark Diving rickmacpherson@me.com +1 (510) 295-5538
Let’s go (sustainable) 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.
How do you choose the right shark diving operation?
Shark diving has gained in popularity over the last decade or so. With the increasing number of operations that offer interactions with sharks, we have also seen a growing trend for some operators to use irresponsible and in some cases down right stupid and dangerous diving practices.
So how can a diver find an operation that is using responsible and sustainable practices? How does he/she know if an operation is participating in conservation efforts, education and research?
Now there is a way to do exactly that. Rick McPherson, a marine biologist and conservationist has created a website, www.sustainablesharkdiving.com that is rating shark diving operations on various criteria, helping divers in choosing who to go with. It is sort of like a trip advisor for the shark diving industry.
We at Shark Diver are proud to provide our divers with a “Safe and Sane” shark diving experience and support research and conservation through our collaboration with the Marine Conservation Science Institute. We are excited about Rick’s new website and hope that anyone interested in shark diving will use it when choosing their next dive operation.
Here is the press release, announcing www.sustainablesharkdiving.com
San Francisco, CA
Sustainable Shark Dive Tourism Website Now Live: Best Practices and Trip Reviews
Sustainable Shark Diving (www.sustainablesharkdiving.com), a new website that provides tools and “Trip Advisor-like reviews of shark dive tourism operations around the world is now live. The website, previewed at the 2015 DEMA Show in Florida to overwhelming interest and support, has opened and now offers shark divers an opportunity to learn about best practices while helping to promote more sustainable environmental and safety within the industry.
The popularity and growth of shark dive tourism over the past decade is undeniable. Divers increasingly want to see sharks and are willing to pay well to have close encounters with these charismatic species. For a critically threatened group such as sharks, this is good news. “Over 100 million sharks die each year due to interactions with fisheries, “ reports Rick MacPherson, marine biologist, conservationist, and founder of the new online tool Sustainable Shark Diving “I believe a living shark showcased for tourism over its lifetime is better than a dead shark used once for its fins and meat,” says MacPherson. “I created sustainablesharkdiving.com as a free, open access portal for tourists and dive operators to help underscore the value of healthy shark populations to tourism as well as highlight best practices and lessons learned from shark dive operations around the world.” Dr Austin Gallagher, Postdoctoral Researcher at Carleton University and principal author of a ground-breaking 2015 global study of the shark diving industry, agrees, “The value of shark diving tourism to local economies and cultures has emerged as one of the leading arguments for the conservation of sharks around the world.”
The shark dive tourism industry has already taken note of the value of this new online tool. Jorge Loria, owner of Phantom Divers, a bull shark diving operation in Playa del Carmen, Mexico, believes this tool will help create a higher standard for the growing shark diving industry, “Diving with a sustainable business that is safe and educational results in a benefit to both divers and sharks because the more we know about sharks the better we can protect them.” Mike Neumann, owner of Beqa Adventure Divers in Fiji agrees: “This will be a game changer and a huge step towards propelling the shark diving industry towards a more long term sustainable model.”
Sustainable Shark Diving fills an industry need by providing a free, one-stop source for best safety and environmental practices and guidelines that have been established around the world for the viewing of sharks (and their flat cousins the rays). “Sustainable Shark Diving offers visitors a compilation of shark diving best practices and guidelines,” explains MacPherson. “You can search by shark species or by region. Whether you want to dive with white sharks, whale sharks, oceanic whitetip, bull, nurse, or any species, you will find the most currently accepted sustainability guidelines for that type of experience.”
Importantly, Sustainable Shark Diving features a Trip Advisor-like review section that allows divers to rate their experience with any shark dive operation against a set of sustainability criteria that includes safety, environmental performance, staff interactions, and overall educational/conservation value. “This tool has enormous potential to begin pushing the entire global industry closer to sustainability and accountability”, says Dr Gallagher. “By allowing the tourists themselves – the lifeblood of this and any tourism industry – to rank the performance, safety, and environmental ethics of operators around the world, the industry as a whole becomes more transparent and we can promote the good and hopefully phase out the bad.”
ABOUT RICK MACPHERSON, FOUNDER
Rick MacPherson is a marine ecologist and conservationist with three decades of experience in solving environmental challenges. He has a particular focus and interest in the intersection of conservation and marine tourism. As a PADI certified diver for over 35 years, he has witnessed the decline of coral reefs and shark populations during his lifetime. In response, MacPherson has become a passionate advocate and thought leader on the role of sustainable tourism as a lever for ocean conservation. Achievements have included development of the world’s first standards for scuba diving, snorkeling, and boating; designer of the Criteria and Indicators for Sustainable Marine Tours for the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), and founder of the Mesoamerican Reef Tourism Initiative–the longest-running sustainable tourism project in the Americas. With a belief and expertise in collaborative solutions, MacPherson has brokered partnerships across governments, corporations, NGOs, private sector, and local communities to arrive at pragmatic solutions to complex environmental problems. He is Founder and Principal of Pelagia Consulting, a San Francisco-based ocean science and conservation think tank, where he serves as senior advisor to international NGOs and charitable foundations. In 2013, MacPherson was awarded the Oris/Scuba Diving Magazine Sea Hero of the Year Award in recognition of his achievements in ocean conservation.
CONTACT
Rick MacPherson, Founder Sustainable Shark Diving rickmacpherson@me.com +1 (510) 295-5538
Let’s go (sustainable) 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’s it like to come face to face with a Great White Shark?
What’s it like to come face to face with a Great White Shark? That is a question I get asked time and time again. With the news media portraying sharks as blood thirsty, mindless killers, just looking to eat us, most people think I have a death wish, diving with sharks. So I thought I should share what it is really like to come face to face with one of the most feared creatures on earth.
Here is a little video that shows how most people think an encounter with a shark will be like.
The reality it is more like the sharks swim by slowly, looking you straight into the eyes and showing absolutely no signs that they want to eat you.
When I first started diving with white sharks, what struck me is the fact that it is not scary at all. I’m by no means the only one that feels that way. In 15 seasons of taking divers to meet these awesome creatures, the most common reaction when coming face to face with a great white shark is just awe. Even divers who saw “Jaws” and joined us expecting a huge adrenaline rush, mostly are just blown away by the experience and don’t find it the least bit scary. The scariest part of the expedition is the anticipation of that first meeting.
I remember that after about 3 trips to Guadalupe Island I started thinking “I’ve seen it” and didn’t expect to do this for much longer. Well, at the time I didn’t expect to be in the cage and have “Shredder” swim by to check me out. When he looked me straight into the eye, something happened. I realized that this huge shark is focused on me, that he was individually checking everyone out.
 |
| Shredder |
Thinking back, that is when I fell in love with those sharks. Now as I always say to our divers. I love those sharks, but it is not a mutual feeling. That is perfectly OK. I love them for what they are, awesome predators, not mindless killers, but certainly no harmless pets either.
I don’t feel the need to tell everyone that these sharks love me and that I can go hold onto their fins, because they accept me as one of their own. Come to think of it, I’m glad that they don’t treat me as one of their own. Even though I’m not a small person, in terms of white shark size, I would be a very, very small shark. White sharks definitely are into having their personal space and don’t react kindly to a smaller individual invading that space. I’ve seen what they do to a smaller shark that is doing this.
I’ve been diving with sharks for over 15 years and I’m excited every time I’m about to get into the water with them. I find them fascinating and discovered that they are generally very cautious and even shy, not the mindless killers the media makes them out to be at all. Last season I saw 3 white sharks that got scared by a towel that fell overboard and drifted down. 2 of them checked it out and got the heck out of there. One of them kept circling it, approaching it and jerking away, when the towel moved a little. He kept doing that until both he and the towel went out of sight.
I hope that I have given you an idea of what it feels like to come face to face with a great white shark. If you really want to know, there is no substitute for experiencing it for yourself and I hope you’ll get that chance. It is an experience you’ll never forget. When you do go out, remember that while we don’t have to fear these sharks, we definitely have to respect them.
We at Shark Diver promote “Safe and Sane Shark Diving” that respects the sharks and the environment. We hope to see you on one of our expeditions to Guadalupe Island.
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’s it like to come face to face with a Great White Shark?
What’s it like to come face to face with a Great White Shark? That is a question I get asked time and time again. With the news media portraying sharks as blood thirsty, mindless killers, just looking to eat us, most people think I have a death wish, diving with sharks. So I thought I should share what it is really like to come face to face with one of the most feared creatures on earth.
Here is a little video that shows how most people think an encounter with a shark will be like.
The reality it is more like the sharks swim by slowly, looking you straight into the eyes and showing absolutely no signs that they want to eat you.
When I first started diving with white sharks, what struck me is the fact that it is not scary at all. I’m by no means the only one that feels that way. In 15 seasons of taking divers to meet these awesome creatures, the most common reaction when coming face to face with a great white shark is just awe. Even divers who saw “Jaws” and joined us expecting a huge adrenaline rush, mostly are just blown away by the experience and don’t find it the least bit scary. The scariest part of the expedition is the anticipation of that first meeting.
I remember that after about 3 trips to Guadalupe Island I started thinking “I’ve seen it” and didn’t expect to do this for much longer. Well, at the time I didn’t expect to be in the cage and have “Shredder” swim by to check me out. When he looked me straight into the eye, something happened. I realized that this huge shark is focused on me, that he was individually checking everyone out.
|
| Shredder |
Thinking back, that is when I fell in love with those sharks. Now as I always say to our divers. I love those sharks, but it is not a mutual feeling. That is perfectly OK. I love them for what they are, awesome predators, not mindless killers, but certainly no harmless pets either.
I don’t feel the need to tell everyone that these sharks love me and that I can go hold onto their fins, because they accept me as one of their own. Come to think of it, I’m glad that they don’t treat me as one of their own. Even though I’m not a small person, in terms of white shark size, I would be a very, very small shark. White sharks definitely are into having their personal space and don’t react kindly to a smaller individual invading that space. I’ve seen what they do to a smaller shark that is doing this.
I’ve been diving with sharks for over 15 years and I’m excited every time I’m about to get into the water with them. I find them fascinating and discovered that they are generally very cautious and even shy, not the mindless killers the media makes them out to be at all. Last season I saw 3 white sharks that got scared by a towel that fell overboard and drifted down. 2 of them checked it out and got the heck out of there. One of them kept circling it, approaching it and jerking away, when the towel moved a little. He kept doing that until both he and the towel went out of sight.
I hope that I have given you an idea of what it feels like to come face to face with a great white shark. If you really want to know, there is no substitute for experiencing it for yourself and I hope you’ll get that chance. It is an experience you’ll never forget. When you do go out, remember that while we don’t have to fear these sharks, we definitely have to respect them.
We at Shark Diver promote “Safe and Sane Shark Diving” that respects the sharks and the environment. We hope to see you on one of our expeditions to Guadalupe Island.
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.
Update from our friends in Fiji
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
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?
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.
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| 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?
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.
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| Add caption |
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| 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!
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
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| 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
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!
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
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| 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
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.
Is “BAD” really GOOD?
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?
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?
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| 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 himself “SustainableSharkDiving.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?
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.
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| 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?
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.
Can our loving sharks be bad for them?
How could our loving sharks possibly hurt them? After all, we want to protect them and are fighting those who are hurting them. Why would I even suggest such a ridiculous thing?shark diving, cage diving, swimming with sharks, Guadalupe Island, Great White Shark, shark conservation
OK, lets look at what is going on. I have written about what various conservation groups are doing here. This time I want to focus on how they are doing it.
Most of us are interested in shark conservation because we love sharks. This love is a powerful motivator to get us to act and and actually do something, instead of just standing on the sidelines. That same love for the sharks is also what can make our efforts ineffective. We tend to argue from the heart and demonize the ones that don’t agree with us.
Take this post on Eco Phuket’s facebook page. It shows a spearfisherman who shot a shark, cleaning his catch. The comments range from “That is shocking behaviour bloody Neanderthal” to “We got to get this killer consumer out of the water!” How do you think this spearfisherman is going to react to being called a “Neanderthal” and “killer consumer”? Do you really think that will help him see your side and stop fishing for sharks?
Movies like “The cove” show the slaughter of dolphins and pretty much chastise the Japanese for hunting dolphins. They don’t just criticize the way they slaughter them, but the fact that they are killing them in the first place. How do you think the Japanese feel about the way they are portrayed in that movie?
When it comes to shark fin soup, there are plenty of people who just blame the Chinese for the shark finning that is going on. Again, we are demonizing a culture and it is us (the good guys) vs. them (the bad guys) Aside from the fact that it is not just the Chinese that are to blame, ( watch the video below) it is simply not helpful.
Guang Zhou Market for Sea Shepherd USA from Gary Stokes on Vimeo.
I think the first thing we have to do is realize that a shark is just a fish and a dolphin is just an animal. The issue is not weather we love them or not, but rather is the taking of these animals sustainable, is the killing humane etc. To give you an example, most of you who read this are probably living in the western world and being used to its customs. So when we attack the Japanese for eating dolphins, the Chinese for eating shark fin soup and the Koreans for eating dogs, because it’s just not cool to eat those animals, we don’t consider what other cultures, e.g: India, must think about our custom of eating “holy cows”.
I know, it hurts to see a shark killed, a dolphin slaughtered or a dog eaten, but if we demonize the ones that are doing it, we won’t really get them to change. It’s just like in politics each side is just blaming and demonizing the other and nothing gets done.
It’s easy to get fellow conservationists to agree with us, but how do we get those who don’t agree with us, to see our way? As painful as it might be, we actually have to seek a dialogue with those who don’t see things our way. There are many individuals and organizations that get it and are doing exactly that.
In Fiji, Beqa Adventure divers helped establish the shark reef marine reserve, which included involving 3 fishing villages who’s fishermen agreed not to fish in that area in exchange for receiving a fee from all divers, diving in that area. After 10 years of protecting shark reef, a fisherman told Mike Neumann that before the shark reef marine reserve was established, he could not catch any fish from shore, but now there are plenty of fish there, a spillover effect. This is a great example of conservationist seeking a dialogue with the fishermen and working together to make changes.
Another example is the shark friendly marinas project. By talking to marinas that are home to many sportfishermen, it got some of those marinas to agree to not allow any caught sharks to be landed there. Again, this project is relying on seeking a dialogue with those who are fishing for sharks and make them aware of the problem associated with shark fishing.
Yet another example are fishing tournaments. Guy Harvey is someone well known in the fishing industry and a sponsor of many fishing tournaments. It’s easy to condemn shark fishing tournaments, and demonize the fishermen participating in it. But here is how I see it. Instead of having a tournament that catches and kills the sharks, they now catch, tag and release the sharks. Is this ideal? Do all the released sharks survive? No, of course not. But it is way better than the catch and kill tournaments and it makes the fishermen involved in the conservation efforts. Also Guy Harvey, a fisherman, supports many other ocean related conservation efforts.
And who would have thought that the consumption of shark fin soup in China could decline by 70%? Efforts by various groups and Chinese celebrities have turned the tide and it’s no longer considered fashionable to serve shark fin soup in China. Again, education and working with a culture instead of against it, has shown results.
It is perfectly fine to love and care about the sharks! I do! We just have to remember that in order to change things, we should seek a dialogue with those who don’t see things our way and not just condemn and demonize them. If we only accept a world where nobody kills any sharks and we are not willing to compromise, we will never get things to change. We also have to be prepared to be attacked and ridiculed by our fellow conservationists, for working with the “enemy”. Personally, if I can do something that saves just one shark, I don’t care what anyone thinks. If they call me a traitor for supporting a catch and release tournament, so be it. For me it’s not about the praise of my fellow shark lovers, but about saving the sharks.
OK enough of my rant, I just had to get this off my chest.
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.
Breaching great white sharks at Guadalupe Island
Grind TV has a nice article about our breaching great white sharks at Guadalupe Island.
It’s nice to see that the media has caught on to the fact that great white sharks are not only breaching in South Africa. Thank you Pete Thomas for a nice article and for mentioning Shark Diver.
Pete Thomas writes:Gerardo del Villar posted video clip to Facebook and YouTube this past week, and linked to a Spanish-language blog post about the island’s white sharks, which rarely breach, and for reasons that are unclear.
Del Villar suggested that Guadalupe’s breaching sharks could be trying to establish dominance in the presence of other sharks, or to remove parasites.
However, Shark Diver’s Martin Graf, whose company pioneered shark diving at Guadalupe Island, said that often it’s the smaller sharks that breach. The larger sharks are the dominant predators.
Said Graf: “There’s no rhyme or reason to it. Usually they breach without any chum or hang-baits in the water. Early morning and dusk seem to be their preferred times, but it can happen anytime.”
Read the entire article at http://www.grindtv.com/wildlife/rare-great-white-shark-breach-videotaped-at-guadalupe-island/#hofozHm4i3bbfwm6.99
You can join us and dive with these amazing sharks. We only have a few spaces left for this season, but are already booking for 2017
Call us at 619.887.4275 or email staff@sharkdiver.com for more info.
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.
How not to dive with sharks!
We at Shark Diver believe in “Safe and Sane” shark diving. The example in the video below is how NOT to dive with sharks.
Ataque provocado de un tiburón. OJO IMÁGENES FUERTES que pueden herir la sensibilidad del espectador.El ser humano es lo más estúpido que he descubierto en mi vida.
Posted by Buceo Recreativo on Tuesday, January 26, 2016
For years we have warned about how stupid and dangerous it is to ride, hug and harass sharks in the Ocean. So here you see first hand what can happen, when you don’t respect the sharks. They are not mindless killers, but neither are they pets that just want to be hugged. If you love sharks like I do, you respect them for what they are and are not trying to make them into something they are not.
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| Diving with Great Whites from the safety of a cage. |
We at Shark Diver offer “Safe and Sane” diving expeditions, where you get to see sharks up close and personal, without any touching or harassing of the sharks.
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| Up close and personal. No touching needed. |
I always say “I absolutely love sharks, but it is not a mutual feeling”. The sharks don’t love me, it’s not in their nature and that is absolutely fine with me.
Let’s go shark diving and see what these magnificent creatures are all about. No touching, no hugging, just enjoying the awesome feeling of being in their presence.
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.
Paul Watson and the sinking of the “Ady Gil”
There are a lot of conservation organizations out there, all looking to raise money for their causes. It’s rare that you see a call to sign a petition etc. that is not automatically asking you for money, after you signed it. There is nothing inherently wrong with asking for money, because there are cost involved with saving the oceans. With some groups however, making money seems to be the main purpose, regardless of who, or what they hurt in the process. Take the following example.
In 2010 the “Ady Gil“, a small vessel operated by the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society collided with the Japanese whaling ship “Shonan Maru 2” and sank some time later. “SSCS” has always claimed that the collision damage inflicted on the “Ady Gil” is what caused her to sink and maintained that the Japanese intentionally rammed their vessel.
There is video evidence that the collision itself was actually caused by the captain of the “Ady Gil”, by accelerating into the path of the “Shonan Maru 2” at the last moment. In this video, you can see that the “Ady Gil” is stopped in the water and a little before the collision there is whitewater behind the vessel, a sign that it engaged the props and accelerated forward, right into the path of the Japanese ship.
This video has led some people to accuse SCCS of intentionally causing this accident to create publicity for their “Whale Wars” TV show and to raise money from their supporters. I’m not accusing the captain of the “Ady Gil” of trying to intentionally ram the Japanese ship. While I think it’s more likely that he wanted to cut right in front of it to get some dramatic TV footage and simply miscalculated, the claim that SSCS created this whole event gained some credibility, when in the aftermath of the sinking, Pete Bethune, the captain of the “Ady Gil” came out and stated that he deliberately sank the vessel on the orders of Paul Watson.
Sea Shepherd maintained that the “Ady Gil” sank because of the damage it sustained during the collision and that they made every effort to save it. In reply to Bethune’s admission, the SSCS released this statement by Watson. In part it read: “So why has Bethune decided to make such an accusation to the media and the public that I ordered him to sink the Ady Gil?
The answer is obvious. I fired him the day before for providing false statements to the Japanese police. He then threatened to make this allegation against me if I did not reinstate him. I refused. In fact, I sent Bethune’s threats to the media before he released them.”
After hearing Bethune’s confession, Ady Gil, a person who donated 1 Million $ to the SSCS and who the boat was named after, ended up suing them for the loss of the vessel. After years of back and forth, last September, the arbitrator in this case issued finally issued a ruling that now became public.
The ruling includes a scathing assessment of Paul Watson: “The Arbitrator found Mr. Watson’s testimony regarding certain events to be highly evasive, internally contradictory, or at odds with his own prior written statements, and in certain areas simply lacking the basic indicia of genuineness that instinctively inspires confidence and trust”
So now we know that Paul Watson ordered the deliberate sinking of the “Ady Gil”
A couple of days ago, Chuck Swift, former captain of the Sea Shepherd vessel “Bob Barker” also came out and admitted publicly that the “Ady Gil” was intentionally sunk and issued a public apology on Facebook, for his role in it.
YES. I, along with Pete Bethune and Luke VanHorn, did board the vessel Ady Gil and intentionally scuttled it. We sank the vessel Ady Gil and lied to everyone inside and outside of SSCS to cover that truth. You can read his entire statement here
Why was it so important to Paul Watson to sink the “Ady Gil”? Before acceding to Mr. Watson’s demands, (to deliberately scuttle the vessel) Mr. Swift recalls that he asked Mr. Watson, “Why is this so important to you?”, and Mr. Watson responded, “Our audience needs closure.” I guess this illustrates where Paul Watson’s priorities are. Entertaining his audience is more important than what he claims to care about. Of course Watson had no qualms about the fact that the “closure” he provided to his TV audience was a blatant lie and he didn’t hesitate to use that lie to raise money.
From the ruling: Of course, whatever the rationale for deceiving the viewing public (which might be presumed to understand that “reality shows” do not actually reflect reality)
Here are some excerpts from the arbitrators ruling, that offer insight into the reasons the SSCS wanted to scuttle the “Ady Gil” and how “real” “whale wars” really is.
the evidence suggests that the Ady Gil was unlikely to sink for any appreciable period of time, notwithstanding the damage she incurred from the collision with the Japanese fleet
the crew’s thinking (to scuttle to Ady Gil) seems to have been directly influenced by the presence of the Animal Planet film crew, which gave SSCS unparalleled public exposure and greatly expanded its fundraising possibilities.
Certainly, a plodding tow operation to deliver a damaged vessel to shore would not have made for interesting television viewing
By contrast, the collision of the Shonan Maru #2 with the Ady Gil already had captured unparalleled media attention, with Mr. Watson giving interviews from the Steve Irwin and Pete Bethune taking non-stop media calls on board the Bob Barker. The crew was acutely aware that the sinking of the Ady Gil would create the occasion for more dramatic reality television
Indeed, Mr. Swift testifies that “during our discussions/arguments leading up to my capitulation to Paul’s order to sink the Ady Gil, he was telling me … ‘Oh, the media on this would be great.’”
Paul’s a genius, and he’s a media genius especially. And sometimes he’s open-minded, and sometimes, he’s not. And, when he sets his mind on something he’s like a pit bull getting lock jaw, and I was unable to change his mind, which is why I eventually executed his orders
As for the scene in “Whale Wars”, where Bethune and Swift discussed abandoning the ship: The decision to stage this scene for the cameras was the result of discussions between Mr. Bethune and Mr. Swift, in the presence of the Animal Planet crew: they said we need to just create the scene that makes it look like you were making the decision to abandon the boat. And I knew from Whale War’s perspective, … the decision to abandon a boat by the captain is a pretty powerful scene. I went along with it
The arbitrator offered this thought. Of course, whatever the rationale for deceiving the viewing public (which might be presumed to understand that “reality shows” do not actually reflect reality), there was no legal or moral justification for deceiving Claimants, the owners of the Ady Gil.
So we know that SSCS and Paul Watson have no problem deceiving their supporters and the viewers of “Whale Wars” who think that the series is an actual documentary. What is interesting to find out is that they equally have no problem with throwing their own employees, donors and volunteers under the bus, blaming them for their own actions.
So we know that SSCS and Paul Watson have no problem deceiving their supporters and the viewers of “Whale Wars” who think that the series is an actual documentary. What is interesting to find out is that they equally have no problem with throwing their own employees, donors and volunteers under the bus, blaming them for their own actions.
There are many great organizations working to save the oceans and it’s inhabitant and I encourage to support them. Just check them out carefully before you choose which one you want to support.
Cheers,
Martin Graf
CEO Shark Diver
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.
Sharks in a pool?
After the movie “Jaws” came out in 1975, a lot of people were afraid to even enter a pool or a bathtub. Who knew that one could actually find a shark in a pool?
Check out this story. A shark found in a swimming pool! According to an article in Florida’s “Sun Sentinel” Nicole Bonk found a 5 foot blacktip shark in a pool.
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| Blacktip shark ©Martin Graf |
“Nicole Bonk was visiting friends at the Mariner’s Cay condo the week before last when she saw two boys carrying the five-foot blacktip shark, with hooks in its mouth, and dump it into the pool at around 11 p.m.”
She and her husband pulled the shark out and carried it to the Intracoastal Waterway, where her husband held the shark by the tail in the water so it could try to flush out the chlorinated pool water. Then they released it.
“We tried to revive him but he mostly likely did not live,” she said. “He was barely moving after the trauma. We did our best to try to save this creature.”
It’s really disturbing that these kids had so little regard for a living creature. I’m glad that Nicole Bonk and her husband tried to save the shark and hope that it survived.
This story shows that human beings are both capable of cruelty and compassion. I’m glad that the “Sun Sentinel” focused it’s article on those issues and not on trying to scare people into thinking they have to be afraid to enter a pool.
I hope that they find the kids who did this and teach them that this is not acceptable behavior.
She reported the incident to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, but no officers arrived until the following morning.
“These two kids, they came back from fishing and threw this half-dead creature into the pool as a prank,” she said. “They left the shark in the pool to die. I think they’re terrible children because it’s animal cruelty.”
The wildlife commission is investigating the incident and attempting to find evidence from video security cameras around the pool.
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.
Conservation shark diving in Fiji
This is the 4th year Shark Diver is going to Fiji to dive with Bull Sharks at Beqa Shark Reef Marine Reserve. In the last 3 years, we have been diving with more than 70 Bull Sharks at a time, with Black Tip-, White Tip-, Grey Reef-, Nurse- and Lemon-Sh…
Support shark conservation at Guadalupe Island
With the holidays fast approaching, what are you going to give the person who has everything? Here is an idea. Sponsor, or name a shark at Guadalupe Island and support the research and conservation efforts there.The Marine Conservation Science Institut…
Science Expedition to Guadalupe Island
I booked the trip to Isla Guadalupe (Guadalupe Island) with Shark Diver of San Diego to fulfill a long held desire – since reading Jacques-Yves Cousteau’s “The Shark” and meeting his son in San Diego when I was a boy. And, in every way possible, this trip exceeded my expectations owing to the efforts of an outstanding Shark Diver team (particularly Martin Graf and Cindy Michaels), the Guest Marine Researcher Nicole Nasby Lucas, a fantastic Horizon crew, and great group of fellow shark divers. This is a must do in my opinion for anyone with a passion, interest or bucket list item relating to Great White Sharks – it’s fun, safe and amazing. Many details follow.
The Main Event:
I don’t want to bury the lead, so I’ll get right to our guests of honor. The Great White Sharks are impressive, majestic, and beautiful. They move by the twin cages, quite closely, at a stately pace, and look at the folks in the cage with large deep blue eyes; and, they appear utterly calm and in command. They make passes at the two bait carcasses off the stern, sometimes lazily and on occasion quite quickly. We were fortunate enough to witness a breach on one occasion – a male, who had previously made half-hearted passes at the bait, disappeared, the emerged from deep below the boat, under the cages, at speed, and hit the bait vertically from below, taking himself halfway out of the water – to the astonishment, screams and overwhelming joy of everyone aboard.
I don’t want to bury the lead, so I’ll get right to our guests of honor. The Great White Sharks are impressive, majestic, and beautiful. They move by the twin cages, quite closely, at a stately pace, and look at the folks in the cage with large deep blue eyes; and, they appear utterly calm and in command. They make passes at the two bait carcasses off the stern, sometimes lazily and on occasion quite quickly. We were fortunate enough to witness a breach on one occasion – a male, who had previously made half-hearted passes at the bait, disappeared, the emerged from deep below the boat, under the cages, at speed, and hit the bait vertically from below, taking himself halfway out of the water – to the astonishment, screams and overwhelming joy of everyone aboard.
The visibility, typically, is very good at Isla Guadalupe, so the sun penetrates deep into the water and the boat casts a long shadow into the depths. Often our first sightings each time into the cage(s) were of the dark silhouette emerging from the shadow cast by the boat, coming up slowly from below and then circling the cages, bait and boat for some time before silently disappearing into the shadows again. Though each of us kept eyes peeled in all directions, it was amazing how frequently we were taken by surprise by a shark suddenly appearing. On deck, between dives, the crew is very experienced and keen eyed; and, they will call out “White Shark” as they approach, usually well before any guests see them. From above or below it is mesmerizing, and difficult to turn away.
Isla Guadalupe:
There are a few places worldwide to see Great White Sharks with predictability. Both South Africa and the Farallon Islands offer this opportunity; but, both have limited underwater visibility and challenging water temperatures. Isla Guadalupe has better water clarity, 100 foot visibility, and weather, and very few (we saw only three other) boats, some distance away. Unlike other locations, Isla Guadalupe will not force you to deal with cold and murky water, crowded boats and cages, quick “in and out” quick thrill experiences, etc. You will have days on the dive site, in relatively warm and very clear water, and good weather.
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| #153 he needs a name! You can name him by clicking here |
Isla Guadalupe is a designated Bio Sphere, a marine sanctuary. It sits about 200 miles southwest of San Diego. It is made up of volcanic remnants and has a stark beauty, with tall, steep cliffs diving hundreds of feet down to sea. There are large populations of, and rookeries for, elephant seals, sea lions – all of which you are very likely to see, with approaches to boat on occasion.
Timing:
Typically, though as Martin notes there are no hard and fast rules with White Sharks, they tell us the males will show up in earlier months – e.g., July, August, and September – and in greater numbers. And the typically October and November are when they have female sightings – the females being fewer but much larger than the males. Also, typically, the wetter weather comes later in the year, with the Pacific hurricane / wet season; but, this too is not always the case.
The Drive Out:
It is a long trip out to, and back from Isla Guadalupe from / to San Diego. It was some eight hours from San Diego to Ensenada Mexico, where we docked to have passports checked, and then a long 18 +/- hours to Isla Guadalupe. Note that the return trip is the same itinerary, in reverse, with a stop in Ensenada before entering U.S. waters. Along the way out to Guadalupe, a large pod of dolphins escorted us. The sea can often be a bit rough to quite rough, with good swells causing a fair bit of roll onboard. Owing to timing, much of the initial leg is spent hanging out in main cabin getting to know fellow divers, with folks eventually heading to their beds – sleep and good anti motion sickness remedies work well. Most folks used some combination of ear patch and oral medication. It’s a long drive, so be smart and just bring your meds.
The Boat:
You won’t “Need bigger boat” The MV Horizon the Horizon is roughly 80 feet long with 8 state rooms and several bunks. There are two restrooms and showers that are shared by all. The accommodations (two persons to a room with curtain for privacy and in bunks) are not lux, but they are nice, and you won’t care anyway The Horizon is used only as diving vessel; and that’s all season long. They determine who bunks together once everyone arrives in San Diego, based on number of couples, individual travelers, etc. The sleeping quarters are below,, and the main cabin contains the galley and a series of booths along each side used for dining and spending time together with travelers in route or between dives. Net / net, this is a large and comfortable boat.
The Cages:
There are two, kept on deck astern for the trip and each night when diving is completed. For each day’s diving, each is suspended off, but affixed to, the stern at the surface (that is, they do not sink below) – so you simply climb down a ladder and into the cage (easy); and each easily holds four divers. One cage is aft port, one aft starboard. You will alternate each dive, so that everyone has plenty of time in each cage.
The Dives:
The divers are assigned to two teams. Each team dives for an hour, and then rests and re-hydrates for an hour while the alternate team dives. Each team has four people in each cage, and the team alternates cages each time, so everyone gets to try both cages and gets plenty of dive time and rest. There were a couple days of early open diving as well – starting just after sunrise – during which anyone who preferred could climb into either cage.
The crew will size you for suits, equipment, weights, and Martin himself oriented each of us to breathing via air hose and made sure we comfortable before we stepped fully down into the cage.
Safety is primary and at no point was anything but utterly assured all was well and well in control. No divers are ever permitted out of the cages – for the sake of the sharks, the marine preserve, as well as the divers. You are completely safe at all times. There were folks of all ages, bith genders, and widely varying experience levels. Past trips have included folks in their 60’s and 70’s, and quite young divers as well. The always amazing Cindy at Shark Diver can advise on particulars.
Breathing with the hookah system is easy – no metal tanks to strap on, simply a long hose that goes from on deck tank system to each diver’s regulator (mouthpiece through which you breathe). So, if you’ve ever snorkeled and used a mask, you’ll be just fine. The cages are beyond sturdy, offer complete visibility around, above and below, and are plenty large enough for each set of divers.
The Purpose:
In addition to the opportunity provided to guests to see these amazing creatures, each shark observed is photographed (Martin, Nicole and the divers get to participate in this) and compared to a database of previously observed sharks. New sharks are named and tracked in the database each successive year. This is a joint effort between the Marine Conservation Science Institute (MCSI) and Shark Diver.
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| #172 Freya a shark that was newly named this season. |
Newly identified sharks on a particular dive are named by the people on the dive in a bidding process (proceeds of which go to the MCSI and shark research effort). On a side note, I was fortunate enough from a 2014 dive with Shark Diver to name one – Hooper (after the Richard Dreyfuss oceanographer character in Jaws) – great fun and a great way to support the cause.
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| # 159 Hooper |
Isla Guadalupe is home to a marine preserve and a research station manned by a researcher named Mauricio – who will visit the Horizon and give an excellent presentation with Martin on Great White Sharks and the Isla Guadalupe Bio Sphere.
The Shark Diver Team:
Martin Graf, the CEO and dive leader, teacher, host is a deeply experienced and great guy. He is hands on, overseeing everything on the dives. He also gives talks and a presentation to the divers on Isla Guadalupe, Great White Sharks, and many experiences with both. If Nicole Nasby Lucas (again, researcher from MCSI) is leading Science Expedition, she, too, will give a fine presentation, talk. Both Martin and Nicole worked each evening on identified sharks seen from photographs taken during the day. All the reservations, logistics, arrangements, and care taking of the divers before and after is led by the excellent and omnipresent Cindy Michaels, their Director of Communications – Cindy was a rock star and took care of every question and need leading up to the trip.
The Horizon Crew:
In a word, excellent. Experienced captain, crew – professional, easy going, genuinely friendly, and they take care of anything you might need. I cannot say enough good things about the crew of the Horizon.
The Food:
As noted elsewhere, the food is outstanding. The quality and quantity of the meals is positively surprising and uniformly excellent. There is also beer and wine aboard. There are large and delicious breakfasts every morning cooked to order, excellent lunches (including Sashimi), and absolutely fantastic dinners, including prime rib near end of stay. The galley will account for you preferences and restrictions with no problem.
Thank you David Moore! We appreciate you taking the time to share your experience with us and our future divers. We are glad you enjoyed your expedition and hope to see you again on another shark trip.
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.
Do sharks get cancer?
One of the reasons millions of sharks get killed each year is the popular belief that sharks don’t get tumors, or cancer. That, along with the demand for shark fins, are the major reasons sharks get slaughtered. The belief that sharks don’t get c…
Island Of The White Sharks
Do you want to know what it is like to come to Guadalupe Island and meet the Great White Sharks? Read the following trip report and look at the pictures from John Gunn and Katrien De Maertelaere who joined us at Guadalupe Island back in August.
Island Of The White Sharks
As we boarded Horizon, the 80 foot long dive boat that would be our home for the next week, we had no idea of the adventures that lay ahead. Fulfilling a life long dream to dive with Great White Sharks, I was about to embark on a trip out to Guadalupe Island in Mexico. A rocky desolate island 150 miles west of Baja California, which is now recognized as the best place to dive with these wonderful creatures in crystal clear waters. Having recently spent time out at the Farallon Islands (The west coast’s other hub of Great White activity) I couldn’t wait to experience the magic of Guadalupe.
Shark Diver (www.sharkdiver.com) were our hosts and the crew of the Horizon greeted us warmly as we strolled past the monstrous steel shark cages out on deck and settled into our cosy sleeping quarters. The trip out to Guadalupe isn’t for the light hearted, a 36 hour trek in decent swells (and apparently we had it calm!) but the Horizon was a wonderful vessel and once we’d past through immigration in Ensenada, Mexico we were out in the open ocean, heading due west over some of the richest and biologically diverse stretches of water in the world. Within a couple of hours of leaving the Mexican mainland we were accompanied by a large group of Pilot Whales, who stayed with us for over an hour, breaching out of the water just a few feet from the boat. It was a wonderful start to what we were all hoping would be the adventure of a lifetime.
After a bumpy couple of nights sleep, we awoke on the second morning to the sounds of clucking steel and rushed up on deck. The cages were slowly being lowered into the water, overshadowed by the towering, volcanic rock face of Guadalupe Island. It was quite a sight and it felt only right that one of the world’s largest congregations of Great White Sharks had chosen this alien rocky outpost as their hunting ground. After a quick but delicious cooked breakfast (the food on the entire trip was divine!) and an introduction to the cage rotations (we’d be tag teaming one hour in and one hour out of the cage for the next 2 days!) it was time to gear up and get diving!
I was part of the first rotation and with the bate lines floating next to the cages and chum being poured over the side of the boat, we anxiously waited for our first glimpse of the world’s oldest apex predator! The hour ticked by without an appearance and the next team of divers jumped in to try their luck. Within minutes we were startled by the soon to be familiar shout, ‘WHITE SHARK!’ as a huge dark shadow gracefully glided past the boat. I could only imagine the sight from below the surface.
There had been no need to panic! Our second dive of the day turned out to be one of the best dives of the entire trip. We were treated to 3 White Sharks, circling the cages for the full hour. The opportunity to see these animals up close in clear water was truly special. They’re both graceful and terrifying at the same time. A monster from your nightmares, that you can’t take your eyes off. The 14 foot sharks glided inches from the cage, ominously disappearing into the blue, before somehow re-appearing moments later from the completely opposite direction. While at first glance their eyes are black and sinister, a closer look reveals a soft light blue interior that focused in on the divers as the shark glides past. These guys were definitely checking us out!
As rotations merged into each other, the action never stopped and as we experienced more sharks, we were privileged to witness an array of different personalities that each gave a unique interaction. Shark Diver keep a log of all the White Sharks they encounter and name them, as a way of keeping track. Over time, we learned who was who; ‘Legend’ was a mid- sized feisty shark that would charge and breach for the bait, giving the topside divers and crew quite a show. ‘Johnny’ was a more relaxed but larger and proud shark and every now and then we’d be lucky enough to look down into the depths and see the infamous ‘Bruce’, a monstrous male White Shark circling below.
From the surface, the water was so clear it was like watching the sharks swimming in a pool and from below, the 100+ foot visibility offered photo opportunities I’m yet to encounter anywhere in the world. On our last night we were treated to a fantastic presentation from a couple of local researchers (the only inhabitants on the island, with the exception of a small fishing community) from Pelagios Kakunja Marine Conservation, educating us on the vital science and research currently being done to understand more about the Guadalupe ecosystem and the best ways to protect it in the future. As well as the informative talk, the two researchers showed us a ‘deep sea monster’ that they’d found floating on the surface, a bizarre bottom dwelling creature that we figured out probably belonged to the ‘Frog Fish’ family.
Finally, we were treated to up close GoPro footage of a recent Great White predication on an Elephant Seal at the island (only the third time such an attack had been caught on camera), before we all slunked down to our cabins beneath the waves and looked forward to the final morning of diving before our departure back to the mainland.
The final morning didn’t disappoint, as we were continuously circled by a large male shark called ‘Biteface’. At nearly 16 feet in length, he dwarfed the cage as he glided inches from the steel cage and our busy cameras! After lunch the cages were hoisted back onto the Horizon and we set pace at a steady 10 knots, back to San Diego. Within a few hours, just as the sun was setting, we were accompanied by a stunning group of breaching Dolphins, giving the entire group a great opportunity to reflect on this wonderfully rich and wild stretch of ocean and the trip of a lifetime.
Will I be returning to Guadalupe? Most certainly, but probably not before my passion for Sharks and underwater photography takes me to the Tiger Sharks of the Bahamas and the resident Bulls Sharks of Fiji. Take a bow Shark Diver, you well and truly delivered!
Thank you John and Katrien for coming out with us and writing this great report! It was a pleasure having you on board and we enjoyed introducing you to our “friends” at Guadalupe Island. We are looking forward to taking you to the Bahamas and Fiji for your next shark diving adventure!
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.
New sharks at Guadalupe Island
It’s been a fantastic great white shark season at Guadalupe Island so far. As reported earlier, a lot of our regular visitors have come back again, with “Bite Face” making his 15th straight appearance. Along with our old “friends”, we have also s…
Talking about Sharks, Feeds the Frenzy
A Growing AttractionSome might say diving with sharks is the last thing they would ever want to do…until they do it! For many, it has become an addiction and more and more repeat divers are getting their yearly thrill with Shark Diver, based out of S…
Great White Sharks, Dolphins and a “Sea Monster”
We just finished another awesome expedition to Guadalupe Island. After 14 years of diving there, it never ceases to amaze me, that we keep encountering new things. We had a pleasant trip down to the Island, with mostly calm waters and were accompanied …
“Aggressive” shark closes San Diego Beach
We arrived back in San Diego from our last Great White Shark trip just in time for an “aggressive” hammerhead shark to close a popular La Jolla (San Diego) beach.
According to the San Diego Union Tribune, “A hammerhead shark that circled and followed a group of swimmers and kayakers near La Jolla Shores prompted lifeguards to close a stretch of water to thousands of beachgoers Saturday afternoon.”
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| A hammerhead shark circles a kayaker near La Jolla Shores Saturday. The shark’s aggressive behavior prompted the beach to close for the remainder of the day and night. — Jimmy Van Evera |
Since these hammerhead sharks are not normally “aggressive” towards humans and usually quite shy, I was surprised to hear that one was actually approaching a group of swimmers.
Upon further reading of the article, I found that there was a good reason for the shark to come close to the kayak and the swimmers. “We each caught a yellowfin, and we always bleed them out to keep them fresher,” said Jimmy Van Evera, who estimated they’d fished for three hours. “We were paddling back in and we saw this hammerhead pop up near our kayaks.” It was about 10 yards away, but ventured closer and closer”
Ok, that explains a lot. Hammerheads, like most sharks love to eat tuna. By bleeding their catch into the water, the fishermen essentially rang the dinner bell for the shark in question. The tuna blood was covering their kayaks and by paddling to shore, the kayak left a scent trail for the shark to follow. The shark knows what a tuna looks like and once it sees the kayak, is curious to find out what smells like a tuna, but looks like a kayak. These hammerheads are not really a threat to humans, unless they happen to be covered in fish blood.
The headline for this story should have read “Irresponsible fishermen lure shark close to swimmers”, instead of calling the shark aggressive.
If a human smells food and goes to check it out, is he/she showing aggressive behavior? Since there was tuna blood in the water and sharks are curious to investigate what smells like a tune, but looks totally different, it was probably a good idea for the lifeguards to get the people out of the water.
Personally, if I would hear there is a hammerhead in the water, I’d grab a mask and snorkel, go in and check it out. They are beautiful creatures and, as long as you’re not smelling like fish blood, not a threat to humans.
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.
30 White Sharks and a pod of Orcas
What an incredible expedition! We not only saw a record 30 different individual white sharks on this expedition, on our way back we ran into a pod of Orcas that came right up to our vessel. The pod included a whale with an incredibly tall dorsal fin, a…
Great White Sharks, Mauricio Hoyos and Ocean Ramsey at Guadalupe Island
Another successful trip to Guadalupe Island is wrapping up. Even though we encountered a bit of a south swell which affected the visibility, the sharks came out to play. On our first day, we had 14 different sharks swim by the cages. Along with the sha…
Bigger than Big Blue. The biggest shark at Guadalupe Island!
We just returned from our first expedition to Guadalupe Island this year. I’m happy to report that the big boys are back. Bruce, Jacques, Bite Face and Thor all made it back safely to the island. As big as those sharks are, they were dwarfed by the big…
Bigger than Deep Blue. The biggest shark at Guadalupe Island!
We just returned from our first expedition to Guadalupe Island this year. I’m happy to report that the big boys are back. Bruce, Jacques, Bite Face and Thor all made it back safely to the island. As big as those sharks are, they were dwarfed by the big…
Courageous sea lion
From last season at Guadalupe Island, where we encountered a courageous little sea lion. Cheers,Martin GrafCEO Shark DiverAbout Shark Diver. As a global leader in commercial shark diving and conservation initiatives Shark Diver has spent the p…
Who is at Guadalupe Island?
Our great white shark season is officially getting underway this coming Sunday. I can’t wait to see who is back at Guadalupe Island. Is “Shredder” going to be there after being absent for a couple of years?”Shredder”I’m really worried that something ha…
If you love sharks, you’re going to love this movie!
I had the chance to watch David Diley’s movie “Of Shark & Man” and absolutely loved it.
Here is how the filmmaker describes the movie.
David Diley is a thirty-two year old man, trapped in a dead end job in England’s industrial north and his life is going nowhere. He does however, have a lifelong dream…
Should David follow the advice of everyone around him and forget about it, or should he risk everything and against all the odds, take his one chance to fulfill his greatest ambition, an ambition which finds him in the middle of a feeding frenzy with sixty of the world’s most dangerous sharks?
“Of Shark and Man” is a ground breaking film about one man’s journey to get closer than anyone thought possible, to the world’s biggest Bull Sharks and tell the incredible untold story of Shark Reef in Fiji, one of the greatest marine conservation successes of all time.
“Of Shark and Man” is an epic, incredibly ambitious and cinematic love letter to the world’s most feared predator, in which, for once, the shark is the hero.
To me it is much more than just a movie about sharks and man, it is about following your dreams, overcoming obstacles and never giving up.
Here is the trailer. Check it out!
Of Shark and Man – Official Trailer (2015) from Scarlet View Media on Vimeo.
For more info on the movie, check out these links.
If you get inspired by the movie and want to go diving with these magnificent animals yourself, call us at 855.987.4275 or email staff@sharkdiver.com and we’ll get you set up.
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.
Are the sharks going to be safe at Guadalupe Island?
Sharknado 3 airs tonight on the SCIFY channel. At the rate those Sharknado’s remove the sharks from the water, this might well be the last chance to see them live at Guadalupe Island.When Brian Kilmeade, from FOX and friends was surprised that the wate…
Biggest White Shark ever filmed?
The Discovery Channel promised us a better quality of programming for “Shark Week” this season, so I was curious to see what they would offer. One of their episodes was titled “Island of the Mega Shark”. So who, or what, is that mega shark?When that “M…
Biggest White Shark ever filmed?
The Discovery Channel promised us a better quality of programming for “Shark Week” this season, so I was curious to see what they would offer. One of their episodes was titled “Island of the Mega Shark”. So who, or what, is that mega shark?When that “M…
Awesome great white sharks at Guadalupe Island
Alan Davey posted some awesome pictures from his trip to Guadalupe Island with us last year. The pictures were taken in August, the best time to see multiple sharks.Alan Davey photographyFor his complete trip report, more pictures and some great advice…
Valerie Taylor, the most glamorous shark advocate in the world
With the 40th anniversary of the release of “Jaws”, “The Telegraph” has a very nice article on Valerie Taylor. She, together with her late husband Ron, was an underwater videographer for Steven Spielberg’s “Jaws”. The article’s headline calls her “The most glamorous shark hunter in the world”. Though I think “The most glamorous shark advocate in the world” is a much more fitting title, the article itself does a great job of telling Valerie’s life story. From her beginning as a champion spearfisher to one of the world’s leading advocates for conservation.
The article shows to how Valerie and Ron were being chastised for demonizing sharks “Within the marine conservation world, Ron and Valerie were vilified for their role in a movie that demonised sharks. “It caused the most incredible slaughter of innocent sharks that would never have hurt anybody, and they tried to blame Ron and me,” says Valerie. “To us, Jaws was a fictitious story about a fictitious shark. You don’t go to New York and expect to see King Kong hanging from the Empire State Building. But Jaws was so well done that people took it to heart.”
It talks about why they decided to become conservationists “It was at the Australian Spearfishing Championship in Queensland in 1969 that the pair had an epiphany. “We looked at all these beautiful tropical fish lying on the beach waiting to be weighed in, and I thought, ‘What have we done?’ Ron said to me, ‘This is terrible. We’re making a living filming beautiful marine animals and then for sport we’re killing them.’” They won the competition but never fished again, instead using their celebrity status to raise awareness. “I was young and beautiful and had long blonde hair, and I’d jump into the sea with any animal and do anything, so I was very successful in the field of conservation,” Valerie says, wryly.”
It shows that eventually they became known as conservationist. “By the 1980s, Ron and Valerie – along with fellow conservationists Benchley and his wife Wendy – had regained the high regard of the international conservation community. They successfully lobbied the Australian government to protect the Coral Sea Islands off Queensland, and their documentary films about the wreck of the Yongala, an iconic diving site, and the Great Barrier Reef, proved instrumental in promoting the conservation of reefs. Valerie, who still lives in Sydney, has continued her conservation efforts alone since Ron’s death, as well as continuing to dive with sharks”.
Valerie is still a very active diver, despite the fact that she’ll be 80 this November. My favorite part is how the article starts. “When I tentatively ask 79-year-old Valerie Taylor if she still scuba-dives, she erupts with incredulous horror. “Oh my God, yes! What else would I do?”
Just a few weeks ago Valerie was diving with bull sharks in Fiji. The picture below shows her diving with the late Rusi at the “Shark Reef Marine Reserve“, a dive that she describes as “The best shark dive in the world!”
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| picture by Sam Cahir “predapix” |
You can read Valerie’s life story here it gives you a great view of who Valerie Taylor is.
If you want to dive with sharks yourself, give us a call at 619.887.4275 or email us at staff@sharkdiver.com and we’ll be happy to give you all the info you need to make your dream a reality.
Let’s go shark diving!
Martin Graf
CEO Shark Diver
www.sharkdiver.com
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.
Shark Week at Guadalupe
With “Shark Week” coming up, a lot of you are probably dreaming about what it would be like to be part of the show. How would it feel to come face to face with a great white shark? How awesome would it be to show your friends a movie of you experiencing a “real shark week“?
Well, you can make that dream a reality. We have 2 special film expeditions to Guadalupe coming up on September 4-9 and 9-14-2014. Peter Kragh, Emmy Award winner 2013 for Outstanding Cinematography on Nat Geo’s “Untamed Americas”, who was also part of many “shark week” specials, is leading those expeditions. He will film you with those great white sharks and show you the tricks of the trade. Just imagine how awesome it will be to experience these amazing creatures in the water, and have a movie to show to your friends. It will be an experience of a lifetime with memories you’ll never forget. The next time you’ll talk about “shark week”, you’ll be telling your friends about the time this shark swam by and looked you straight into the eyes.
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| Peter Kragh |
In addition to filming for “Shark Week”, Peter was also part of the following productions.
Journey to the South Pacific / IMAX / MacGilivray Freeman Films Untamed Americas / National Geographic
Secret life of Predators / National Geographic
Under the Sea 3D / IMAX 3D
Life / BBCDeep Sea 3D / IMAX 3D
Planet Earth / BBC
Valley of Sharks / Living Oceans Foundations
Hubble 3D / IMAX 3DWild Wild West / National Geographic
Reef Wranglers / Gurney Productions / Discovery
Humpback Whales / IMAX / MacGillivray Freeman Films
Black December /Gurney/Discovery Shark City / Gurney/Discovery
Battle of Giants, Off the Fence / National Geographic
Jurassic Arctic, National Geographic
Ultimate Guide to Shark Attacks / Gurney/Discovery
Transparent Ocean, Burning Gold/National Geographic
I’m Alive, Gurney Productions/Animal Planet
Inside Natures Giants, Windfall Films
Blue Planet / BBC
Peter will be sharing his professional knowledge and help you create your very own “shark week special”. Learn some tricks of the trade and get tips on how to shoot and edit your movie.
This is an amateur video from last season. Just imagine how much better your video will be, with Peter’s professional help.
September is the best time to see the greatest numbers of sharks at Guadalupe Island. You’ll see some of the big boys like “Bruce”, “Jacques”, “Bite Face” or “Chugey” along with many others. They love to come close to the cages and look you straight into the eyes. I’ll never forget the first time a great white shark (Shredder) did that to me. It got me hooked on shark diving and after 14 years, I’m more excited than ever to go back and see who’s going to be there.
The price for this experience of a lifetime is $3300 and is all inclusive. On top of Peter’s professional help and advise, you’ll be pampered with sumptuous meals from chef Mark and the crew will do everything they can to spoil you on your 5 day expedition to Guadalupe Island. We even include a free GoPro rental and of course your own trip movie. The only “extras” we have are the tip for the crew and any shark diver gear you may wish to purchase.
For more information or to reserve your spot, call us at 619.887.4275 or toll free 855.987.4275 Email staff@sharkdiver.com
Let’s go have a “real shark week”!
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.
Sad news out of Fiji
I just heard the terrible news that iconic shark feeder Rusi (Rusiate-Balenagasau) from Beqa Adventure Divers has passed away.Rusi 1960-2015 with his sharks. I just got back from Fiji a few weeks ago and had the privilege to dive with Rusi and his belo…
Anyone can help save sharks
Do you want to help save sharks, but think there is nothing you can do, because you live too far from the Ocean? Do you think “I’m alone, what possible difference can I make”?Well, there is good news! You can do something!PADI, the professional associa…
White Sharks Shock California Lifeguards?
The Inquisitr‘s headline reads “Shark Drone Shock Lifeguards”
They report: “A new shark drone used by Southland lifeguards in California reveal shocking evidence of the number of sharks swimming near the shoreline at Seal Beach. It wasn’t something lifeguards there were prepared to see.”
Imagine the shock these lifeguards must have felt. Who knew that there were sharks in the water? Where have these guys been lifeguarding all their lives? At a pool?
Actually, when reading the article, you’ll find out that the lifeguards are perfectly capable and were not “shocked” by the drone footage. They write: “The Chief Seal Beach Lifeguard, Joe Bailey, tells CBS News Los Angeles This morning, we launched it and 10 minutes later, we knew there were 10 to 12 sharks all in the Surfside [Beach] area”
The article further states: “Bailey loves the shark drone. It’s easy and safe for everyone to see where the creatures are and when to steer clear of them.
“It works great. It flies up about 100 feet, looks down a wide area, and when we see the shadows, we’ll go down and focus in on them.”
A juvenile Great White in waist-high water at Surfside was captured by the drone Monday morning. At the time, there weren’t any swimmers in the water.”
And here is my favorite part of Joe Bailey’s statement according to the Inquisitor “If we get bigger sharks or we get sharks that are aggressive, we’re actually going to close the water. But right now, we have sharks that are 5- to 6-feet long, non-aggressive, acting like normal sharks, feeding on bottom fish, doing exactly what we would expect them to do. That’s why we have it posted just to let people know that they are there.”
Great response Joe Bailey! No hype, no scaring anyone and promising a reasonable response, should there be any potentially dangerous sharks coming too close to swimmers. I believe that closing a beach for a period of time is the best response to the sighting of a potentially dangerous shark.
Overall a good article, if only they could find a headline that is not in direct conflict with the article. Maybe something like “Lifeguards NOT worried about white sharks swimming off the coast”?
Read the entire article here
Cheers,
Martin Graf
CEO Shark Diver
Shark Diver is running great white shark expeditions to Guadalupe Island from August – November, tiger shark dives in the Bahamas from April – November and bull shark trips to Fiji from May – June.
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.
Shark attack in North Carolina
Yesterday, two teenagers were bit by a shark in North Carolina and got severely hurt. This serves as a reminder that, no matter how much we may love these sharks, they are not harmless pets. We have to stop portraying them as either mindless killers or…
“Expert” advice by Julie Andersen
Once again I’ve been scooped by “DaShark“, who beat me to the punch in pointing out Julie Andersen’s hypocrisy in her latest post, telling us to “Do as I say and not as I do”. I other words he pointed out what a complete hypocrite this “Shark Angel” and “shark expert” really is. She once again showed that she is much more interested in promoting herself, rather than shark conservation.
Back in 2013 Julie wrote an article for “SCUBA Diving” where she wrote. “The topic of touching sharks can spark heated debates. It’s an inner turmoil I wrestle with often, having spent hundreds of hours underwater with them. A quick Google search reveals many images in which I am brazenly touching sharks. Yes, it is something I did (and often still am tempted to do), but it is something I don’t encourage. In fact, just the opposite.”
I have to admit, that I did have a problem with her stand, because she gained her fame by touching and riding sharks and once she had that name recognition, she didn’t want others to get in on the act and compete with her for sponsorships, money and fame. Ok, we all make mistakes and who hasn’t done something we are not proud of? I thought: “at least she admits that she did something that wasn’t good and is changing”.
Skip a couple of years and here is her latest post on “Shark Angels“
It’s time to change your perspective.
Watch this stunning new video from Built By Wildman featuring founder Julie Andersen showing the world sharks aren’t what they seem. Give sharks a chance. After all, it’s about our oceans… and our collective futures.
What they really meant to say it this “It’s time to change your perspective. Watch this stunning new video from Built By Wildman featuring founder Julie Andersen touching sharks and showing the world she isn’t what she seems. She says “Don’t touch sharks!” while still doing it herself. Give Julie a chance. After all, it’s about her… and her future as a spokesperson and her ability to maintain her fame.
We at Shark Diver promote “Safe and sane” diving with sharks. We respect the sharks by not touching them and staying inside that cages at Guadalupe Island. We realize that is is all about the sharks. Protecting them and supporting conservation is our primary goal.
If you want to come and experience what it feels like to come face to face with these awesome predators in a safe and respectful way, give us a call. You can reach us at 855.987.4275 or via email at staff@sharkdiver.com
We dive with great white sharks at Guadalupe Island, with bull sharks in Fiji and tiger sharks in the Bahamas.
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.
Biggest Great White Shark?
Mauricio Hoyos shared this video on his facebook page. It was filmed at Guadalupe Island.You can have your own encounter with these awesome creatures this fall. (Minus the touching of the shark part) All of our divers are staying inside the cage at a…
Great White Sharks at Guadalupe
I can’t wait to go back to Guadalupe Island this fall. For all of you joining us this year, here are some pictures to wet your appetite. If you haven’t booked your expedition yet, we still have a few spaces open. Call us at 619.887.4275, toll fre…
Win a week of diving with bull sharks!
Beqa Adventure Divers are currently field testing an new solar powered PAT tag on their bull sharks.So far they have tagged 4 sharks and are running a contest, open to the public, to identify those 4 individuals. First on to correctly identify those sh…
Chris Fischer and OCEARCH’s feelings are hurt!
Chris Fischer responded to my blog “Celebrities at Guadalupe Island” on our facebook page. Apparently his feelings are hurt, that a blog about celebrities at Guadalupe Island was not about him.
He writes: Chris Fischer Thrilled you are a fan of OCEARCH work. My wife and I personally funded the expedition that tagged Bruce. Amusing how you fail to mention the crew and capacity that created the data you feel is so important. Domeier simply stepped down tagged the shark then got out of the way. The crew did everything else to safely tag and release Bruce! Additionally, you know the sharks are returning now after shedding the tags with their fins healed up doing well yet you continue to let the others bash… We have spoken to the researchers using the 1 bolt method.. they are uncertain how well it’s going to work long term as well the increase in bio-fouling from all the different cracks and crevices created by the mount. We have requested Wildlife Computers to try to design a modified mounting system… But as you already know, this is not required as they shed the tags after 5yrs or so and heal up nicely. You should watch Mary Lee on the Global Shark Tracker. She is getting ready to repeat the success we had at Guadalupe Island by documenting the 1st full female mature white shark migration in the N Atlantic. Soon we will know where they are mating/birthing etc… just like out where you profit from cage diving at GI. I figure our work is the best chance you got at being able to own a multi-generational business. Acting like we don’t exist is amateurish and rude. We are currently on Expedition off West Australia where we have tagged 20 Tiger Sharks to solve the same puzzle as we did in GI to create a future for sharks here.
Please forgive me Chris, I had no idea that I would hurt your feelings by writing about a celebrity without mentioning you. How rude of me. So since your feelings are hurt by me not mentioning you, let me respond to what you are saying.
1. I don’t quite get why you think I’m a fan of OCEARCH
2. Your wife and you financed the expedition that tagged Bruce. I never wrote anything about who financed that expedition, or why that is even relevant, but since you claim you did, let me also state what Dr. Domeier said about that.
From http://fijisharkdiving.blogspot.com/2013/04/fischer-reality-check-comments-by-dr.html
Yes, he paid for 2 trips to Guadalupe, but then struck a TV deal that allowed him to recoup those costs as he was getting $400K/episode.
We were able to make multiple episodes from a single trip. Furthermore, I tapped two other private foundations to help pay for the tags and research; financial support that he never acknowledges. Fischer was fairly paid for all of the work we did together… this was not a huge philanthropic venture. On the contrary, he made it clear: “no cameras no trips.” The huge $$ figure he throws around must be for the entire operating cost of his ship and production company for each year he was making these television shows. But that’s not a fair way to account for the actual cost of the research (a fraction of the yearly operating budgets were due to the handful of research trips)… and he never discusses the INCOME. Any real accountant would tally just the costs of the specific trips… or think like this: what would it cost to charter a vessel for each research trip, and then subtract the income! Perhaps he took a loss, I don’t know; my organization took a financial loss… but no way did either of us wrack up losses in the millions.
Read more of Dr. Domeier’s comments here
3. Domeier simply stepped down, tagged the shark and then got away?
OK, and the research paper appeared out of thin air? My advise to you would be this. Make it about the sharks instead of about you. You and I are not important, saving the sharks is. Your need to be seen as a shark expert is not important. You provide a platform for the researchers, they are the experts. Why do you feel the need to belittle what they do? Catching and tagging the sharks is a means to an end. The end is the research and that is what the researchers do. For example, I collect photos at Guadalupe Island for Nicole Nasby-Lucas. She is doing the research for the photo ID’s. I have nothing to do with that. If someone mentions her research, there is no need for them to say anything about me, or anyone else who gave her the pictures.
4. You write that I know that Bruce has been returning safely to Guadalupe every year. Ah, why do you think I don’t know that? I have always stated that the second generation tags, that Bruce and Bite Face were fitted with, have fallen off and there is little damage to their fins. I even put a picture of Bruce into the blog, that shows him after he lost the transmitter.
5. I let others bash you? Well, for one, how can I control what others do? Actually, I’m trying to tell others to keep an open mind. I wrote the following in my blog
“All the tagging done in a year, may cause harm to a few hundred sharks. Again, that’s a few hundred, vs. 30-100 MILLION sharks killed annually.
If the protests succeed and there is no more tagging, at best we could save a few sharks every year and make life easier (no tags, no deformed dorsal fin etc.) for a few more. On the other hand, we could also loose valuable data, that may help save sharks. You decide, if it is worthwhile to focus on this. Personally I think we need to weigh the importance of the data collected against the potential harm to the sharks.”
My beef with you has always been about lifting the sharks out of the water and not improving your methods. It’s no longer necessary to lift them out, as Dr. Domeier has shown. I have defended your early work by saying that the Wright brothers didn’t invent an A380 either. Pictures like this should only come from the past by now.
Do you have any idea how many people bash me, for not outright condemning anything you do? I hurt your feelings by not defending everything you do and mentioning your name every time I write about something that was connected to you. The blog you are referring to in your comment was about the real celebrities at Guadalupe Island, the sharks, not you.
5. I am acting like you don’t exist? How can you say I act like you don’t exist and on the other hand criticize what I say about you?
If you start to improve your methods of catching sharks and attaching the transmitters, I will give you credit for that. If you start giving some credit to the researchers who are doing the actual studies, instead of promoting yourself as the shark expert, I promise to write an entire blog, promoting the new and improved Chris Fischer.
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.
Forget Jaws! Sharks can SAVE lives!
We are used to the media using sensationalistic headlines when covering anything to do with sharks. “Jaws” “Monster” “Beast” “Mankiller” etc. are no unusual terms in those headlines.
This is the second time this year that we have to give kudos to a news outlet. The Daily Mail has a headline that says: Forget Jaws! Sharks can SAVE lives! You read that right, no scare tactic, no monsters, …. actually OK, they did mention monsters, but not the way we are used to either. The second part of their headline reads: We think of them as monsters, but a new documentary reveals they could help us fight cancer and Alzheimer’s
Hey, they even use a cool picture of one of “our” great white sharks. This is “Johnny”!
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| source |
They are acknowledging how sharks are normally portrayed. Der-dum… der-dum… der, der, der, der, der, der… Mention sharks and, thanks to Steven Spielberg’s 1975 blockbuster Jaws, those suspenseful notes of impending attack are, for most, what springs immediately to mind.
The movie masterpiece, which is 40 years old this summer, led to many a phobia, but according to a new three-part BBC1 documentary Shark, its toothy star isn’t that terrifying in real-life.
The article is talking about a documentary series “Sharks”, the BBC has produced and it covers a lot of different sides of sharks. They write about the scientific discoveries we made that could mean sharks can help with various human diseases, like Alzheimer’s. It is also covering a bunch of different shark species and is giving some very good information on sharks.
Of course we also want to give kudos to the BBC, which seems to be one of the few television outlets that are still producing quality shark documentaries, a far cry from the crap that ABC4 and Jeff Kurr, are producing for the discovery channel. Check out BBC’s “Shark” website here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p02n7s0d
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.
Celebrities at Guadalupe Island
The world is full of celebrities, but how often do you actually get to meet them and spend some quality time with them? Over the past 14 years, I’ve been privileged to do just that. I’ve met many stars of film and TV at Guadalupe Island. Stars like the…
Sharks need your help in Florida!
DaShark, through his blog, just made me aware of something that is happening in Florida right now. Apparently shore fishermen are (legally) fishing for pregnant bull sharks. A lot of those sharks, even if released will die, along with their pups. This …
Amazing!
I’ve been diving with the great white sharks at Isla Guadalupe for 13 years now. Over time, I’ve come to marvel at the healing ability of the sharks, the mysteries of their migration, their distinctly different personalities and most of all, and this …
Shark “Documentary” causing problems in New Zealand
Shark diving in New Zealand has been in trouble for a while. The local Paua divers at Stewart Island are claiming that the shark diving activity is causing white sharks to change their behavior and are trying to get it banned.
The Inquisitor writes. “Aggressive Great White Shark! Behavioral Changes’ Spur Proposed Diving Ban In New Zealand “
The behavior of great white sharks around New Zealand’s Stewart Island has notably changed, according to local Paua divers, prompting authorities to call for a ban on local shark diving in light of the increasingly aggressive predators.”
According to them “NZ First MP Clayton Mitchell noted the frequency with which great whites were being observed by local fishermen, asserting that the sharks are seen every day. He alleged that this amounted to a change in the sharks’ behavior, raising fears among the local Paua divers who make their living in the shark-infested waters.
“They are very, very concerned about their safety. It’s not a matter of if there’s an incident, but when and how often,” he noted. “Those close encounters are happening more frequently, to the point where on a daily basis when people are going out there and dropping a fishing line into the ocean, sharks are coming up. That’s behavioral change.”
Entire article here:
I’m always amazed that fishermen blame shark diving, which uses some attractant (chum) and small hang-baits (tuna heads) are for “feeding” the sharks and thus making them associate boats with food. They themselves are feeding the sharks (unintentionally) with entire fish. A struggling fish, hooked on a line attracts predators and since they are on a line and not able to swim away, an easy meal for the sharks. Wouldn’t it make sense that the fishermen themselves are at least as much to blame for that association?
We know that when it comes to sharks, reason usually goes out the window and people argue mostly emotionally. As shark conservationists, we have to take that into consideration and need to be careful not to fuel their fear. And therein lies the problem. The need for some individuals, who claim to be conservationist, to make themselves look like superheros by doing all kinds of stupid stuff with those sharks and making it public, plays right into the hands of those who blame us for their behavior changes.
Today, the New Zealand Herald is reporting that a local group of Paua divers is using footage from a shark week “documentary” to claim that shark diving is to blame for sharks associating boats and humans with food. They write: “Footage has emerged of the terrifying moment a 6m great white shark lunged at a dinghy carrying an international film crew off Stewart Island.
Two people were on the inflatable craft filming for documentary Lair of the Megashark, which screened on Discovery Channel last year, when they had the frightening encounter.” source
In this video that was put online, you can see the filmmakers put a hang-bait right by the boat to attract the shark. When the shark goes after it, they make it seem like it was going after the boat itself. Stuff like that doesn’t help to spread the message that great white sharks are not mindless killers.
This “documentary” is of course by none other than renowned “shark porn” producers ABC4 and Jeff Kurr.
Jeff Kurr is making statements like this: I’ve been wondering about why the sharks in New Zealand are so much more aggressive. and I can’t think of many things more eerie than descending into this inky blackness and being surrounded by three, four, six, eight massive great white sharks. That’s pretty scary stuff. source
So he’s making a statement of fact, white sharks in New Zealand are more aggressive than in other places. What an “expert”! (sharkasm intended) Him saying that it’s pretty scary stuff to be surrounded by sharks isn’t exactly easing the fears of those Paua divers. Of course the titles of their “documentaries” “Lair of the megashark” and “Fins of Fury” doesn’t help either.
There are many studies that dispute that shark diving will cause the sharks to attack boats, but like anything having to do with sharks, hysteria and opinions seem to trump facts. When these “experts” and self proclaimed “shark whisperers” fuel that hysteria just to get ratings for their shows, or further their superhero image, they hurt the cause severely.
The bottom line is this, if we as an industry don’t speak out against these kinds of shows and actively participate by allowing them to film this stuff off our vessels, we hurt not only conservation, but our own businesses. The operators in New Zealand have been finding that out the hard way.
I have stated this before. You may have mixed feelings about shark diving, but one thing is clear. At Guadalupe Island we have been chasing off poachers in the past. If for some reason the cage diving there gets shut down, there will be nobody looking out for the sharks and the poachers will have free reign.
So let’s go shark diving! But let’s do it legally, responsibly, safely and in a way that portrays the sharks as what they really are, awesome predators, to be respected but not to be feared!
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.
Surfer critically injured by shark off southern Australia; witness reports large great white
FOX news has this headline today “Surfer critically injured by shark off southern Australia; witness reports large great white”
The following is what they report:
“ADELAIDE, Australia – A surfer is in critical condition after a shark attacked him in southern Australia.
Police said in a statement that the 26-year-old man suffered “serious leg injuries” when he was attacked Saturday about 40 kilometers (25 miles) south of Port Lincoln in South Australia state.
He was flown by helicopter in critical condition from a Port Lincoln hospital to the main hospital in the state capital, Adelaide.
Adelaide’s The Advertiser newspaper reported a witness’s description of a 6-meter (20-foot) great white shark biting off the surfer’s leg, which had an ankle strap attached to his surfboard.
Sharks are common off Australia’s beaches, but fatal attacks are rare. The country has averaged fewer than two deadly attacks per year in recent decades.”
Police said in a statement that the 26-year-old man suffered “serious leg injuries” when he was attacked Saturday about 40 kilometers (25 miles) south of Port Lincoln in South Australia state.
He was flown by helicopter in critical condition from a Port Lincoln hospital to the main hospital in the state capital, Adelaide.
Adelaide’s The Advertiser newspaper reported a witness’s description of a 6-meter (20-foot) great white shark biting off the surfer’s leg, which had an ankle strap attached to his surfboard.
Sharks are common off Australia’s beaches, but fatal attacks are rare. The country has averaged fewer than two deadly attacks per year in recent decades.”
I have to say, that I’m usually not a big fan of how the media reports any shark related incident. Take the “Jaws Attack” headline in the UK we talked about yesterday and you can see how sensationalistic the media tends to cover anything shark related.
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| I like not being described as a mindless killer! |
Big kudos to FOX news for reporting an actual incident, where a surfer got seriously hurt by a shark and cover it without any sensationalism. Maybe the 20 foot size is a bit exaggerated, but people tend to perceive sharks a larger than they actually are. They even pointed out the fact that sharks are common off Australia’s beaches and attacks are rare.
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.
Giant Shark scare in the UK
In another stellar piece of journalism (sharkasm) intended, the Daily Star writes “Jaws attack: Terror after GIANT SHARKS spotted circling the coast of England”
Wow, someone got attacked by a giant shark! Did they survive? What kind of a shark was it?
The article states: “HOLIDAYMAKERS have been placed on alert as huge sharks hit British shores thanks to the recent hot weather.
Still, no mention of what happened. So what the heck is going on?
OK, we are getting somewhere. Here is what happened: “The basking sharks, which can grow up to 26ft long, have been spotted off beaches in many of the country’s holiday hotspots.
As if that wasn’t terrifying enough – thousands of jellyfish have also been spotted in the waves.”
The caption for the picture below read: “HORROR: The terrifying sharks – which can grow up to 26ft – have started circling shallow water around the UK [AK Wildlife Cruises]”
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| source |
Wait, did I miss something? Where is the attack? What is terrifying about a basking shark?
The article goes on to say: “Ross Wheeler of AK Wildlife Cruises in Falmouth, Cornwall, captured incredible footage of the first sighting of a shark in UK waters.”We had two basking sharks – our first for the season – thousands of barrel jellyfish, 11 common dolphin and five harbour porpoise” he said.”
Ah, I see. They are describing some people going on a wildlife cruise and encountering a completely harmless basking shark. The “reporter” mistakenly wrote the wrong headline. He really meant to say: “Tourists are excited about encountering gentle giant” or “Lucky tourists encounter gentle giant and friendly dolphins off the UK coast”. Easy mistake to make (sharkasm) intended.
Later on the article correctly mentions: “But the sighting isn’t likely to mean a repeat of horrific scenes from 1975 thriller Jaws – the basking sharks are harmless but have been lured to the Cornish coastline earlier than normal.
They swim around with their gaping jaws open to swallow tiny plankton, their main food source.”
So the reporter actually knew that there was no attack and the sharks are harmless plankton eaters, which of course didn’t stop him from making up a completely fictitious and sensationalistic headline. It’s not like the sharks don’t have it hard enough already, with overfishing and being killed for their fins. I really wish the media would stop making it worse by portraying even the most harmless sharks as terrifying monsters.
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.
Revolution, a film by Rob Stewart
Rob Stewart’s film Revolution is premiering on the web today. Check out the trailer below.
Revolution
Revolution is a feature documentary about opening your eyes, changing the world and fighting for something. A true life adventure following director Rob Stewart in the follow up to his hit Sharkwater, Revolution is an epic adventure into the evolution of life on earth and the revolution to save us.
Discovering that there’s more in jeopardy than sharks, Stewart uncovers a grave secret threatening our own survival as a species, and embarks on a life-threatening adventure through 4 years and 15 countries into the greatest battle ever waged.
Bringing you some of the most incredible wildlife spectacles ever recorded, audiences are brought face to face with sharks and cuddly lemurs, into the microscopic world of the pygmy seahorse, and on the hunt with the deadly flamboyant cuttlefish. From the coral reefs in Papua New Guinea to the rain forests in Madagascar, Stewart reveals that our fate is tied to even the smallest of creatures.
Through it all, Stewart’s journey reveals a massive opportunity, as activists and individuals all over the world are winning the battle to save the ecosystems we depend on for survival. Presenting the most important information on human survival and inspiring people all over the world to fight for life, Revolution is essential viewing for everyone. Startling, beautiful, and provocative, Revolution inspires audiences across the globe to join the biggest movement in history that’s rising to the challenge of saving our world.
Revolution premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival and has already gone on to win ten awards, including the Audience Award for Best Documentary at the Atlantic Film Festival, Most Popular Environmental Film Award at the Vancouver International Film Festival, the Audience Award at the Victoria Film Festival and the Social Justice Award at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival.
Cheers,
Martin Graf
CEO Shark Diver
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.
Conservation done right. BAD is good!
Today, on Earth Day, as we are getting ready for our Fiji trip, to dive with bull sharks at the Beqa Shark Reef Marine Reserve, we get some news about why we love that place so much. It’s not just because they have some of the best shark diving in the …
How every diver can help with shark conservation.
I have to share DaSharks latest blog. It is actually a guest blog by Ian Campbell that talks about protecting sharks and how you can help.
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Shark research, management & conservation intelligentsia meeting in Townsville, see below
Introduction by DaSharks:
Are you intrigued? 🙂
Here goes.
Ian Campbell is currently working for WWF’s Global Shark and Ray Initiative running the sustainable management component. He is also a Shark diver and a member of the SRMR management team.
From NGOs to the public and private sector, Ian has over 20 years’ experience in fisheries policy, ecology and fishery management working extensively within both the UK and internationally. Previous employment has included overseeing the reform of the EU’s Common Fisheries Policy for the Pew Charitable Trusts, fisheries observer on blue-fin tuna vessels, inshore fisheries management and as a commercial diver in the offshore sector.
Ian holds a Bachelor’s degree in Applied Marine Biology from Heriot-Watt University and a Master degree in Environmental Science from the University of Strathclyde.
This is an important initiative.
Having just returned from a meeting with major stakeholders, see at top, I’ve asked him whether he wouldn’t mind submitting a guest post presenting it to the wider public.
Here is Ian’s post.
Shark divers – An underused resource?
Everyone who is even remotely interested in sharks (and rays, don’t forget these charismatic shark pancakes of wonder) is abundantly aware of the pressures they are facing.
Fishing pressure, habitat loss, unsustainable consumption, or even fanciful claims of being “evolved for extinction” everywhere you look they are under the cosh. The pressure that sharks are under have probably best been summed up by the 2014 paper (and here – notice the part about research and data collection?) led by the IUCN Shark Specialist Group which concludes that almost a quarter of all sharks and rays (over 1,000 species assessed) are faced with the very real threat of extinction. Remember, this is not the claims of an environmental NGO, but an independent assessment of the current state of shark and ray populations by 128 experts from 35 different countries. Here’s a simple chart highlighting the different levels of threat.
As you can see, despite what you may hear from some campaigns, not all sharks are threatened, and some are in worse shape than others, but, for WWF, one of the biggest areas of concern is the shaded grey area on the left side of that chart. From all the 1,042 species assessed, 487 are “data deficient”.
Basically, virtually nothing is known about almost half of all sharks and rays.
Effective management and designing plans to reduce mortality is virtually impossible when faced with this lack of basic understanding. Imagine trying to balance your budget without knowing how much money you have in your account to start with, or the amount of interest you are receiving or paying out.
There are a number of conservation initiatives out there which lay claims to conserving sharks, from finning bans to fin trade bans (there’s a difference), from sanctuaries to species protections and from policies to plans. Some of these are more useful than others, but if any of them are to be truly effectual then one thing is key to them all: DATA!
Without a basic understanding of shark and ray populations both around the coast and in offshore waters, then making decisions for the long-term survival of these species is little more than a best guess. Yet there are a multitude of areas rich in information, but not necessarily being channeled in the right direction.
Divers, fishermen, market traders, even shark and ray researchers produce data every day, yet it is surprising how little of it actually makes its way to ministerial departments or independent bodies to assist with informed decisions for conservation. WWF are seeking to bridge this gap. We are developing a project in collaboration with some of the world’s leading shark researchers to create standard methodologies to maximize the benefits from untapped resources.
In 1999, the Food and Agriculture Organisation produced guidelines for countries to undertake a step-by-step process to developing long-term, sustainable shark management plans (known as National Plans of Action, NPOA).
This process seems relatively simple. Firstly, collect data on sharks and rays in the form of a Shark Assessment Report. Then use this data to develop your NPOA. While this does sound simple, and has been done in places like Australia, the EU and NZ (to varying degrees of vigour), the Pacific Islands have had to get by using the limited resources at their disposal. There are some NPOAs currently in existence in the region, such as the Cook Islands and Samoa. Other countries have draft versions waiting government endorsement, such Fiji and Tonga, while some countries such as Palau want to declare shark sanctuaries. These efforts for conservation & long-term planning are great, although all of these measures have one oversight in common. They are built on a lack of data. None of the countries have produced Shark Assessment Reports, so cannot fully know the issues within their territorial waters. This is not the fault of the Pacific Islands, gathering data can be time consuming for departments with limited resources, and the analysis requires specific technical expertise. Organizations such as the FFA and SPC are providing a great service, although their remit extends way beyond just looking at sharks.
So here is where WWF are stepping in.
As mentioned, we are collaborating with shark expertise far and wide to develop our shark ‘Rapid Assessment Tool-kit’ (or shark RAT). The main function of this is to design ways to collect and analyze data on coastal and pelagic sharks that can then be used to produce a Shark Assessment Report. The very basic baseline data in this report can in turn used by governments to develop conservation strategies that are then based on some sort of understanding.
Where is this data going to come from?
Well, there are a lot of sources we will be exploring from genetic and socioeconomic surveys at landing sites to extensive underwater video surveys, but one untapped goldmine is the information collected by divers. In Fiji, there is the Great Fiji Shark Count which is starting to produce comparable info. At present, this isn’t incorporated into management plans, so it’s high time it is.
There are also other things dedicated shark divers can be doing.
Ever been on a surface interval that seems to go on for ages? Sat at the bar for the post-dive drinks to talk about what you saw? How about these hours are spent helping screen underwater video footage that shows what happens at your dive site when no-one is in the water? Pretty much every diver would be able to recognise whether a shark or ray was in shot, and a huge number would even be able to say what species it was. Collecting and screening this type of data would take a massive burden off an already overstretched ministry or fisheries/shark specialist.
Obviously, we are well aware of the multitude of challenges that lay ahead for the project to be fully successful, and some methodologies that may look good on the page may fail spectacularly when introduced to the real world. But we have to try. Improved management for sharks and rays is the only thing that is going to directly reduce mortality. Not shark fin soup campaigns, or putting all your eggs into “ending finning” and certainly not cavorting in swimwear near sharks.
Last week WWF held a 3 day workshop where 12 of the best minds in their respective fields (I’m not including myself, I just took notes and provided the tea and coffee) provided input and direction.
As well as academic researchers from the fields of genetics, citizen science and eco-tourism, we had input from FFA, SPC and SPREP. Everyone we have spoken to has been enthusiastic and willing to support us. The people in attendance will now provide advice and recommendations to the project. Professor Colin Simpfendorfer, the co-chair of the IUCN Shark Specialist Group also gave us a name, although how serious he was is up for debate. WWF now convenes the Pacific Rapid Assessment Tool-kit Scientific Advisory Committee, or PRAT-SAC. Maybe the first thing we need to work on is the name?
The project is embryonic and there is a lot of hard work ahead, but with a little direction, continued enthusiasm and, more importantly, collaboration, then slowly we’ll restore the balance for sharks and rays
DaShark: Here’s to that – thanks buddy, appreciate!
Thanks indeed! I hope all of you will join in this effort to conserve our shark populations. And here you were, thinking you’re just having fun, when you’re diving with sharks.
Let’s go shark diving!
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.
Bull sharks in Fiji
We are going to Fiji in May, to dive with the bull sharks in the Shark Reef Marine Reserve. DaShark has posted this video by Howard Hall, who has just been diving there last week. The Bulls of BAD from Howard Hall on Vimeo.Come join us and experience t…
Working with Fishermen to Save Sharks
The shark conservation and fishing communities are often at odds over protecting our sharks. Guy Harvey is making an effort to bring these two groups together. During the current Cayman Islands International Fishing Tournament, he is teaming up with the participants to help tag oceanic white tip sharks.
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Cayman 27 writes: “Dozens of fishermen are getting in on the conservation act by helping to tag sharks. Conservationist Dr. Guy Harvey is teaming up with participants of the Cayman Islands International Fishing Tournament, embarking on one of the largest shark tagging and research projects ever undertaken in the Caribbean.
Dr. Harvey’s team will learn more about the oceanic white tip shark. “They are very valuable to the eco-system and to science,” he says.
By aligning with local fishing tournaments in 2013, as well as this year he believes fishermen are becoming more aware of the shark’s worth. “We used the fishing fleet to catch sharks for us and we pay them to hold the sharks until the chase boat [gets] there there to take the sharks from them because they’re giving up time for us,” explained Mr. Harvey.”
I know, a lot of conservationists don’t like fishing tournaments and even oppose actions like these by Guy Harvey. They think this is glorifying the killing of sharks and argue that there is post release mortality. I have to admit, I’m not a big fan of catch and release shark fishing myself, but think about it this way. What is better? Going to a shark fishing tournament and protesting, maybe even hurling some insults at the fishermen, questioning their morals and character, like many people like to do, or do what Guy Harvey is doing?
Just like the Shark Free Marina initiative that was created by Shark Diver, Harvey is working together with the fishermen in these tournaments. He raises their awareness of the conservation concerns and gets them interested and involved in protecting the sharks.
“Cayman 27’s” article states: “For every shark that you get and call in; that we successfully tag and release [fishermen] will receive CI$500 in cash,” said CIB Marketing Manager, Matthew Leslie.
And the partnership is working says Dr. Harvey, by the fishermen getting to see the animals in their offshore habitat, he says anglers are practicing preservation.
We always have to ask ourselves this question. Do we care more about the principle that we should not catch or kill any sharks, or do we want to save sharks. By protesting and vilifying the fishermen, we will not save one shark! By working with them, promoting catch and release, (even with all the problems associated with that), getting them to help with tagging and making em aware, we actually save sharks.
Every journey starts with a first step. We are never going to accomplish our goal of saving the sharks, the oceans, if we are not willing to work together.
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.
Shark sighting in Portugal
Congratulations to the algarvedailynews! You managed to cover a shark sighting near shore without sensationalism, with a simple “Mystery shark spotted near Tavira” headline.
In the article you go on to explaine exactly what happened.
As the build up to the swimming season starts with beaches being prepared and concession soon to open, a reminder that ‘we are not alone’ when bathing was evident in the waters near Tavira.
A shark at least two metres long was spotted by fishermen on the jetty close to the beaches at the entrance of the river Gilão.
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| Photo Michael Correia – Correio da Manhã |
The shark clearly was in distress and was disorientated, swimming around in the shallow waters.
After an hour the shark headed back out to sea with its identity a mystery as, despite being observed by many fishermen, nobody could identify the species.
The Tavira shark was not a Hammerhead, a species which can come close to the shore but normally feeds at least a mile out mainly on sardines, tuna and mackerel and only when the water is warmer at 20 degrees or more.
In 2013 a three metre shark was spotted close in to the shore near the fortress at Sagres, again the species could not be acertained.
Along Portugal’s coast there are dozens of shark species, the majority of which stay offshore and deep down, venturing closer to the surface only when hunting for fish or looking for a mate.
There is an abundance of sharks in Portuguese waters, a sign of a healthy marine environment, but no recorded incident of anyone being attacked as sharks prefer eating fish of which there are plentiful supplies.
Kudos for reporting a shark sighting without sensationalism and resorting to the use of monster, beast or killer. You informed your readers, without scaring them. Your action shows that covering a shark sighting can be done in an informative manner and no scary headlines. I hope that other media outlets will take note.
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.
Jaws, lemon shark
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 c…
Shark Attacks And The Media
“Shark Attacks Are So Unlikely, But So Fascinating” is the title of an article in Popular Science.
Wow, a non sensationalistic headline dealing with shark attacks. Good job!
George Burgess, a shark researcher and curator of the International Shark Attack File (ISAF) writes a good article on how and why the media covers shark attacks. I don’t always agree with him, but think this article gives some good insights into the psychology of shark attacks and how they get covered.
“Sharks are incredibly unlikely to bite you. They’re even less likely to kill you. However, we remain fascinated with their ability–and occasional proclivity–to do just that. With so many things more likely to harm us, why do we pay such rapt attention when sharks make headlines?
People need to understand more fully that when we enter the sea, it’s a wilderness experience. We’re eco-tourists and are not owed the right to be 100% safe. That’s what fascinates us about sharks: There’s an innate concern in our psyches about not wanting to get eaten. Almost every other animal on earth has to worry about getting eaten night and day. As humans, we rarely have that concern. People hold sharks in awe as one of the rare species that reminds us we’re still potentially part of a food chain.
You’re much more likely to be injured or die during your evening run than in a shark attack, but don’t expect to turn on the Discovery Channel and see Sneaker Week. For better or worse, we’re hard-wired to pay attention to creatures that can eat us–even if they rarely do.”
I think he hit the nail on the head. In addition to what he mentions, I also believe that for humans to go into the ocean is innately uncomfortable. We are not in our natural environment. There are so many perceived dangers, real or not. We are fascinated by what we may encounter, but also weary of the unknown.
Most people are probably overestimating the chances of getting killed by a shark and who can blame them, with the way we are bombarded with sensationalistic coverage of anything shark related. In 2014, there were zero fatal shark attacks in the entire US!
“There wasn’t a single fatality in the entire country last year and only three worldwide.” source
We always talk about what kills more people than sharks, but have you ever thought about what kills fewer? What kills humans, but at a rate of fewer than 10-12, or as last year, fewer than 3 annually in the entire world? There may be something, but I haven’t come up with an answer yet.
A lot of people will argue, that there are more fatalities on land, because the number of people who go into the ocean is far lower than the number of people who stay on land and even the people who are going into the water, spend much more time on land as well.
OK, so let’s look at the risks of going into the ocean and what you have to be aware of.
According to the CDC “From 2005-2009, there were an average of 3,533 fatal unintentional drownings (non-boating related) annually in the United States — about ten deaths per day. An additional 347 people died each year from drowning in boating-related incidents.2”
Gerry Burgess puts this in perspective. To put that into perspective, more people die from drowning every day in this country than were killed by sharks in ten years.
I hope the government of Western Australia is paying attention to this. Their budget for shark mitigation is $22 million. source If they would spend that much money on additional lifeguards and life saving equipment instead, they could probably save a lot more lives than with that ill advised shark cull program.
Burgess goes on to explain why the number of annual fatalities has gone up slightly, but the actual rate has gone down.
When you think of how much time we spend in the water, it’s amazing how innocuous shark and human interaction is. When the ISAF began in the 1950s, scientists were concerned primarily with shark attacks after ships and aircraft went down at sea.
A lot has changed since then. There are a lot more of us on earth today than there were back then and there will be even more tomorrow. Aquatic recreation has never been more popular. More people are kayaking, surfing, diving and paddleboarding.
More time in the water means more time to interface with sharks.
It’s partly a generational change. When my parents took a young me to the beach, my mother would lie on the sand and work on her suntan, never going in the water. My dad might have gone in once a day to cool off. Nowadays, if I’m at the beach, I might be boogie boarding or skin diving. Most of us are spending a lot more hours in the water than did our parents and our activities are inadvertently provocative. That creates ample opportunities for sharks and humans to get together.
This article in Popular Science should be mandatory reading for any journalist covering shark related stories. But of course, like Burgess points out, who would watch “Sneaker week”. Unfortunately the news is a business and headlines are designed to catch our attention. Like it or not, we are all guilty of it. Like we wrote about here. What headline are you going to pay attention to. “Shark trying to bite through steel cage!” or “Shark bumps into cage”?
Enjoy your time in the ocean this summer and remember to watch out for rip currents and swim near a lifeguard. If you happen to see a shark, consider yourself lucky.
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.
Shark trying to bite through steel cage?
“Watch terrifying footage of great white shark trying to bite through steel bars of diving cage” screams the headline of the “Daily Mirror”. “Open-mouthed great white shark charges unlucky cameraman” shouts the “New York Post“.
So what the heck happened?
First off, the shark is not trying to bite through steel bars to get at the photographer. It was going after a fish head that was pulled straight over the cage (not a safe practice for a shark diving boat) and ran into the cage while doing so. Since they don’t have a reverse gear and can only swim forward, it looks like it’s trying to get into the cage, when in fact it is just trying to get away.
Of course this doesn’t stop tabloids like the New York Post from making statements like this “In a scene straight out of “Jaws,” the open-mouthed great white clamps down on the cage with its razor sharp teeth just inches away from Bray’s camera.”
The “Daily Mirror” tries to put a conservation spin on the story by saying “The great white shark and many other shark species are under threat, so research into their breeding habits can help come up with scientific solutions to the problems surrounding their possible extinction.
The main problem is education, most people have grown up thinking sharks are dangerous and scary, and we have Stephen Spielberg’s ‘Jaws’ to thank for that. Yes that, and your stupid headline “Watch terrifying footage of great white shark trying to bite through steel bars of diving cage”
We at Shark Diver specialize in “Safe and Sane” conservation shark diving. We respect the sharks and try to show them for what they really are. Awesome predators that don’t need to be feared, but respected.
If you want to encounter them in their natural environment, come joins us at Guadalupe Island this fall. We still have a few spaces open. Call us at 855.987.4275 or 619.887.4275 email staff@sharkdiver.com
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.
How do you get taken seriously as a conservation activist?
When writing a blog or a comment on social media, it is easy to get a little rigid in one’s stand on an issue or one’s view on a group or person. Once our mind is made up, it tends to be difficult for us to change it, or admit that someone we don’t lik…
Do sharks really mistake humans for seals?
Do sharks really mistake humans for seals? that is the headline of a report in “The Sydney Morning Herald”. The article says that Researchers test ‘mistaken identity’ theory by conducting some studies on sharks in a pool.Photo: Taronga …
Awesome volunteer opportunity for 16-19 year olds!
We just wrote that our friends at Projects Abroad looking for a Volunteer Coordinator. Since they need a volunteer coordinator, they obviously also need volunteers and are looking for 16-19 year old adventurers, who would like to live and work in Cambo…
How do you make a viral video?
This is a fun little video I took at Tiger beach, diving with Shark Diver. Little did I know that it would be a hit on Facebook. Within an hour of posting it, people watched it over 2000 times. Come join us and take your own pictures and videos and maybe yours will goes viral as well!
Lemon Sharks at Tiger Beach. Diving with Great White Shark Diving
Posted by Martin Graf on Wednesday, March 25, 2015
Of course, we don’t just encounter Lemon Sharks, we see plenty of Tiger Sharks as well. This is truly a trip of a lifetime! Since we only take 6 divers at a time, you’ll be sure to get up close and personal with these amazing animals.
This is our schedule for Tiger Beach trips in 2015.
April 12-18, 19-25
May 3-9, 10-16, 24-30 and 31-June 6
September 14-20
October 4-10, 11-17
November 15-21
For more info on the trips and a complete itinerary, check here, or you can call us at 855.987.4275 or 619.887.4275 We are always happy to talk “sharks”!
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.
Here is your chance to make your own shark diving movie!
Have you ever dreamed of diving with great white sharks? Did you ever want to know, how they film those amazing underwater scenes you see in the movie theaters and on television?This is your chance to do both! Join Shark Diver and Emmy award winning un…
New shark research method?
“Are you sure he only eats plankton? Daring marine biologist hitches a ride on the world’s largest shark” is the headline of the “Mail Online”.
Combining the term “marine biologist” and riding sharks peaked my curiosity. Has someone found out that riding sharks is beneficial to them? Have I been wrong all these years, condemning that practice?
The article started out with “Marine biologist Forrest Galante has swam with some of the most fearsome creatures in the sea, including the terrifying hammerhead.” So immediately I realized, this is a highly scientific article and thankfully they’re not going to use sensationalistic language. (sharkasm intended!) “Terrifying Hammerhead” indeed.
In this picture you see the “heroic” Forrest Galante in his death defying act of riding a 45 ft. whale shark!
The caption for the picture below reads“Galante and his team were measuring the giant “whales” who were returning to the secret Mexican location.”
I have to admit that I’m not a scientist. Apparently I know even less than I previously assumed. Who know what whale sharks are “whales”? And the secret location? Is it Isla Mujeres? We wouldn’t want them to start a whale shark watching industry there. Or maybe it’s Baja California? Same thing, I hope nobody starts whale shark watching there.
So what was this research that the local marine biologists needed his expert help with anyway? “I was helping out a team of marine biologists conduct a survey on whale shark population estimates, to identify returning sharks year on year and to see growth rates of individuals.” No wonder he needed to ride those sharks! I mean, how else could you measure a shark than by riding it. The watch you see on his wrist must be a super secret measuring device!
Anyway, no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t find any other references to anything remotely research related in the article here.
I did however find the real reason for Galante’s antics. On his facebook page he writes
“Hey I’m back in the #news!
Thanks Caters News Agency and Daily Mail for another fun interview and thank you to the team of hard working #biologists who are helping save these magnificent creatures! so proud to have been a part of it!
Just as I thought, it’s all about him. Not the sharks or anything “Hey I’m back in the #news!” is what it’s all about.
Hey Forrest, you got your wish, you are back in the news! “DaShark” writes “Forrest Galante, disrespectful moron!” Well put “DaShark”!
Even the “fans” on your facebook page agree
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Luke Penks As a whale shark researcher, I find it such a shame that you are promoting incredibly bad practices like this. Interaction with any wild animal should be as non-invasive as possible, but you are spreading the opposite idea, which is disgraceful for a marine biologist.
Here’s a paper showing that touching sharks is hugely associated with stress: http://www.butandingnetwork.net/…/2014/05/2007-Quiros.pdf
- Marissa Fox Agree with Luke Penks. Promoting behavior like this counteracts the scientific conservation work so many of us are working so hard for.
Yep Forrest, you are sooooo cool! Riding a whale shark is really something everyone should do! You call yourself a researcher?! Are you one of those guys who says “do as I say, not as I do?” Is this somehow furthering your “research?” Do you have a new paper coming out “Riding whale sharks is beneficial to sharks!” Your headline on your Facebook page says it all “Hey I’m back in the #news!” because that’s what it is, all about you!
We at Shark Diver are all for respectful interaction with these magnificent animals. You can have an awesome experience, like we did last December at Socorro Islands with the Nautilus Explorer. The video below shows that you don’t have to touch the sharks to accomplish that. When you look at the guy next to the it, you’ll get a great idea of the size of this whale shark. No touching or riding required!
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.
Randy Jordan, what sharks like to eat.
Recently Randy Jordan of Emerald Charters made some negative headlines lately, when he was fined by the state of Florida, for illegally feeding sharks within 3 miles from shore. He claimed that those charges were not true and states that he does his di…
Deadly shark attacks in California?
Today NBC 4 in Los Angeles had the following headline on their website. “Maps: Deadly Shark Attacks Off California Coast”.There was only a very short 2 paragraph article and a map that are both shown below.The map below shows locations where fatal shar…
Switzerland bans the importation of shark fins!
Fin Fighters UK has just made the following announcement On the 5 march 2015 a government council banned the Import of fins into the country. The Swiss national council accepted the proposition on thursday by 160 votes against 19 and was pa…
Hammerhead shark attacking diver?
As shark diving operators we have to be aware of our actions and how they are depicted in the media. Every time something goes wrong, or someone get’s a sensationalistic video of a shark dive, the shark gets portrayed as a bloodthirsty manhunter!Take t…
Are white sharks parenting their offspring?
When it comes to how the media covers any sightings of a great white shark, it never ceases to amaze me how their articles are devoid of any real facts and full of disinformation. Take this latest coverage by the Inquisitr of a sighting in lake Macquarie. You really have to wonder who these experts are, that they refer to in this article.
They are saying “A 9-foot-long great white shark has been spotted in Australia’s Lake Macquarie, close to the scene of another recent sighting, along with a smaller, unidentified fish that some researchers believe could be the shark’s offspring”.
Now I have to say that even though I’m not a scientist, but simply a guy who’s been diving with great white sharks at Isla Guadalupe for 14 years, I do know that a 9 ft great white shark is not sexually mature and thus cannot have an offspring.
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.
Really cool shark!
You never know what you are going to find in the ocean. We know more about the moon, than we do about the creatures in the ocean. Check out this video of a goblin shark! Cheers,Martin GrafCEO Shark Diver About Shark Diver. As a global leader in comme…
Dead Sharks, Selfies, and Shark Fin Soup?
What is our obsession with taking pictures of ourselves with subjects that seem just a bit inappropriate? Now that smart phones have turned us all into photog wannabes, the rush to get pictures published on social media sites has also lead us to be wannabe reporters, as well. Recently two sharks, a bull and a hammerhead, washed up dead on the shore of Miami Beach. One was bloated, the other with its fin cut off. Once beach-combers saw the poor creatures, the camera phones came out and the snap-shot taking crowds were enough to make any paparazzi, surrounding a Hollywood celebrity, pale in comparison. There was even a grown adult who pulled up on the head of one shark to get its mouth to open. What a photo op! “Hey kids, come gather around!”
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Where is the respect? It’s just an animal. Who cares, right? WRONG! Are we another ‘Me Generation’ or have we never left it? This is 2015 folks. We’ve scratched our way out to escape the errors of our ways. After fighting for equality in several different arenas, freedom of religion, the push to reuse, reduce and recycle, ‘save our planet,’ ‘plant a tree’…have we not arrived? What has happened to the rights and respect for those with which we share this slowly, dying planet?
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Back to these dead sharks: No one knows what caused their deaths, and apparently no one is investigating. A fin was cut off! I was told by an authority at the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission that maybe if there was a bunch of these guys washing up on the shore with their fins hacked, there might then be an investigation. How many have to lose their lives in order for that to happen? Maybe this is just a prelude of what is to come. Since shark fin soup is served in restaurants throughout Florida, and yes, Miami, maybe this was the result of someone trying to cash in on the evil craze. Does that mean finless carcasses are on their way to shore like a message in a bottle? Are we going to read it and do something about it or are we going to throw it back in for the next generation to deal with? Did you know that 24 states according to the Animal Welfare Institute, serve up the controversial delicacy, shark fin soup? You can find it on the menu at South Garden Chinese Restaurant in Miami for $12 a bowl.
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It’s a shame; it’s a crying shame that an 8 foot animal is tortured for its 8 inch body part and left to die, rotting in its ocean home, only to float to the shore to be mocked as part of social media fodder. To the person(s) who did this: “At least, eat the rest!” I discourage anyone from killing these animals and it pains me to see their fins cut off and then the shark dropped back in the water to try and survive. Would the same thoughtless individual do that to their pet? They’d be put in jail.
These sharks are intelligent, beautiful, and are an integral part of our oceans and were here way before you and I. Respect them. Wouldn’t a picture of you with a live shark be cooler to take?
Join us for live shark selfie-taking starting this August at Guadalupe; Bahamas starting in April and Fiji year-round.
Let’s go shark diving!
‘Ocean’
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.
Great White Shark in the Water?????
Stop the presses! News alert! A Great White Shark is “prowling” in the ocean off the coast of Washington. A headline in the vancitybuzz is screaming “Large great white shark prowling Washington State shores” with a large picture of a Great White Shark …
Memorial announced for “Island of the Great White Shark” filmmaker, Richard Theiss
A memorial for Richard Theiss, our friend, underwater filmmaker and ocean advocate has been announced for 7 pm, March 20, 2015 at the aquarium of the pacific in Long Beach. His son Bryan posted this on his FB.I’m pleased to share with Family, Fri…
Last chance, if you want to work with great white sharks!
This is a reminder that all interested applicants need to submit their resumes by March 1st.Shark Diver is a commercial shark diving company, that’s been in business for over 14 years and has a heavy emphasis on conservation. Our goals at Shark Diver…
We lost the “Shark Lady” Eugenie Clark.
National Geographic reported today that Eugenie Clark, an American marine biologist who fell in love with sharks as a child with her nose pressed against an aquarium tank—and whose research on the much maligned species earned her the nickname “Shark Lady”—died Wednesday morning in Sarasota, Florida. She was 92.
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| Photograph by David Doubilet |
Eugenie Clark was an inspiration to generations of ocean explorers and had a special passion for sharks. She was one of the first to disspell as stupid and deadly. After the movie “Jaws” hit the theaters, she wrote and article in National Geographic titled “Sharks: Magnificent and Misunderstood.”
You can read the National Geographic obituary here and you can find out more about this inspirational woman here.
Thank you Eugenie, for your passion and inspiration. I hope you’re out there exploring new worlds.
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.
Are we to blame for shark attacks?
Today, I read this piece in the Huff Post. Paul Watson of sea shepherd infamy is explaining in staggering scientific fashion (sharkasm intended), why the number of shark attacks seems to be increasing. Watson is saying:”Shark attacks are on the rise an…
Is saving the Oceans saving people as well?
Channel 6 in San Diego aired a nice report on the Scripps Institution of Oceanography and my friend Phil Zerofski, chief collector at the institute and owner of Seacamp San Diego. They are using stuff they find in the ocean for all kinds of resea…
Former Shark Diver CEO saving the Oceans?
Since I took over Shark Diver from Patric Douglas on January 1 2012, he’s been a very busy fellow. I’ll let him tell you personally what he’s been up to. Never one to follow the herd, he has used the same vision that has turned Shark Diver into the pre…
Volunteer opportunity for shark conservation in Fiji
Our friends at Projects Abroad have an opportunity to volunteer with their shark conservation program in Fiji. This is an awesome project and I can personally vouch for the fact that you will have the time of your life, doing something worthwhile. I had the privilege to go along on a tagging trip and it was a ton of fun.
This is their posting: This is truly the chance of a life time to work on pioneering shark protection projects alongside respected scientists and shark research experts.
This project is perfect for anyone with a passion for marine wildlife and the great outdoors. The Fiji Shark Conservation Project offers you the chance to get up close to some of the most endangered and mis-understood animals in the world. Volunteers are welcome on a gap year, a career break, for university research, or even as an opportunity to experience a very different way of life!
Working directly with the Fiji Shark Conservation Project, conducting the work of internationally renowned shark research scientists, volunteers will be directly involved in scientific shark research work, as well as actively working within the local community on mangrove reforestation, recycling and shark education initiatives. The volunteers and the conservation work are supervised by our resident marine biologist and local staff. We also work closely with other local and international marine conservation organisations, including the WWF Global Shark Programme.
The project is based in Pacific Harbour, on the south coast of Fiji’s main island of Viti Levu, just 3 hours from Nadi.
Volunteers do not need any previous diving or shark research experience to take part in the Fiji Conservation Project. However, volunteers need to be able to swim, be medically fit to scuba dive and have a good command of the English language to get the most out of the Shark Conservation project. This project is not available for people who do not want to take part in the diving.
Volunteers who have not dived before receive the PADI Open Water dive course during their first two weeks on the project. Volunteers with an existing dive certification equivalent to the PADI Open Water qualification receive the PADI Advanced course. After the dive course, volunteers will also receive the Project Aware Shark Conservation Diver Course. Those who already have the Advanced certification or higher will receive the Project Aware Shark Conservation Diver Course during their first week, and an extra Shark Feed Dive during their project time.
You can get all the information on this link: http://www.projects-abroad.co.uk/volunteer-projects/conservation-and-environment/shark-conservation/fiji/
This project is of course at the same location we go to dive with bull sharks in May. If you can’t volunteer for this project, maybe you want to come out diving with us and support Beqa Adventure Divers, the outfit who was responsible for creating the first underwater national park in Fiji.
Our trips are from May 9-17, 15-24 and 22-31. For more information call 619.887.4275, email us at staff@sharkdiver.com or visit us on the web here.
Let’s go to Fiji!
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.
Do you want to work with Great White Sharks?
Shark Diver is a commercial shark diving company, that’s been in business for over 14 years and has a heavy emphasis on conservation. Our goals at Shark Diver are to be advocates for our sharks and industry, while delivering top shark species …
We lost a great friend and shark advocate.
Yesterday, we lost Richard Theiss, a nice guy and great underwater filmmaker. His son Bryan posted the following on his facebook page.Richard Hartman Theiss 9/25/1951 – 2/5/2015 &n…
Do you want to join a researcher at Guadalupe Island?
Every year we get hundreds of emails from people asking us, how they can get involved with shark research. This has lead to Shark Diver teaming up with Nicole Nasby-Lucas from MCSI to offer special science expeditions to Guadalupe Island. These special…
Wanna join us on a film expediton to visit the Great White Sharks at Guadalupe Island?
Join Shark Diver and Emmy award winning underwater cinematographer Peter Kragh at the peak of Isla Guadalupe‘s shark season, to learn about the many facets of underwater documentary film making. Whether you are just an amateur or an emerging filmmaker, this is an opportunity to get some expert tips to improve your videos and, of course, see some of the greatest sharks in the world.
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| Peter Kragh |
Peter is intimately familiar with sharks. He has filmed everything from little horn sharks to whale sharks and great whites and worked on many Shark Week episodes. He will be there to help you improve your photography skills and experience. There will also be screenings of some of Peters work. With all his diving experience from around the world, Peter can also help you find that “secret” location for your next diving adventure.
Here is a short video, showcasing Peter’s work.
Demo Reel 2014 from Peter Kragh on Vimeo.
As a professional cameraman for over 10 years, Peter has worked on well known BBC and National Geographic projects like Blue Planet, Planet Earth, Life and Secret Life of Predators. In 2013 he won an Emmy award for outstanding cinematography on the Nat Geo series “Untamed Americas”. He has also worked on multiple Imax films: Deep Sea 3D, Hubble 3D, Under The Sea 3D, and Journey to the South Pacific 3D.
With all his experience filming both underwater and topside, you are sure to learn a lot from Peter. This is a unique opportunity to both improve your filming skills and have an experience of a lifetime, coming face to face with the Great White Sharks at Isla Guadalupe.
Come join us and Peter on either September 4-9 2015 or September 9-14 2015 for a trip of a lifetime.
Cost is $3,300 for a 5 day live aboard trip, leaving from and returning to San Diego.
For more information visit www.sharkdiver.com/dive-packages/great-white-shark-diving-film-expedition/ or call us at 619.887.4275 toll free 855.987.4275 email staff@sharkdiver.com
You can also contact us via our website https://sharkdiver.wpengine.com//bookings/
I hope to see you this in September.
Let’s go shark diving!
Cheers,
Martin Graf
CEO Shark Diver
Peter is intimately familiar with sharks. He has filmed everything from little horn sharks to whale sharks and great whites and worked on many Shark Week episodes. He will be there to help you improve your photography skills and experience. There will also be screenings of some of Peters work. With all his diving experience from around the world, Peter can also help you find that “secret” location for your next diving adventure. – See more at: https://sharkdiver.wpengine.com/dive-packages/great-white-shark-diving-film-expedition/#sthash.Jnwq8Fgl.dpuf
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.
The “baddest” shark at Isla Guadalupe?
I want to introduce you to some of the sharks we have met over the last 14 years at Guadalupe Island.Thanks to the Photo Id project we are able to individually identify the sharks and keep track of who’s visiting the Island each year. We are now at ove…
Australia. Sabotaging Eco Tourism?
I hate to say it, but Australia is at it again. After hunting down a tagged shark for simply being too close to shore, they now have declared their intention to “opt out of protections for 5 shark species”.
The guardian writes that The government is submitting a “reservation” against three species of thresher shark and two species of hammerhead shark listed as protected migratory species under the UN-administered convention on the conservation of migratory species of wild animals.
The five types of shark were among 31 species granted new protection status at a convention summit in November. A record 21 species of shark and ray, including sawfish, were put on the list along with polar bears, whales and gazelles.
Although Australia did not object to the listings in November, it is now seeking to opt out of the commitment to cooperate with other countries to ensure the five migratory shark species do not become extinct. The expanded list is due to come into effect on 8 February.
Since sharks are a vital part of a healthy ocean environment it seems that the government is not too concerned about losing all the tourists who visit Australia to dive and enjoy the incredible reefs they have. The only ones they care about is the fishermen. The article quotes Alexia Wellbelove, senior program manager at Humane Society International “the opt-out was to appease commercial and recreational fishers, some of whom catch threshers and hammerhead sharks as primary catch or as bycatch for other species. “This is a political decision, it has nothing to do with conservation, which is pretty pathetic really,” she said. “Australia has always spoken out against other countries making reservations under these kinds of treaties, so this move is really concerning.
The article states “A spokesman for the federal environment minister, Greg Hunt, said the government’s move was to avoid “unintended consequences” for fishers in Australia, who would risk being fined up to $170,000 and face two years in jail even if they obeyed their permits.
So they say that their laws are too harsh for the fishermen who kill these sharks and instead of changing the punishment for the killing, they just kill the protection for these sharks. Sound reasoning indeed. (sharkasm intended)
Read the entire article here
Dashark’s reaction here
I recommend that you send your opinion to the Australian tourism website here and click on the feedback link. You can also visit their Facebook page and leave a comment there.
If the politicians won’t listen to us, maybe their tourist board is more receptive.
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.
Shark Attack in Australia? What really happened.
Shark Attack in Australia? Part 2 Yesterday we talked about the teenager who got “attacked” by a shark hereToday he admits that it wasn’t really the sharks fault. Watch the video below.Sam Smith now says that the shark would have ignored him, had he le…
Shark Attack in Australia?
Sky news reports that a teenager was attacked by a shark off Australia’s east coast. The article states that Sam Smith was spearfishing off Mollymook beach, 140 miles (230km) south of Sydney, when a shark bit his hand. The 17-year-old’s friend Luke Sis…
Is this the way to promote shark conservation?
Diver interaction with sharks is getting way out of hand. Everyone is trying to outdo each other, to do a “world’s first”, “world’s closest”, “world’s best” etc. We have talked about these stupid stunts here, here, here and many, many other times.
The latest entry into the “world’s closest” category, is Aaron Gekoski from London, who claims to have taken the “worlds closest selfie” with a shark.
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The London Evening Standard writes
“Mr Gekoski, who lives in East Dulwich, south east London, who says his pictures are the world’s closest shark selfie, added: “We did two dives to get the perfect images – and quite a lot happened during them.”
“At one point it all kicked off and I got hit in the face by a tail. I also got a face full of claspers – which is what we call shark genitalia. That was unpleasant.”
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“At another point, one of the sharks got spooked and made a grab for my camera. I could have lost my fingers with that one.”
“Perhaps the most terrifying moment of all was when one of the sharks grabbed on to the buoy line just above my head. I had no idea what was going on at the time – the video footage shows me looking bemused at the camera with it all going on above me. I was very lucky not to get tangled in it or dragged away. That was quite close.”
So why does Mr Gekoski think it’s a good idea to take these selfies, when obviously it seems quite dangerous and they had no idea what to expect from the sharks?
Here is his explanation
“Myself and Chris Scarffe, my colleague and filmmaker, have made hundreds of films but we thought it was time to reach a bigger audience. I watched loads of videos online featuring animals – pandas sneezing and cats with heads stuck in bread – many of which were very popular and thought I needed to harness the power of social media.”
So they have made hundreds of films that nobody watched, so they needed a stunt to reach a broader audience. Refreshing honesty.
But wait, there is more! Here it comes
“The selfie has been huge for the past two years – so I thought it would be a great way to highlight the plight of the shark in a modern way. Whilst sharks are one of the most feared animals on Earth, they in fact have a lot more to be scared of than we do and are now on the brink of extinction. We wanted to highlight that it’s not me in danger, but the sharks themselves.”
Of course, it’s all to highlight the plight of the sharks. They didn’t want to point out their “heroic” actions, risking life and limbs, diving with these sharks. It’s wasn’t a “look at me!” kind of stunt, like all the others we have gotten used to. Of course not. They simply wanted to highlight how the sharks were in danger.
I mean, what better way to get people to think that sharks are not a big danger to us than to point out how close they came to disaster during their two dives.
Not only do they do nothing to show that the sharks are not dangerous, but by their blatant disregard for any safety during their dives, they actually risked being bitten, which would have accomplished the exact opposite of what they claim their intentions were. It would have become another shark attack, reported around the world.
And their final thought?
“I was still glad to get back in the boat at the end though.”
So they want to say how we should not be afraid of the sharks, but they sure are glad they are back on the boat and cheated death again? Yep, I sure don’t know a better way to do that.
All I can say is what I always say. When will we learn that sharks are neither mindless killers, nor harmless pets. Let’s portray them the way they really are.
We at Shark Diver promote “Safe and Sane” shark diving expeditions. We don’t fear the sharks, but we do respect them and always take all the safety precautions necessary to ensure a safe and exciting shark dive.
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.
Reef Check California Seeks Southern California Volunteer Coordinator
Reef Check is a Non-Profit Organization Dedicated to Empowering People to Save Our Reefs and Oceans Founded in 1996 by marine ecologist Dr. Gregor Hodgson, the Reef Chec…
Scientific study on the effects of shark diving?
Yesterday, I posted a blog from “DaShark” in Fiji on whether shark diving operators should be regulated or not. You can read it here.
The blog is based on a paper by Richards, K., et al. Sharks and people: Insight into the global practices of tourism operators and their attitudes to Sharkbehaviour. Mar. Pollut. Bull. (2015)
The author has some interesting insights into the shark diving industry, but overall, I’m not impressed. The authors bias against shark dives featuring provisioning, is made clear from the outset by the following statement.
“If those who report using bait are added to those who admitted intentional feeding then 42% of operators used shark attractant.” The term “admitted” is implying something negative, like “Ah, gotcha! You admitted to feeding sharks!”
They are basing their conclusions on statements like Illegal provisioning of sharks by a diving company was one theory put forward to explain a cluster of shark attacks near the Egyptian resort of Sharm-el-Sheikh in 2010 This is the unproven hypothesis (a scientific theory is something that has been proven) of a guy who can’t tell a shark from a dolphin and should be weighed heavily in any respectable paper. (sharkasm intended)
They are stating correctly, that shark diving is increasing and “Due to this, questions about the effects of shark tourism and associated activities such as SCUBA diving and provisioning on shark behaviour should be asked in order to establish effective management for the practise and to preemptively mitigate risk of unwittingly increasing shark attacks on humans. … Oh, I see, since we don’t know the effect of that increase, we should regulate something we don’t understand. Hmm!
Here is another gem from the paper, showing their “scientific” reasoning “Whilst our research corroborates previous studies highlighting that the majority of shark encounters pose very little risk to people, the fact that a small minority of shark operators did report concerns about shark behaviour towards clients, and that threat displays such as bumping people and swimming erratically were reported, suggests that people should never become complacent.” ….. Dang, did they have to go to college to come up with this. I’m so glad they told me we should never become complacent. Who knew!?!? (sharkasm intended) Shark Diver has always advocated “Safe and Sane” shark diving, because we know that sharks are neither mindless killers, nor harmless pets.
I think by now it is pretty clear the authors have an agenda. But hey, it gets better Results of our survey indicate that shark operators take responsbility for good practise seriously, given that 93% of 43 shark opera- tors said they followed a code of conduct either voluntarily or because of national guidelines, although the quality and detail of voluntary codes of conduct provided varied widely. Our results however cannot differentiate between those who do this out of concern for sharks or for fear of liability should a shark harm a customer. WTF? So we dive operators take safety serious, but they don’t know if we do it to keep our divers safe or because we don’t want to get sued? Hmmmm, let me think about this. How about we keep em safe because we care and when they don’t get hurt, we don’t get sued!?!? Besides, since they are not sure what our motivation for our safety consciousness is, the want to regulate it. Well that will clear up any confusion about our motivation.
For most of their “conclusions” they state the source. Their interpretation of the source is not very logical, to say the least, and is primarily twisted to support their view. As if frustrated by the fact not supporting their hypothesis, they start to just make stuff up. Like this However, recent research has indicated negative behavioural impacts arising from shark diving or snorkelling and inadequacies in management have been highlighted. Did I miss the study they quoted???? Anyone? .. anyone? ….Bueller!!! I guess it’s just another PIDOOMA estimate (Pulled it directily out of my #$$)
The same goes for this In general, shark operators did acknowledge the potential for accidents to happen, but most defended their own practices even when scientific evidence contradicted their view, Of course, no “scientific” data is provided, or a study cited. As a matter of fact and I quote “DaShark”
There are some other statements in that paper that simply don’t make sense and clearly show their bias. Several respondents said that individual shark’s behaviour towards people differed, for example, if divers approached too closely, some sharks quickly moved away while others were bolder, corroborating research that shows shark species and individuals show varied responses to provisioning and that behavioural responses can change over time How is this corroborating anything? What has the individual behavior of a shark got to do with provisioning? Sharks have different “personalities”, we’ve known that for a long time. It has nothing to do with provisioning.
Another stellar “scientific” conclusion is this. Links are frequently made between shark baiting/provisioning and attacks, and while these remain speculative, a precautionary approach is warranted that would be best delivered through regulation. Yep, I couldn’t agree more, there is some speculation, so we just have to regulate. Everyone know, speculation requires regulation. (can you detect the sharkasm?)
This is yet another one of their conclusions. While our questionnaire indicates that the majority of shark encounters and shark tourism currently pose very little risk to people, more field research is required on shark behavioural responses to tourism practices to help assess best practices for sharks, people and environment. So they are saying there is very little risk and more research is needed, but in the meantime, Regulate! Regulate!
I could go on and on, but it doesn’t get any better.
Overall, this paper is something I would expect from a grade school student, not a scientist. Just like a politician, the authors of this paper are stating some facts and then come to a conclusion that is completely unsupported by those facts. Not surprising, since their bias was clear from the outset. John Stewart of the “Daily Show” would have a field day with this, if only a real politician had authored it.
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.
Do Shark Diving Operators need to be regulated?
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The following (in italics) is a blog by “DaShark”
It’s a great read and addresses the issues facing the shark diving industry brilliantly. DaShark is of course the very guy who was instrumental in establishing the Shark Reef National Park in Fiji! So he knows a thing or two about operating a shark dive. Check out his operation “The best shark dive in the world!”
Thorny thorny!
If you’re a Shark diving operator, you need to read this!
And I cite.
5. Conclusions
In recent years there has been increasing global interest in shark-encounter tourism and the potential economic incentive and awareness raising benefits this industry may bring to shark conservation. However, recent research has indicated negative behavioural impacts arising from shark diving or snorkelling and inadequacies in management have been highlighted.
In this global study of shark tourism practices we found that in the majority of cases surveyed, shark operators apply codes of conduct (either mandatory or voluntary) to ensure the safety of both people and sharks even when no formal national guidelines exist. However, the practices and approaches taken varied widely, and we believe there is a good case for greater regulation to raise standards and minimise any adverse effects on both sharks and people. Such an approach would involve greater scrutiny of the industry and formalisation of legally enforced national guidelines.
Links are frequently made between shark baiting/provisioning and attacks, and while these remain speculative, a precautionary approach is warranted that would be best delivered through regulation. Without this, shark tourism has the potential to cause accidents which could decrease the growing popularity of sharks and thereby have negative knock on effects for their conservation, particularly when culls follow attacks such as those recently witnessed in Western Australia.
While our questionnaire indicates that the majority of shark encounters and shark tourism currently pose very little risk to people, more field research is required on shark behavioural responses to tourism practices to help assess best practices for sharks, people and environment. Shark diving management therefore needs to be dynamic and must evolve with continuing developments in the industry and understanding of shark behaviour.
First things first.
When it comes to collecting the evidence and painting a picture of global Shark diving tourism, this paper is really quite good. Also, I really don’t want to further elaborate on what I’ve already said about those problematic non-provisioned encounters with Elasmobranchs, be it Whale Sharks, Mantas and the like, i.e. that if the industry is not able to self regulate, then the regulator has to step in – see e.g. here.
And what about those provisioned dives?
I’ve blogged ad nauseam about what the evidence teaches us about their effect on the animals, the public and the environment, e.g. here. Yes there are of course people that postulate otherwise – but at this stage in the debate, it is for them to stop speculating but instead, to finally come up with evidence to the contrary. And no, invoking the precautionary principle in view of those totally unsubstantiated allegations aint good enough anymore, either!
And if they cannot come up with the evidence, they finally need to shut the fuck up – especially the researchers!
Yes Shark feeding is dangerous – dooh.
Yes often the Sharks get excited – dooh.
Yes often the Sharks get excited – dooh.
And yes there are dodgy Shark diving operators, and those unsupervised multi-user sites like TB are a cause for concern. And we also all know that there have been quite a number of Shark bites – very few on the clients but plenty on the feeders, the latter ranging from harmless because there was protective gear to serious when there was none.
But here comes the big BUT!
In tens, if not hundreds of thousands of baited Shark dives, there has been a grand total of ONE documented fatality – and I betcha that if one were to make the comparison to “normal” diving, you would likely find more fatalities per hours spent in the water than during baited Shark dives!
The reason?
Believe it or not – but none of us has a death wish, and we also want to bring back our clients unharmed!
We know that what we do is dangerous, and we are the first ones striving to minimize and manage the risks we admittedly create! This is why the overwhelming majority, if not all of Shark feeding operators have devised voluntary codes of conduct – and those protocols obviously work!
We know that what we do is dangerous, and we are the first ones striving to minimize and manage the risks we admittedly create! This is why the overwhelming majority, if not all of Shark feeding operators have devised voluntary codes of conduct – and those protocols obviously work!
Does anybody really believe that some government bureaucrats could come up with, implement and then supervise better protocols – but more importantly, is there really a need for them? There are already more than sufficient laws on the books to deal with criminal negligence vis-à-vis the customers, and accidents to the staff are covered by occupational health-and-safety regulations – so instead of wasting additional government resources on what is essentially a non-issue, why don’t we rely on the authorities to simply apply the Law. An guess what – provided that the incidents are serious, they incidentally do it already!
And the suggestions by the authors?
… legally binding national guidelines for shark tourism which all shark operators need to be made aware of. Education could include mandatory classes for shark operators about species which are likely within their area, the threats facing them, current management practices, potential human impacts from tourism activities and best practice for mitigating them. Attendance at such sessions could be a formalised requirement of any permitting scheme and could be funded through charges to operators. Based on our findings and review of literature, we propose that national regulations or codes of conduct for shark-related tourism should include limits on: group sizes, time spent in the water with sharks and provisioning (both in terms of quantity and quality of food items). There needs to be compulsory education about such regulations and legal consequence should they not be followed.
Seriously – what a load of crap!
Surely, this stupidity has not been coordinated with the concerned operators – or has it?
None of the accidents I know of (and I know of many!) had anything to do with group size, time spent in the water and amount of food, let alone with not knowing the animals! Once again, it really appears that some researchers are bloviating about our industry without the slightest clue about sustainable Shark provisioning let alone tourism – and it is really starting to piss me off!
Guys, we appreciate the interest.
But for fuck’s sake, as a minimum, you need to talk to us before accusing us of not knowing what we do! In fact, the contrary is true – most of anything that is known about Shark behavior and sustainable tourism practices has been garnered on dives that have been established by our industry, and smart researchers have long learned to talk to us and to listen to what we got to say!
Anyway, it matters not.
Governments got no time for these minutiae – that is, unless there are real issues where self regulation has obviously failed. Then they should, and will regulate – and when they do, I’m equally confident that they will seek the dialogue with us, the pros!
And in the meantime, we will continue to do what is right.
We will continue to provide extremely safe, enjoyable encounters that harm nobody – not the public, not the Sharks and not the environment. And we will of course evolve and progress, like we always have, and like we are presently doing by having voluntarily established GSD and quite possibly, by collaborating with respectful people and organizations in formulating a global code of conduct like briefly mentioned here!
That’s how you do it – by dialogue, not by proclamations ex cathedra!
To be continued no doubt!
~DaShark
Thank you DaShark! Excellent insight!
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.
How do we identify the sharks at Guadalupe?
I’ve been going to Guadalupe since 2002 and have met a lot of great white sharks. When I first saw one of these amazing creatures, I thought it was the most incredible experience of my life. I was thinking “Wow check out that shark!” I thought I was…
Do you want to dive with Bull Sharks?
Bull Shark Diving FijiBull Sharks in Fiji are calling you in May of 2015.Experience what many call the world’s best shark dive. 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, w…
Really Western Australia!? Again?
The department of fisheries for western Australia made the following announcement today.
“Following a series of tagged shark detections of a white shark at the Warnbro receiver a decision has been made to deploy capture gear to take a white shark that has been assessed as posing a serious threat to public safety.”
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So what has this shark done to pose this serious threat to public safety? Did it attack a surfer? Did it try to bite a swimmer?…… actually no. According to their press release, “The Department of Fisheries sent vessels to investigate and it became apparent the same shark has been within one kilometre of the shore over consecutive days.” …. ah, …. well,….. hmm,….. I really don’t know what to say. A shark is swimming in the water within a kilometer (.62 miles) over consecutive days! I guess that is reason enough to go out, capture and kill a protected species. I mean really, it is our Ocean and not the sharks! (sharkasm intended, just to make sure)
After stating that “The initial pattern of detections of this tagged shark combined with the mitigation strategies did not warrant further action”. They went on to say. “However there has been an increase in the number of day-time detections on consecutive during the lead up to Christmas, and school holidays combined with warm and sunny weather, people are more likely to be in the water using the beaches, fishing and diving.” … So it’s not really the shark that is the problem, it’s the people who want to go where they know a shark is swimming. I mean really, it would just be ridiculous to think that the strategies in already place right now “Measures required to negate serious threat to the public have been put in place, including beach closures, notifications to the community, and alerts / detections posted on Twitter and the department’s SharkSmart website, however, given the likely increase in water users and increased detections of this shark, more direct action has now been taken to address public safety concerns.” would prevent a possible attack. No, of course not. They need to go out and kill this protected shark. Anything else would just not be right!
The fisheries department justifies their action this way “The decision to remove the shark has been made under the State Government’s guidelines for the take of a shark posing a serious threat to public safety,”…. pssst, don’t tell anyone, but how is a shark in the water a serious threat to a person on land? If the required action includes closing the beach and alerting the community, how exactly does this shark pose a serious threat?
I guess we now know, what the government had in mind, when they stopped their challenge to the decision to remove the drumlines. Just make up a hypothetical threat and go out to kill a protected species….. Well done!
Anyway, you can read their entire press release here.
Remember that Western Australia does this to supposedly protect the public and help tourism. We can all choose to not visit Western Australia and show them that way, what we think of their actions.
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.
Encounter with a gigantic shark.
We had an awesome encounter with a gigantic shark at Roca Partida. Thank you Nautilus Explorer for taking me on a trip of a lifetime!Enjoy the video. To book your own trip of a lifetime to any of our destinations, call us at 619.987.4275 or staff@shark…
Hammerhead Sharks and Manta Rays in California?
A couple of spearfishermen had the opportunity to get into the water with a hammerhead shark off Anacapa Island in Southern California. This hammerhead shark showed an interest in the divers, which is somewhat unusual. Maybe it was due to the fact that…
Shark conservation at Guadalupe?
How many times do we have to put up with those idiots, diving outside the cages at Guadalupe. It seems like every week there is another article, glorifying that illegal activity. The latest installment of “look at me, I’m so cool” comes from “Fins Attached”, a non profit out of Colorado, that is supposedly into shark conservation.
In a piece on channel 13 in Colorado Springs, their founder, Dr. Alex Antoniou is quoted as saying
“An ambush predator by nature, researchers have found simple eye contact keeps the massive predators at bay. “As long as you stand your ground and maintain eye contact you’ll see it coming toward us and it’ll just veer off,” Dr. Alex Antoniou, founder of Fins Attached, said.”
I guess the good Dr. is still new enough to think he’s got the great white sharks figured out. What could go wrong?! But let’s assume for a second that the guy is right. Can you tell me, how the guy in the video below is maintaining that eye contact?
video platformvideo managementvideo solutionsvideo player
This is just another idiotic attempt at self promotion. These guys don’t care that their actions endanger every other shark diving operator and in turn the sharks themselves. When someone is finally going to get hurt or worse, everyone might get shut down. If that happens, I doubt that the poachers will stay away for long and who’s going to look out for the sharks and make sure, their fins do stay attached.
If you want to contact “Fins attached” and let them know, how you feel, you can contact them here.
At Shark Diver we believe that only “safe and sane” diving with sharks can help conservation. These illegal activities are simply publicity stunts and do more harm than good.
Why can’t we accept these awesome White Sharks for what they are? They are predators, not harmless pets.
Viewing them from a cage is legal, safe and you get plenty close to the sharks.
Close enough? They swim right by the cages and look you in the eye. No need to go outside the cage and endanger everyone.
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.
“Selfie” shows what sharks are like?
When it comes to sharks, the news coverage is pretty atrocious. It seems like they either portray the sharks as mindless killers, or harmless pets. The people that get coverage, are invariably doing something stupid, or flat illegal.
An example of the stupid kind is the latest report by the “Mail Online“. They are posting an article that features a diver taking “selfies” while leaning way out of a cage, while diving with great white sharks at Isla Guadalupe.
This picture reminds me of a professional photographer that was leaning out of a cage, filming a shark and never realized that a second shark was coming at him, with his mouth open. If it wasn’t for another diver smashing his camera against the sharks nose, it would have taken the photographers head off. After the dive, the photographer didn’t believe that there was a shark behind him and to this day, doesn’t believe that he was within inches of being bit.
It is not the shark that you see that will get you, it’s the one you never know is there.
For the diver in this picture to make a statement like: ‘I began making selfies with all kinds of sharks – mostly for fun. ‘Only later I realized that they could show people what sharks are like – when behaving normally, there is no danger.
Yep, you want to show people what sharks are like by taking a “selfie”. You could not possibly achieve this by filming the sharks and show, how they behave. Nope, you have to get yourself into that picture to accomplish that. Trying to get your 15 minutes of fame had absolutely nothing to do with it. Newsflash, while it is true that we are not on their menu, great white sharks are NOT harmless, specially when you are in a baited situation.
The full article is here.
I don’t understand why people who say they love sharks, feel the need to portray them as something they are not. Are those people somehow ashamed that great white sharks are apex predators and not harmless pets.
If you want to come face to face with a great white shark and believe in doing is “safe and sane”, give us a call at 619.887.4275 or email staff@sharkdiver.com.
We are looking forward to showing you these awesome sharks from inside a cage.
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 it like to come face to face with a Great White Shark?
Allan Davey and his son were part of our first Great White Shark expedition to Guadalupe Island this season. He has documented his experience in his blog, A Truly Great White Shark Adventure.
He writes:
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| “Gunther” nibbling on cage. Photo Allan Davey. |
We had sharks visit on every session in the cage which apparently isn’t always the case. There was a lot more action on our trip then on previous trips. ( This has continued on trips after ours ). Two of the larger sharks exhibited unusual behaviour which prompted discussions amongst the crew. They were repeatedly gnawing on the cage and one would get under it and knock it from below. They weren’t trying to attack but they were being aggressive. At one point while one of the sharks was biting the cage, a tooth dislodged and started to flutter down. My cage mate went to grab it then realized what he was doing as he started to reach towards the gaping jaws and quickly and fortunately realized that would be unwise. Made for some great personal experiences but made me ponder what is happening to these sharks and their environment that might explain this behaviour. Then again our Dive Master Martin Graf said that as soon as you think you know something about white sharks they do something unexpected and everything goes out the window.
It was very unusual that during our first 2 trips, some sharks that have been around our cages for years, “Gunther” and “Drogin” were repeatedly nibbling on our cages. There was no food by the cages and they did it in slow motion, with their eyes open and not rolled back. I have never observed that kind of behavior before.
We also saw some great interaction between sea lions and sharks that Allan has documented with these awesome pictures.
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| Well, hello there! How are you today? |
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| Hey, wanna go play? |
You can read Allan’s blog here. Along with a lot of awesome pictures, he also has some great info and tips for photographers. Thanks Allen!
Here are some more samples of his pictures!
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| Check out the blue eyes! |
If you would like to experience these shark up close and personal yourself, call us at 619.887.4275 or email staff@sharkdiver.com. You can find our expedition schedule at https://sharkdiver.wpengine.com/dive-packages/great-white-shark-diving/
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.
Shark attack, surfer kicking for his life?
Today’s headlines of a few Australian newspapers scream “Shark Attack In Australia Had Pro Surfer Ryan Hunt Kicking For His Life”, “Top surfer who survives shark attack after kicking it in the head“
and Surfer undergoes surgery after shark attack near Old Bar, NSW.
So what happened? Another surfer attacked by a great white shark?
The reports are stating things like “A surfer survived a shark attack after kicking it in the head as he rode a wave. Ozzie Ryan Hunt, 20, was attacked by a shark while surfing at Wallabi Point in New South Wales. The beast went for his foot repeatedly during the terrifying incident at around 5.30pm, biting through the board.”
and “A shark attack in Australia had a young professional surfer named Ryan Hunt kicking for his life when the shark kept coming back for him in the waves.”
Wow, sounds like this guy was lucky and barely escaped with his life! Of course, after reading the reports a little more carefully, you get the real story. After writing the headline “Shark Attack in Australia Had Pro Surfer Ryan Hunt Kicking for his Life” the “Inquisitr” states “The 20-year-old surfer says the shark attack occurred while he was surfing small waves at dusk. According to Hunt, he was “pretty unlucky to stand on the shark’s head” while at Wallabi Point, which is on the coast of New South Wales, Australia. Needless to say, the shark was not exactly pleased to have a human standing on its noggin.”
So the guy actually stepped on the sharks head, OK, still, pretty lucky to get away with his life after being bit by this “beast”. How big was that beast? Well, lets see what they say about the size. “I tried to kick it off and it bit down again and then it swam up between my legs. I had my hands trying to push down its head, it was about 10 inches wide.”
Wow, the head was 10 inches wide!!! Imagine a 10 inch wide shark coming at you, ……. well, never mind. Another typical hyped up headline.
And how about the injuries sustained in this “terrifying” “attack”?
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Granted, that’s a pretty good gash, but by reading the headlines, you’d expect much worse. As to calling this a shark attack, seems to me that the shark was just reacting to being stepped on the head.
Surfer attacks shark, would have been a more appropriate headline.
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.
No cage shark diving with Shark Diver?
Mens Journal, in it’s October issue has an article on “no cage shark diving”. In that article, Shark Diver is mentioned as offering such dives.”There is definitely a bucket list aspect,” says Martin Graf, who conducts trips in the Bahamas and Gu…
Do you want to work with sharks?
My friend Ingrid Sprake, a project director at Projects Abroad has let me know about an exciting volunteer opportunity, to work with sharks in South Africa.
If you would like to apply for this position, you can do it here
- Placement location: Old Harbour Museum, Hermanus, South Africa
- Role: To work directly with the Shark Conservation Project
- Main Research Focus: Scientific shark research, shark conservation, education
- Environment: Marine
- Accommodation: Shared volunteer accommodation
- Price: From £1,845
- What’s included? Food, accommodation, airport transfers, insurance, personal webpage, induction and orientation, 24/7 support
- What’s not included? Flights, visa costs, spending money
- Length of placement: From 2 weeks
- Start dates: Flexible from 1st February 2015
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This project is perfect for anyone with a passion for marine wildlife and the great outdoors. The South African Shark Conservation Project offers you the chance to get up close to some of the most endangered and mis-understood animals in the world whilst working closely with experts in this field to ensure the conservation of these animals. Volunteers are welcome on a gap year, a career break, for university research or as part of a summer holiday.
The Shark Conservation Project is based in the Old Harbour Museum in the coastal town of Hermanus in South Africa. Hermanus is situated on the shores of Walker Bay, which lies at the meeting of two great oceans – the Atlantic and Indian Oceans.
The close proximity to the sea enables the project to have a fully operational marine laboratory equipped with experimental tanks housing captive sharks and a touch-tank for educational purposes. The site also houses an education center where a training and outreach programme is delivered to the community, fishermen & the eco-tourism industry.
Here you will find answers to the following questions:
- What is my role on this Conservation & Environment project?
- What are the aims of this Conservation & Environment project?
- Where will I live on this project?
What is my role on this Conservation & Environment project?
As a volunteer on the Shark Conservation project you will observe and assist the local scientists with a wide range of on-going and long-term research projects. Your regular activities will include:
- Assisting with scientific surveys to assess how pollution is affecting the oceans.
- Monitoring the diversity and movement of sharks, skates and rays in Walker Bay using conventional tagging techniques.
- Collecting biological measurements from catshark species for identification, conservation and management purposes.
- Collecting data on sharks, including genetic samples, tagging, movement, and growth.
- Non-invasive monitoring of the diversity and habitat use of sharks using the baited remote underwater video (BRUV) method.
- Assisting with sample collection of invertebrates, algae, sharks, etc for better understanding of ecosystem dynamics (food webs).
- Developing and implementing community-based education activities and programmes.
- Report and article writing.
A typical working day will run from 7am to 6pm. However, depending on the activities volunteers may be required to start earlier or finish later. Trained local staff are on hand to supervise activities and provide support throughout. The weekly schedule includes conducting lab-based shark behaviour experiments and boat-based shark surveys.
Whilst this project does not include any scuba diving activities, as a volunteer you will have the opportunity to go cage diving with great white sharks, usually once every two weeks. You will also assist in the collection of ecotourism-based data on white sharks. Additionally, volunteers staying longer than 4 weeks will participate in an individual shark identification project. This uses photo ID techniques to develop a catalogue on endemic shark species in Walker Bay.
Part of your stay will include completing the Shark Research Project Course which results in a certification. As part of the course you will see a shark dissection and collect data on a moribund shark.
What are the aims of this Conservation & Environment project?
The primary aims of the Shark Conservation Project in South Africa are to:
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- Conduct and coordinate research on sharks, their habitats, population dynamics, and behavioural ecology
- Collect baseline data on marine biodiversity, ecology and habitats within Walker Bay
- Develop holistic and realistic conservation and management recommendations based on thorough science
- Collect, collate and contribute consistent and reliable data to environmental, fishery, management and conservation organisations
- Work with fishermen to develop realistic solutions to fishery issues
- Provide free education programmes to local communities, schools, fishermen, and conservationists to encourage a broad understanding of threats facing marine ecosystems
- Use science-based data in a public forum to demystify sharks and promote better understanding of the ecological role of apex predators in marine ecosystems
- Work with regional educators to develop shark-related educational resources
- Promote sustainable use of living marine resources through science, education and awareness
The shark research being carried out on the project in South Africa helps to ensure that scientists and marine protection lobbyists are provided with regular and consistent scientific data about the life history, reproductive information, movement and biology of the sharks found in South African waters. This information is vital for devising successful conservation and management strategies, helping to keep these specific shark species off the critically endangered species lists.
The Shark Conservation Project is based in the Old Harbour Museum in the coastal town of Hermanus in South Africa. Hermanus is situated on the shores of Walker Bay, which lies at the meeting of two great oceans – the Atlantic and Indian Oceans.
Sharks play a crucial role in our oceans. Most sharks serve as apex predators at the top of the marine food pyramid. Directly or indirectly they regulate the natural balance of the marine ecosystems, at all levels, and are therefore an essential part of them. Sharks usually hunt old, weak or sick prey and help to keep the prey population in good condition, enabling these more naturally fit animals to reproduce and pass on their genes.
The Shark Conservation Project in South Africa forms part of Projects Abroad’s Global Shark Campaign, which gives people from various backgrounds and ages the chance to help with the conservation of sharks and marine life. Projects Abroad are embarking on a campaign in 18 countries across four continents to raise awareness on shark conservation.
Where will I live on this project?
Volunteers live together in shared accommodation in Hermanus, with 2 – 4 volunteers sharing a room. A local housekeeper looks after the volunteer accommodation and prepares three meals a day. Packed lunches are provided on days in the field.
You will be met at the international airport in Cape Town and be transferred to Hermanus, 1.5 hours away.
The local food consists of plenty of rice, potatoes, bread, chicken and starchy root vegetables. Tropical fruit like papaya, mango, pineapple and watermelon are available in season. Vegetarians can be catered for.
Hermanus offers a variety of activities, including kayaking, fishing, hiking, boat-based whale watching trips (in season). There is also excellent scuba diving, and some of South Africa’s most beautiful beaches. There are many restaurants, art galleries and local shops to visit. Since it is situated only 1.5hours from Cape Town, volunteers can easily access the city and all it has to offer.
You can join the Conservation & Environment project in South Africa for two or three weeks if you don’t have time to join us for four weeks or more. This project has been selected by our local colleagues as being suitable for short term volunteering for both the host community and the volunteer. Although you will gain a valuable cultural insight and work within the local area please be aware that you may not be able to make the same impact as someone volunteering for a longer period.
Again, the link to apply is here and if you would like more information on this and many other volunteer opportunities, you can find it here.
This is your chance to make a real difference.
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.
No more drumlines, let the shark killing begin?
Shark Year Magazine just published this:
Western Australian Government to take action to protect human life when necessary due to an imminent shark threat
The State Government has reached an agreement with the Commonwealth Government that will ensure in the event of a shark attack or threat; immediate action can be taken by the Western Australian Government to implement the imminent threat policy.
Premier Colin Barnett said this would enable the State Government to respond quickly in the event of a shark posing a threat, or after an attack.
“It is important that that we can take action to protect human life when necessary due to an imminent threat, without delay,” he said.
“Protocols are being developed to this effect, consistent with Federal environmental law so no ongoing further approvals would be required from the Commonwealth,” Mr Barnett said.
“The Federal and State governments will work together so that the State Government can take appropriate action to protect public safety when there is an imminent threat from a shark, as was the case in the recent attack in Esperance.”
“This approach strikes the necessary balance between protecting public safety and protecting our environment,” he said.
The Premier confirmed the State Government had withdrawn its application for Commonwealth approval of the drum line shark hazard mitigation program.
In light of the recommendations from the Western Australian Environmental Protection Authority, he said that the application to the Commonwealth had been withdrawn.
“We have withdrawn the application after reaching agreement with the Commonwealth which enables us to take immediate action when there is an imminent threat,” Mr Barnett said.
“This will mean we will not need to wait for approvals from Canberra in the event of an imminent threat.”
Source: Government of Western Australia
I wonder, what this really means. What constitutes an imminent threat? I’m not sure that Barnett, who doesn’t seem to know a whole lot about sharks, is a good person to answer that question.Shark diving, swimming with sharks, cage diving, great white sharks,
After diving with great white sharks for 14 years, I’ve come to the conclusion, that these sharks are “predictably unpredictable” and I wouldn’t know, how to reduce the already miniscule risk of a shark attack, other than avoiding certain spots or spots at certain times. In my opinion, if they are concerned about swimmers safety, they should spend the money they use for shark mitigation on additional life guards or better equipment for them. That might actually save some swimmers from drowning, a far greater risk than getting bit by a shark.
We shall see, how this turns out.
We cage dive with great white sharks, swim with sharks at Isla Guadalupe Island.
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.
Do sharks feel pain?
There have been quite a few articles written on wether sharks feel pain or not. There is a lot of contention on both sides of the issue and the debate has gotten quite personal and ugly.
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| “Dr. Bob” with big bite marks on his gills. |
“DaShark” has summarized what’s going on quite well and you can read his thoughts in his blog here.
I’m on the fence on the issue myself. I love sharks and personally would like to see a complete ban on shark fishing. Having said that, I know that this is an unrealistic expectation and that is why Shark Diver started the shark free marina initiative and began working with shark tournaments to include a catch and release division. Now catch and release has become highly controversial as well, specially in light of post release mortality and the above mentioned “can sharks feel pain” debate. Catch and release, with it’s post release mortality rate, is certainly not ideal, but it’s far better than catch and kill, with a 100% mortality rate.
As far as the pain is concerned, I’m not a scientist, so I can’t argue with scientific facts. I have been diving with great white sharks at Isla Guadalupe for 14 years and my observations have led me to think that they do not feel pain like we do.
Ila France Porter, in her blog, writes “Since animals cannot tell us how they feel, scientists have searched indirectly for evidence about their subjective experiences, in the studies of neuroanatomy, neurophysiology and behavior. Researchers have developed strict criteria, all of which need to be met, before they can conclude that an animal can feel pain”.
Fish meet all of these criteria, as has been shown in a wide variety of experiments. (Sneddon et al 2003, Reilly et al 2008).
The blog further states that “the animal should be able to learn to avoid a painful stimulus. This should be so important to the animal that it avoids the threat of pain right away. The painful event should strongly interfere with normal behavior — it should not be an instantaneous withdrawal response, but long-term distress.”
and “Yet no evidence has ever been produced to support the idea that an animal could live successfully, and survive, without the ability to feel pain, which is an important warning sensation. It would result in inappropriate behaviour, and the fish would go straight into evolution’s garbage can. Only a small percentage of fish who come into the world live to adulthood, and any weakness would doom them”
My problem with these statement is this. If they are true, how would white sharks, along with other species, whose mating is an extremely painful event, survive? If their feeling of pain causes them to “avoid the threat of pain right away” and “the pain strongly interferes with their normal behavior”, wouldn’t they learn to avoid mating in the first place and thus become extinct?
The very survival of a lot of sharks is dependent on what would be a very painful mating procedure, pain, that this article says the animal feeling it, would avoid at all cost.
I know, this is not going to be popular, but based on the above reasons and my observation of sharks with severe bit wounds, like “Chugey” in this picture, swimming around without any signs of distress, I’m not convinced that they feel pain in any way similar to humans.
Like I stated above, I’m not a fan of catch and release fishing and don’t want people to mistreat any living creature. What I’m saying though is this. If we want something to change, we have to address it scientifically and not emotionally. It’s easy to convince other people who love sharks as much as we do to protect them. If we want to save sharks, we have to convince those who do not share our love for the sharks to change. In order to do that, we need scientific facts and not rhetoric.
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.
How to conquer fear of sharks? Break the law?
Frightened of the water? Go swimming with great whites. that is the heading of an article in the “Telegraph”, published a couple of days ago.
Catchy phrase! So is this article really about conquering the fear of sharks? Well, I don’t think so. The article is really about Jean Marie Ghislain, one of the guys we have written about here when we talked about the out of cage diving that is going on at Guadalupe Island on various occasions. We all know that it is illegal to do so and, if anything were to happen on those dives, could threaten all the shark diving operations there.
Jean-Marie Ghislain posted pictures like this.
When we wrote about him, he of course was outraged by my comments and responded with this statement.
“Hello Martin, I am the owner of those images and I was very surprised to see them on the blog article you posted. I would like to ask you to immediatly remove them from the web as well as the comments that concerns them- which dont correspond to the reality in that specific situation. The person who is facing the shark had to push the shark away as it was a very intrusive personality and he touched it as little as he could and the dive was aborted immediatly. I don’t want the images to be used in a provocative way when they don’t reflect the reality of what happened. And I especially don’t condone or encourage physical contacts with sharks, but in this specific instance, it could not be avoided by the diver- as I said, he got out of the water right away after the occurence. I am looking forward to hearing from you soon, Thank you, Jean-Marie Ghislain”
So after removing the “offending” pictures and publishing his response here, he is now featured in this article on the “Telegraph”
Jean Marie Ghislain is quoted as saying. “One day in Guadalupe [an island off Baja California in Mexico] three of us were swimming with two great whites. One was a young macho who just wanted us out of the water. But there was this huge, five-metre female who was the coolest shark I’ve ever met. She played with us for one and a half hours and she wanted the contact – she was free to move wherever she wanted, but she clearly wanted company.”
When I said they were not having shark conservation on their minds, while they did this out of cage diving, but rather did this for a “look at me” publicity stunt, Ghislain was outraged and asked me to remove that comment immediately. He said that it didn’t correspond to the reality of that specific situation and that they left the water immediately when the shark got too “intrusive”. Now Ghislain has the guts to publish the comment above.
Turns out that the article is not really about conquering the fear of sharks, but rather a promotion for his book “shark: fear and beauty”. Again, no self interest involved here at all! “sharkcasm” intended.
It is really bad, when guys can blatantly disregard a law, endanger all the other operators at Guadalupe and pretend it’s about shark conservation. Make no mistake, this is not about shark conservation, or getting people to conquer their fear of sharks. This is all about self promotion and making money.
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.
Shark conservation at it’s best!
Great news out of Fiji. “DaShark” has just sent me an email, letting me know that the Shark Reef Marine Reserve Fiji has been officially designated a National Marine Park. Celebration from Dave emery on Vimeo.Thanks to all the guys and gals at Beqa Adv…
A 99.999999% effective shark repellent!
Finally, after years of careful research and countless hours spent analyzing shark bite data from all over the world, after comparing all the shark repelling products on the market, we at Shark Diver have found the one shark repellent that works in giv…
Cageless diving with Great White Sharks. Good idea?
This is for all of you who are thinking that it is a good idea to go outside of a cage and dive with Great White Sharks and say that they treat you as one of their own. Check out this video shark diving, great white shark diving, swimming with great wh…
Pictures and trip report from Guadalupe
Marie Tartar has posted some great pictures and written a blog about her recent trip to Guadalupe Island with us.Cage diving, swimming with sharks, shark diving, at Isla Guadalupe. experience a real shark weekOn her FB page she writes. “Just when you t…
“Chugey” is back at Guadalupe
Just how rough a life do Great White Sharks have? We have talked about the amazing healing power of these amazing animals here and it looks like they really need that ability to heal. Chugey, the shark we were talking about in that blog, is back at Gua…
A whole lot of fighting going on at Isla Guadalupe.
We have seen an unusual number of sharks with fresh bite marks at Guadalupe Island this season. It seems like most sharks, over about 12 ft long have some kind of new bite marks on their bodies. Chugey has another nice bite to his head, a new shark’s f…
Epic pictures from Guadalupe!
On our recent expedition to Guadalupe Island, we had a couple of talented amateur photographers on board. Kyle and Tiffany Chapman. They documented their “real shark week” with these pictures, all taken with a Gopro!As you can see, the sharks have been…
The boys are back at Isla Guadalupe.
We just finished our second trip and the action continued, where it left off on the last trip. A lot of familiar faces are back at Guadalupe. Our boys, Don Julian, Horizon, Kenric, Geoff Nuttall Mike, Drogin Thor and Micks are all back and Lamini, a little female from last season was also around. We counted a total of 15 named sharks, along with 4 new ones and a few we haven’t identified yet.
There seems to be a lot of fighting going on at Guadalupe right now. Many sharks are sporting brand new bite marks. I saw Horizon take a big chunk out of a bigger sharks head, which is very unusual, since the hierarchy is usually established based on size. (we haven’t identified the bigger shark yet) Chuggy, who we talked about last season, having recovered from a nasty bite to his head, came by with some very fresh bite marks on his face. The big gash from 2 seasons ago, is now just visible as a black scar.
With all that fighting going on, I hope that those idiots who dive outside the cages, thinking the sharks are accepting them as one of their own, are wrong. I have seen, what those sharks do to smaller sharks and those guys would indeed be very, very small sharks.
Oh, did I mention that the sharks got close?
We are just about to board another group of divers. I will update you on our season, when we get back in 5 days.
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 sharkcrew@gmail.com.
What is happening at Guadalupe Island?
We just came back from our first expedition to Guadalupe Island. It was, what can I say, phenomenal!. We saw over 20 different sharks, with both familiar and new faces. I’m happy to say that Jacques, Bite Face, Johnny, Thor, Squire, Gunther and #148 are all back, safe and sound.
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| Jacques and Criss Cross |
Criss Cross, who we haven’t seen in a few years also showed up, missing a big chunk of flesh, in the right pelvic area, but the injury seems fully healed. These sharks seem to have a rough live, but their healing ability is absolutely remarkable.
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| Criss Cross with new mutilation. |
After a flat calm crossing to the Island, the action was non stop on day one. Bite Face and Gunther competing for who can his picture taken more often. One diver ended up taking 7000 pictures in one day!!!
Gunther also showed a new and unusual behavior for a white shark. He came up to the cage, very slowly and proceeded to bite the cage in various places. He was going in slow motion and though it didn’t seem to be a predatory kind of biting, it is just another reminder, that it is definitely a good thing to stay inside the cages, despite what any “expert” says to the contrary.
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| Think being outside is a good idea? |
On day two the action didn’t slow down. It actually got even better. We lost count at 13 different sharks, at least four of them being new individuals, that have not been added to our photo id database.
On our last day, the sharks gave us an unbelievable send off. At least 10 individuals came by to say goodbye to our divers.
We only have a couple of hours, before we leave again on our second “real shark week”. I can’t wait to be back down there and introducing a new group of divers to these magnificent creatures.
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.
Cage free shark diving at Guadalupe?
A couple of days ago, I wrote about this video, that was taken aboard “our” vessel “Horizon” last November. REMUS SharkCam: The hunter and the hunted from Woods Hole Oceanographic Inst. on Vimeo.This video is part of the Discovery Channels “Shark week”…
Newly added Great White Shark Expedition.
Yesterday, we sold the last spaces for this years Great White Shark expeditions to Guadalupe Island.It didn’t take long for our phones to ring, with divers asking us to add another trip to our schedule. So we decided to run another expedition from Nove…
Shark attack filmed at Guadalupe Island
In November of 2013, the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution took “our” vessel “Horizon” to Guadalupe Island to do some research on Great White Sharks.This is a video of the expedition. REMUS SharkCam: The hunter and the hunted from Woods Hole Oceanog…
Shark sightings good for business?
We always hear about “shark scares” in the media. In Western Australia, the government is conducting a highly controversial shark cull, mostly because of fear that sharks are bad for business.
shark diving, swimming with sharks is fun, cage diving, bull sharks
So I was quite surprise to see this headline “Shark sightings off Cape Cod a boon for tourism“
The East Valley Tribune writes “ In “Jaws,” the fictional mayor tried to protect the summer tourism season by keeping a lid on reports of the man-eater lurking offshore. As sightings of great white sharks mount off Cape Cod in real life, however, businesses in the Massachusetts town of Chatham are embracing the frenzy.”
Maybe the Western Australia government should visit Chatham Mass. and talk to their businesses. They would hear that instead of the great white sharks scaring tourists away, they actually attract them.
Shark T-shirts are everywhere, “Jaws” has been playing in local theaters and boat tours are taking more tourists out to see the huge seal population that keeps the sharks coming. Harbormasters have issued warnings but — unlike the sharks in the movies — the great whites generally are not seen as a threat to human swimmers.
No sensational headlines, no mass hysteria, no loss of business. Why don’t we see more of this kind of reporting in the media?
A local business man is quoted as saying: “I mean, truthfully, we’ve probably grown about 500 percent in terms of the sale of our shark apparel,” he said. The T-shirts, hoodies, hats, belts, dog collars and other accessories bear the iconic, torpedo-shaped image of great whites and sell for between $10 and $45.
Read the entire article here
It’s nice to see that an entire community has been embracing the great white sharks and found a way to use them to their benefit. This is an example, how humans and nature can benefit from each other. The people have a booming economy and the sharks don’t get culled. Are you listening, Western Australia?
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.
Japanese Whaling Crew eaten by Killer Whales?
Journalism standards, and I’m using the term “standards” very loosely, have pretty much disappeared in a lot of cases. Take today’s headline on the “worldnewsdailyreport” which proclaimed “japanese whaling crew eaten alive by killer whales 16-dead”
Now for those of you who don’t know about the World News Daily Report, this is how they describe themselves.
“World News Daily Report is a news and political satire web publication, which may or may not use real names, often in semi-real or mostly fictitious ways. All news articles contained within worldnewsdailyreport.com are fiction, and presumably fake news. Any resemblance to the truth is purely coincidental, except for all references to politicians and/or celebrities, in which case they are based on real people, but still based almost entirely in fiction.”
So basically, they are like “The Onion”, a satirical publication. That didn’t stop other “reputable” news organizations, like the “International Business Times” from putting up headlines like “Killer Whales Gobble Japanese Whaling Crew” even AOL in the UK put up a headline “Pod of Killer Whales apparently attacked whaling crew”. After I wrote to the editor of the International Business Times, they changed their story to say that it was a hoax. AOL in the UK followed suit, citing the correction in the “IBT”
This explains a lot about how the news business works. Someone comes out with a story and everyone else just picks it up, without checking any sources or facts.
Japanese Whaling Crew Eaten Alive By Killer Whales, 16 dead – See more at: http://worldnewsdailyreport.com/japanese-whaling-crew-eaten-alive-by-killer-whales-16-dead/#sthash.6hQvDwjd.dpufjapanese-whaling-crew-eaten-alive-by-killer-whales-16-dea
Then of course, stories like these also bring out some crazy responses like this.
“Pretty gruesome scene, my sincere condolences to loved ones for your loss. As tragic as this may be, hopefully the Japanese will see this as a sign that Gaia’s had enough of Japan’s cavalier, inhumane stance on whaling – “ENOUGH”!
If you live here on the Hawaiian islands long enough, before long it becomes evident almost everyone that spends time here that the consciousness of our “Earth Mother” is everywhere, in every moment, every drop of water every cloud, in every little thing and in every living creature – we co-exist in a conscious world.
This tragic event was no coincidence.”
source
So the bottom line is. Don’t believe everything you read. Check things out for yourself.
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’s the difference between a Great White and a Tiger Shark?
Not only does shark week sensationalize sharks. Now in their effort to “educate” people, they ask this.I knew that the stripes can fade, but looking like a White Shark? Lets see, is this a tiger shark or a white shark below?What am I? Tiger or White Sh…
“Sharknado” is real!
When the syfy channel aired “sharknado” last year, we all assumed that unlike the Megalodon: The Monster Shark Lives! “documentary” on the Discovery channel, it was meant to be a spoof. Well, we have been wrong.
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Just before the release of “Sharknado 2”, Tara Reid, in an interview with GQ magazine said:
“I mean, the chances of it happening are very rare, but it can happen actually. Which is crazy. Not that it – the chances of it are, like, you know, it’s like probably ‘pigs could fly’. Like, I don’t think pigs could fly, but actually sharks could be stuck in tornados. There could be a sharknado.”
Ahhhh,…… well,……. wow!
Tara, I mean the chances of it happening are very rare, but it can happen actually, which is crazy, not that it, the chances of it are rare, like, you know, it’s like you actually have a coherent thought, like I don’t think you could have a coherent thought, but actually you could be waking up one day, with a coherent thought. You could actually make sense one day!
In a related story, Discovery Channel has announced that Tara Reid will be joining them as a “shark expert” on shark after dark. We applaud their decision to add Tara to their lineup of shark experts. It will greatly improve the quality of those experts.
If you want to see those sharks in their natural environment, before they’re all sucked up in a tornado, join us on one of our our expeditions.
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 going to be at Guadalupe?
Our Great White Shark season is starting in a couple of weeks. This is going to be my 14th year, visiting Guadalupe Island and believe it or not, I’m getting more excited to go back each year. I just can’t wait to see who’s back. Is “Shredder” going to…
Could the Manhattan Beach shark bite have been predicted?
The recent shark bite incident at Manhattan Beach Pier, made worldwide headlines. Just google “shark attack Manhattan Beach” and you get literally pages and pages of links with headlines screaming “Shark Attack”.
Weather.com used the picture below to catch their readers attention and wrote that A 7-foot-long great white shark attacked a swimmer off the California’s Manhattan Beach on Saturday, causing panic amongst crowds of people enjoying one of Southern California’s most popular beaches on the 4th of July holiday weekend.
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Now a headline and picture like that would scare any sane reader and make them think twice about swimming in the ocean.
Of course we know, that the shark didn’t really attack the swimmer, but was trying to get away from a fisherman, who had him hooked on a line, instead. Was this just a freak accident, or could this have been predicted?
Back in November of 2013, Pete Thomas wrote a piece for Grind TV about swimmers and fishermen harassing juvenile great white sharks at the exact location where this swimmer got bit. The article says:
“White sharks are a candidate species under the California Endangered Species Act and therefore fully protected,” Traci Larinto and Michelle Horeczko, part of the state Department of Fish and Wildlife’s White Shark Status Review Team, explained in a statement. “They cannot be taken or pursued. The public should take steps to avoid white sharks while fishing or being out on the water.”
As to the legality of trying to catch great white sharks, it has this statement:
“Right now, every surfer/thrill seeker with a GoPro is going out to Manhattan Beach and trying to film them, ride them, and catch them on hook and line,” said Christopher Lowe, a Cal State Long Beach professor and white shark expert. “Most people do not understand CESA regulations and that even incidental catch [or] being caught swimming after a shark with a GoPro camera can be considered take or harassment and is a citable, even jailable offense.”
So it comes as hardly a surprise that there are juvenile great white sharks in the area and unfortunately, it seems that, despite the law protecting them, some fishermen are still purposely trying to catch them.
“One rumor is that a couple of fishermen have caught and killed some sharks off El Porto and supposedly found squid in the stomachs. I just don’t think the public understands the ramifications of the law here.”
We have known for quite a while, that juvenile great white sharks are in the vicinity of Manhattan Beach and that fishermen, along with thrill seekers are harassing and trying to catch them. So it comes hardly as a surprise that something finally happened. Predictably though, the headlines don’t say that illegal shark fishing was to blame, but instead scream “Shark attack!”
It looks like the authorities have also realized that the fishing was the cause of this shark bite and reacted by banning all fishing from the pier, for the next 60 days.
This situation reminds me of all the idiots going outside the cages at Isla Guadalupe, where sooner or later, something might happen as well.
If you want to legally and safely swim with tiger sharks, dive with great white shark, or come face to face bull sharks, give us a call at 619.987.4275 or send us an email at staff@sharkdiver.com.
We specialize in “Safe and Sane” shark diving, always using cages when diving with great white sharks and only diving with sharks, where it is safe and legal to do so.
When done responsibly, swimming with these awesome creatures is truly an experience of a lifetime. After 14 years of diving with all kinds of sharks, I’ve come to love and respect them for what they are, highly efficient predators, that are neither mindless killers, nor harmless pets.
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.
Illegal shark fishing causes injury to swimmer.
A swimmer in Manhattan Beach, CA was bitten this morning by a juvenile great white shark! Predictably, the headlines are screaming “Shark Attack Injures Swimmer!” and “Swimmer Attacked by Shark!”
Here is what actually happened. A man, fishing from the pier, caught a juvenile great white shark and was fighting it for 40 minutes. Trying to get away, the shark started biting at the line and in doing so, bit a swimmer. It is illegal to fish for great white sharks in California. Here is an excerpt from the California Fish and Game regulations.
“As defined in state law, “take” means “hunt, pursue, catch, capture, or kill or attempt to hunt, pursue, catch, capture, or kill.” Anyone who takes a white shark without a permit may be cited for violations of CESA and subject to criminal prosecution”
As usual, when something happens with a white shark, the shark gets the blame, not the fisherman who was endangering the public, by fighting a great white shark in waters crowded with swimmers on a holiday weekend! The headlines should read something like this “Illegal shark fishing causing serious harm to swimmer!”
Luckily the swimmer has non life-threatening injuries and we hope he’ll have a speedy recovery.
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.
Shark Cull, last chance to submit your comments!
The submission period for public co…
Breathhold diving at Tiger Beach
Shark Diver Just finished a trip to tiger beach in the Bahamas, where we encountered up to 6 tiger sharks at a time.Chris and Euse were freediving during our expedition and have written about their experience here.They have also taken this amazing pict…
Western Australian Shark Cull. Make a difference!
The Australian EPA is doing a Public Environmental Review (PER) and is soliciting comments from the public. This is our chance to be heard, but please consider a few things, before you write your response.
As usual, “DaShark” has beat me to it and written an excellent blog on the subject. Here are a couple of things he mentions.
During the first period of public review, here is what happened.
The 14 week trial attracted intense media and community interest.
The trial generated:
- 765 separate articles on sharks in local, state and national newspapers
- 1,100 radio news bulletins on sharks (Western Australia)
- 850 radio talk back comments on sharks (Western Australia)
- 290 television news items on sharks (Western Australia)
- 286,000 emails and letters to the Department of the Premier and Cabinet (DPC) – a significant number of which were pro forma emails
- and a significant number of postings on Twitter and Facebook, some of which were offensive and contained personal attacks on members of the Government and staff involved with the program.
And the net result of that onslaught of unsolicited appeals, petitions (= pro forma emails), opinions and abuse?
A big fat zero.
So why did all that media attention, written petitions and postings on social media have no effect on their decision? Well, it did have an effect. Probably not the effect you were hoping for, but an effect nonetheless.
The government is stating:
The 14-week trial generated “offensive and contained personal attacks on members of the Government and staff involved with the program” on Twitter and Facebook.
Supporters said they had “no choice but to stay quiet due to the level of abuse and vilification received”, describing the level of personal attack and social media postings as “unacceptable”.
“The Government is now more acutely aware of the level of abuse that was directed towards supporters of the program and the reasons for so many staying silent,”
So basically, they blame us for why, what they claim is the silent majority, has stayed quiet on the subject. They are not kidding, that’s what they believe. If we want them to listen to us, we have to mind what we say and how we say it.
Here is DaShark’s advice.
Both the postulated silent majority and the anti-cull faction have an equal opportunity to have their voices heard – and I sure hope that the latter is not only composed of social media slacktivists and agitators but that instead, it will make a vigorous attempt at turning things around by fielding rational arguments.
Not really convinced that the WA government will listen – but along with the federal assessment, it’s the best opportunity we got.
Not really convinced that the WA government will listen – but along with the federal assessment, it’s the best opportunity we got.
Recommendations here.
Please make your submission – the clock is ticking!
I could not have said it any better myself. Here is the link with all the information on how to submit your comments. Let’s make our voices heard!
Cheers,
Martin Graf
CEO
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.
10 ft. white shark being eaten? Mystery solved!
Yesterday we talked about the international headlines of “Great white shark being eaten by sea monster”.
Here is a response by CISRO, the organization who placed the tag on the shark in question.
When we looked at its data there was a period of approximately three weeks just before the tag surfaced where the temperature recorded was higher than the surrounding sea, but where the tag continued to ‘dive’ in a pattern consistent with a white shark. During this time, the tag failed to record light. Data before and after suggest the tag was functioning normally. The temperature recorded for these three weeks was consistent with that of the core body temperature of a white shark but too low for something like a killer whale.
They go on to explain, what they think had happened.
At one point the shark that had eaten the tag dived to a depth of 570 m – this is not unusual for white sharks – it is normal behaviour. This dive took place about one week prior to the tag recording the higher temperatures (not immediately before as some have reported) and the two events are not related.
All evidence suggests that the tag had been eaten by another white shark. We have seen white sharks biting each other before, sometimes removing pieces of tissue in the process. We concluded that this was the most likely explanation – One shark bit off a little more than he could chew and ended up swallowing the tag.
We never concluded that the 3m shark was consumed by another much larger shark.
Yesterday I questioned the “scientists” conclusion, that a sea monster ate the shark. Now we know that there were not even any scientists that concluded that, it was simply the filmmaker ignoring what the group who placed the tag in the first place had to say. Now that’s something you’d expect from a Sci Fi channel production, not a Smithsonian “documentary”!
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.
Great White Shark eaten by even bigger Great White Shark?
The story that a tagged great white shark has been eaten by another great white shark is making headlines around the world. Various news outlets like UPI are reporting that “Australian scientists are searching for a “mystery sea monster” that likely devoured a nine-foot-long great white shark they’d been tracking.” and People magazine is saying it was a “colossal cannibal great white shark” and even stating that it’s size is “estimated at 16 feet long and over 2 tons”
Now what has lead these “scientists” to this conclusion? In the following video they say that the shark suddenly plunged to 580 meters, about 1900 ft., where the temperature of the tag went from 46 degrees farenheit to 78. (BTW. the tagged shark shown at 2:12 in the video, is actually one of our Guadalupe sharks) People magazine states that “They (the researchers) end up coming to the terrifying hypothesis that a “colossal cannibal great white shark” – estimated at 16 feet long and over 2 tons – snacked on his lil’ buddy. The scientists offer several suggestions as to how this nightmare become reality: Perhaps this was a territorial dispute, or maybe the larger shark was so hungry it was driven to attack another of its own species”
Wow, that is amazing! They not only know that this shark has been killed, they also know what killed it and even estimate the size of the killer. How the heck did they do that? Estimate the size and species of a predator by the temperature of a tag. And here I was, finding it incredible that another guy claims to be able to do that by the shape of a dorsal fin.
So let’s look at a few facts. The great white sharks do indeed maintain a body temperature of a few degrees above the water temperature. According to Elasmo-research.org, great white sharks maintain a muscle temperature of 7-9 degrees f, and a stomach temperature of 13-25 degrees f above water temperature. The scientists claim that the tag could not have fallen off, because it would have recorded a lower temperature first, before the jump to the higher temperature, after it was eaten. So if that were true, that would put the maximum temperature inside a great white shark stomach at 64 degrees and not 78.
Since the tags we are talking about here, are external, they record the temperature of the water and not that of the sharks muscle. Therefore, they would not have recorded a lower temperature after falling off. The fact that it plummeted straight down to 1900 feet is a further indication that the tag fell off. If another shark had attacked this 9+ ft great white, there would have been a struggle and they would not just have plummeted down. Also, the typical attack behavior of a great white shark is to strike and let the prey die, not fight with it and take it down deep.
Having watched great white sharks at Isla Guadalupe for 13 years, I’ve seen them fight, bite each other and noticed that the smaller sharks tend to stay away from the bigger ones. Those actions always seemed to be a way to establish the pecking order and not an attempt to kill and eat the other shark. As a matter of fact, when we encountered a dead shark a number of years ago, all the other sharks stayed away from the area for a while, indicating that they weren’t comfortable being in an area with a dead one of their own.
I have no problem saying that I have no idea what happened to this shark, but for the scientists to state that a “colossal cannibalistic shark” ate this individual, simply because of the temperature recording of a tag, is not very scientific at all.
This whole thing happened 9 years ago. So why is this all over the news now? Well, according to People, The Smithsonian Channel repackaged an Australian documentary called The Search for the Ocean’s Super Predator into another doc called Hunt for the Super Predator.
So all this is done to promote a “documentary” by the Smithsonian channel. Why am I not surprised that after “Nat. Geo” and “The Discovery Channel” they are just going after sensational headlines to boost their ratings as well. Let’s just scare the heck out of people by letting them believe that there are monsters lurking in the Ocean. It’s not like people don’t have an irrational fear of sharks already. It’s not like they are killing sharks based on this irrational fear. No, they need to stoke that fear so that they can sell their stupid “documentary”. Damn the consequences!
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
Sharkfishing tournament. A silver lining?
They just posted the results of the 2014 Ocean City Shark tournament hereThe bad news, they killed 15 sharks, 7 blue-, 6 mako- and 2 thresher-sharks.The good news, they released 107 sharks. The prize money for the release division was slightly higher t…
Shark scare in Orange County?
A couple of days ago, there was a fake shark scare in Newport Beach, CA.
The Orange County Register reports:
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“NEWPORT BEACH – The warning was clear: A big, aggressive great white shark is on the loose along the shores in Newport Beach, and beachgoers are advised to stay away from the water.”
Problem was, local lifeguards and the U.S. Coast Guard never heard of any shark danger.
“I guess it was one of the local guys; someone who wanted to keep the crowds down at a break out there,” Coast Guard search and rescue controller Sandy Needle said about the notice. “There was nothing from the Coast Guard.”
The warning – which appeared on official-looking letterhead that said “United States Coast Guard” in the notification dated Wednesday – was floating around on Facebook, claiming that three incidents should put beachgoers on high alert.
The article goes on to give the details of the warning which contained the following paragraph:
The third sighting, the notice read, came when two lifeguards got a call about an adult-sized shark that bumped two kayakers and swam away after the boaters struck it “with an oar in the gill area of the fish.”
So far so good, it looks like the media is responsible for once and instead of hyping up a shark scare, are trying to calm the public.
The article then states, how they recognized the warning as fake.
“Although the flier looked official, there were a lot of clues that it was a fake.
“There’s a lot of misspellings, and it called a shark a fish,” Needle said.”
Well there you have it. It called the shark a fish! No self respecting Coast Guard representative would call a shark a fish! Everyone knows it’s not a fish, it’s a…. hmm, no not that, it’s a …… , I’m stumped! Any of you know?
Maybe I should be asking an expert in these matters.
You can read the entire article here
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.
Best shark dive in the world?
We just got back from 2 weeks in Fiji, diving with Beqa Adventure Divers. The shark dive is billed as the “Best shark dive in the world”. Now that’s quite a bold statement. …… so did they deliver?For me, to be great, a shark diving operation doesn’…
Interesting opportunity for shark researchers.
A dead 50′ fin whale that washed up on shore at Point Loma in San Diego yesterday, will be towed out to sea by the Marine Conservation Science Institute today. Shark diving, cage diving, swimming with sharks at Isla Guadalupe, with www.sharkdiver.com s…
Where do “our” great white sharks give birth to their young?
Back in 2000, when we started diving with great white sharks at Isla Guadalupe, we knew very little about where the sharks were going, when they are not at the Island. I remember the days, when the scientists thought that they went to Shark cafe/Sofa t…
Better spot tags for great white sharks?
The Marine Conservation Science Institute has revealed a new kind of spot tag.”Can you identify three MCSI innovations/modifications? They ask on their FB page. “Two are done at the manufacturer and one is done in our lab (painting does not count!). …
A new friend at Guadalupe
We have a new friend at Isla Guadalupe. Meet “Myla” our new addition to the photo ID database. She’s a beautiful female!Cage diving with great white sharks at Isla Guadalupe. shark diving, “Mayla”I can’t wait to go back there this fall and see all our…
Political reality in conservation!
OK, I know this is not strictly shark related, but how can we succeed in persuading our politicians to pass laws to protect our environment and endangered species, when they publicly violate the few laws they are passing?
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This is a photo that Senator Cruz tweeted today. He’s proudly posing with fellow Senator Lee showing himself “doing a little shopping for the office” You can see his tweet here.
Just in case you are not aware, that it is illegal to bring any part of an endangered species into this country, here is a quote from the US Fish and Wildlife Service’s website.
“Furs: Most of the world’s wild cats, including tigers and such spotted species as jaguar, leopard, ocelot, margay, and leopard cat, are protected. You cannot import skins or items made from, or trimmed with, the fur of these animals. Furs from seals, polar bears, and sea otters are also prohibited.”
You can read the entire section on their Law Enforcement page here.
It is frustrating to say the least, when all the hard work that goes into passing a law to protect our endangered species finally pays off, and a law is passed, only to see the lawmakers themselves violating those laws.
At least these two were dumb (or maybe arrogant) enough to post their illegal activities on twitter.
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 sharkcrew@gmail.com.
Good news on WA shark cull?
Western Australia has decided to open the shark cull policy to a Public Environmental Review. That is great news! There is a four week period for us to send in our submissions. They have not published an address for those comments to be sent to, which …
Important information on the WA shark cull!
As most of you know, after the WA government stated that the shark cull was for a limited time, they are now trying to extend it for the next 3 years. The WA EPA is asking for comments from the public, and it is crunch time for getting those comments t…
How many bull sharks fit in one picture?
On our expedition to Fiji last year, I was fortunate enough to be able to take the picture below. We counted 34 bull sharks in this shot. Great white shark diving, cage diving, guadalupe Island Now Mike “da shark” tells me, that Sam Cahir has thr…
“Expert” advice on avoiding a shark attack?
The Huffington post had this nice article yesterday, telling their readers “What Not To Do Around Sharks, According To The Experts”I have to admit, I was curious as to what we should not do around sharks. After all, we can always learn something …
Come meet us in San Diego.
If you are in the San Diego area on Sunday, April 13, come see us at the H&M landing, located at 2803 Emerson Street San Diego, CA 92106. We are going to be located at the end of the dock. Look for our cages. Cage diving with great white sharks at …
Shark Diver is going to Fiji
Shark Diver is going to Fiji in May! Our first expedition is from May 2 -11 and the second leaves on May 9 and returns on May 19For more information call 855.987.4275 or 619.887.4275. Email staff@sharkdiver.com Lets go shark diving!Cheers,Martin …
Is Japan going to stop killing whales?
I know it’s not really about sharks, but wow! How could anyone that cares about anything in the Ocean not be excited about this! Japan has agreed to stop killing whales in the Antarctic!The BBC reports that “The UN’s International Court of Justice (ICJ…
Is everything what it seems?
My last blog sure has stirred up some emotion and sparked some debate. Some people have taken it very personal and have ripped, not just the activity, but also the character of Jean-Marie Ghislain. I always try to be fair and tell things the way I see …
So what is really going on at Guadalupe?
You don’t need to go outside a cage to be close to the sharks!Yesterday I wrote a blog, talking about those idiot who dove outside the cages at Guadalupe Island. I used a couple of pictures that are posted on flickr, showing the incident. In response t…
Response to “What’s going on at Guadalupe?”
I got this response from the person who says he took the photos that I posted in this blog. Here is what he said: “Hello Martin, I am the owner of those images and I was very surprised to see them on the blog article you posted. I would like to ask y…
What is going on at Guadalupe?
The secret is “out of the cage” now! The news has traveled all the way to Fiji! “da shark”, just wrote this blog on diving outside the cage and manhandling great white sharks at Isla Guadalupe.It has gotten worse and worse over the last few years…
The killers just off our shores!
Here is another stellar piece of journalism! The “Mail Online” has an article with the headline “The killers just off our shores”
Now what creature do you think they are talking about? Shark diving, swimming with sharks,
…. yep, a blue shark. In the article they state two things.
1 “The recent heatwave is thought to have brought killer blue sharks closer to the coast of Cornwall than ever before”
and
2 “Swimmers aren’t in danger from these sharks. They are highly unlikely to bite humans.”
Hmmm, say what? Killer blue sharks that are not a danger to swimmers!? Now I know about sensationalistic headlines, but contradicting your headline in your article seems to be something any self respecting journalist should avoid!
The article also has plenty of pictures of those “killers”, calmly swimming amongst humans.
The article also incorrectly states that 4 people have been killed by blue sharks in the last 5 years. According to the international shark attack files, there have been 5 fatal bites since 1910! So aside from contradicting his own headline, the author shows a complete lack of interest in getting his stats correct.
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.
Another whale shark caught, sold and chopped!
A lot of people are diligently working to get sharks protected. Unfortunately, enforcement of these laws can be spotty, to say the least. Shark diving, cage diving, diving with sharks, shark adventure, bucket list, shark week, shark diver, eli martinez, shark conservation, great white sharks,
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| Slaughtered whale shark, photo Dawn.com |
Here is report, by DAWN, of a whale shark being auctioned off, not in the dead of night, at a secret location, but out in public, with people posing for pictures with the slaughtered animal. Bull shark diving in Fiji
The article states “This is an illegal catch as we have received information that the trawling was being carried out within 12 nautical miles of Balochistan coast which is banned under the law”
All the laws in the world don’t help, if the enforcement is not there. Along with the enforcement, educating the public is also of vital importance. I’m sure that most the people watching this scene, had no idea that it was illegal, and are most likely not aware of the importance of these animals to the Eco-system and their endangered status.
So spread the word and hopefully we will hear fewer of these kinds of stories.
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 sharkcrew@gmail.com.
Could our love for sharks be killing them?
How could our loving sharks possibly hurt them? After all, we want to protect them and are fighting those who are hurting them. Why would I even suggest such a ridiculous thing?shark diving, cage diving, swimming with sharks, Guadalupe Island, Great Wh…
Man attacks shark! Sharks are demanding “man cull” to mitigate the danger!
According to an article in the Daily Telegraph, a man was attacked by a wobegong shark. The article states that “Mr Porter had no advance warning when he was attacked.
“I had no idea what was happening — it just clamped on and that was the first I knew about it,” Mr Porter told The Daily Telegraph today. “It sort of bit through the flipper and went through to my foot.”Shark diving is fun. Diving with Great white shark. Swimming with Bull sharks, cage diving with Tiger sharks
Wait a second, the shark “attacked” Mr. Porter? Wobegong sharks are carpet sharks, that usually rely on their camouflage to hide from prey, so they can ambush it. So most likely what happened is that Mr. Porter stepped on the shark, which bit him in return.
The headline read: Port Macquarie man threw punches in the air after shark attack
Wouldn’t it be more accurate to have a headline that says “Port Macquarie shark bites man after being attacked by him”? Shark had no advanced warning, when Mr porter viciously stepped on it’s head!
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And the injuries to the man you ask? Here is a picture of the “severe” wound the “shark attack” has left on the “victim”
Now this type of human/shark interaction is really what I call worthy of newspaper headlines. There are thousands of people who step on a stingray each year and get stung in return, in some cases causing injuries more severe than the ones caused by this shark bite. Do you recall any newspaper headlines describing those incidents? As soon as a shark is involved, there are headlines, it’s always characterized as an “attack” and it almost never states that it was provoked.
Where is the harm in having headlines like this? You may be aware of the shark cull that is going in Australia right now. It is mostly based on the public’s fear of sharks and has very little to do with actually protecting the people. Headlines like these, perpetuate that fear and can cause real harm, not only to the sharks, but the entire ocean Eco system in turn.
I know I’m banging my head a against a wall, but had to get this off my chest.
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@sharkdivercom.
Last day to bid on a scientific Guadalupe expedition!
Today is your last chance to bid on a scientific expedition with Nicole Lucas Nasby.Here are the links for the bidding.http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=261413040920 http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2614130423…
Are sharks apex predators? Does it matter?
We commonly refer to sharks as apex predators. Are they really? If they are not, does it matter? A few Australian researchers have come up with some answers to both questions.
First, are sharks apex predators? According to their findings, the answer is yes …. and no.
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Here is what they found. “While size can be important in terrestrial ecosys- tems, size is crucial in marine ecosystems — which tend to be dominated by indeterminate organisms that grow continuously throughout their lives (Trebilco et al. 2013). Individual function changes due to onto- genetic diet shifts as organisms grow in size (Karpouzi
& Stergiou 2003, Pinnegar et al. 2003). The conse- quence is that size-structuring within communities, rather than species identity, is an important factor in determining the strength of competitive and predatory interactions (Dickie et al. 1987, Kerr & Dickie 2001). For example, studies have shown high overlap in diet between similar-sized sharks regardless of maturity state and species identity (e.g. Bethea et al. 2004). Therefore, designation of marine species into apex and mesopredator categories should consider the life stage and size of individuals.”
I’m not a scientist, but what I’m getting is, size matters!
But so, why should we care? We are not scientists, (well, you may be, but I’m not) so what does a classification matter?
Here is what they have to say to that.
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“Our size-based view of the classification of predatory roles raises important questions about what objectives to manage, and how these objectives can be best achieved. Protection of reef communities through marine protected areas (MPAs) or fisheries regulation (or indeed, naturally on those few locations far from human population centres) would ensure the mesopredator sharks on these reefs are sheltered from fishing pressure. However, the same may not be true for apex predators because their broad movement patterns and large home ranges (Meyer et al. 2009) would expose them to a greater diversity of fishing fleets and gears, and thus a greater overall mortality than the smaller-ranging, reef-dwelling mesopredators. Hence, the apex pred- ators of coral reefs may be silently eliminated by offshore pelagic longline fisheries, unbeknownst to those managing reef diversity and function (Cox et al. 2002). Therefore, reef-based MPAs are not adequate to protect these species”
So basically they are saying that we need to do more than establish MPAs to adequately protect apex predators.
Here is a graphic that may be a bit more clear on the subject.
This graphic shows, that without MPAs prey species would greatly increase, while both mesopredators and apex predators decrease. With reef scale (small, local) MPAs, the mesopredators thrive, keeping the prey species in balance, but the apex predators still decline.
In practical terms, this means that we have to protect apex predators on a much larger scale than the less migratory mesopredators. In order to do that, we need to know both where they are and when they are there. With that knowledge we can push for local and/or seasonal protection for these migratory apex predators. In order to get that data, we need data that shows the migratory behavior of the various species of apex predators.
You can read the entire paper here.
Cheers,
Martin Graf
CEO
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 Australias government coming to it’s senses?
Greg Hunt, Australia’s federal minister for the environment, has released a statement to the press, “The Federal Government will require the West Australian Government to undertake a full environmental assessment of Western Australia’s Shark Mitigation Strategy.”
Even though they can continue the current program until the end of April, the release further states “However, as I have previously informed the West Australian Government on making the original decision, there would be no further extension without a full assessment.
Western Australia will need to refer the program for assessment under national environment law. We will work co-operatively with the West Australian Government through this process.”
You can read the entire press release here.
This is a good first step. Let’s hope that when they review the policy they actually listen to the scientific evidence and not just the fear mongers in the West Australian government.
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.
Do you want to see the big “girls” at Guadalupe in November?
Our 2 science trips for this September have sold out in just a couple of weeks and we have been getting a lot of interest in doing another trip in mid November, when the truly enormous females dominate the waters off Guadalupe Island. That interes…
Is shark diving a threat to conservation efforts?
Our friend Mike Neumann from Beqa Adventure Divers is featured in this article on shark diving and it’s impact on conservation efforts.
Mike Neumann lives in the tropical paradise of Fiji and scuba dives with large bull sharks all the time. In addition to having a dream job as a co-owner of a scubdiving company called Beqa Adventure Divers, Neumann likes exposing people to sharks so he can help improve the image of these misunderstood and threatened animals. “It is always inspiring to observe the awe and exhilaration, especially of the newbies once they realize that the sharks are nothing like the negative stereotypes,” he says, “but instead simply awesome and beautiful!”
It’s not all fun and games though. Eco tourism goes beyond the operators trying to make a living.
Neumann’s opinion about the benefits of ecotourism for shark conservation is shared by many scuba-diving business owners in the growing shark ecotourism industry, with more than 375 unique shark diving businesses as of 2011 (pdf). Recent research (pdf) suggests that these scuba business owners might be right: public perception of sharks is important to their conservation. For instance, Christopher Neff, a PhD student at the University of Sydney who studies the policy implications of shark bites, says, “Laws often save or protect what the public cares about and can punish what it doesn’t. Perception matters a lot in terms of both laws and local responses to sharing beach ecosystems.”
Unfortunately there has been a trend in the industry to do crazier and more extreme things. Some operators don’t care about the possible consequences their actions have, not only for themselves and their clients, but the rest of the industry and most important, the sharks.
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A new trend in “shark riding” has shark conservationists anticipating an accident, which would likely result in negative media coverage of sharks and potential consequences to the industry. This risky behavior includes riding, prodding, grabbing, excessively handling and otherwise harassing sharks. Sharks are large, wild animals, and their behavior can be unpredictable. So, riding or harassing activity greatly increases the chance that someone will be injured. Such an injury could undo the progress made by ecotourism to public perception of sharks. “These close interactions with large predators are always dangerous,” Neumann says. “Highly experienced people may possibly limit those risks through adequate behavior and safety protocols, but the increasing number of inexperienced copycats makes me fear that somebody will end up having a bad accident.”
Now, if someone does get hurt or worse, we all know what will happen in the media. The article of course states it a lot more eloquently.
Based on his analysis of how the media covers shark bites and a “if it bleeds, it leads” mentality, Neff thinks that if such an accident occurred, the incident would make headlines around the world. Nearly 20 percent of media-reported shark bites in Australia since 1979 resulted in no injury whatsoever to the human, yet the language used in news coverage often perpetuated the misconception of sharks as mindless killers. “The high degree of attention toward shark bites makes them seem more frequent than they are,” Neff says. “Someone in Poland is seeing coverage of a shark bite in Mexico and someone in Montana is hearing stories out of Florida, so even though these events are really rare they appear to be happening everywhere all the time—so our sense of probability is off. The result is often more negative responses.” Neff expressed concerns that media coverage of an accident resulting from risky diver behavior would likely be inflammatory. Such coverage could be damaging to the scuba industry by scaring potential customers away, and harmful to public perception of sharks by perpetuating false stereotypes of them as seeking out humans to eat.
So not only would the bad publicity from an accident hurt the sharks public image, but the actual act of handling the sharks could have an impact on them.
In addition to the possibility of an accident that would affect much more than the scuba diver who was bitten, there are other concerns about excessively touching, grabbing and riding sharks. The physiological stress associated with this behavior is unknown, and could be significant. Mike Neumann adds, “I hope that everybody agrees that riding harmless species like turtles, manatees, nurse sharks, manta rays or whale sharks is totally disrespectful and moronic, so why would riding those predatory sharks be anything else?”
So what should we do?
Safe and responsible shark ecotourism helps correct misconceptions of sharks for countless scuba divers. And a “look but don’t touch” policy can help further shark conservation by combatting the broader public’s misconceptions fueled by media coverage of shark bites and the 1975 blockbuster movie, Jaws. The growth of responsible shark-diving ecotourism (pdf) has led to a new talking point for conservation activists: that sharks can be more valuable to a local economy alive than dead. After research showed that a live shark can be worth 94 times as much via ecotourism than a dead shark can be worth through fishing (pdf), the Maldives banned shark fishing throughout their exclusive economic zone in the Indian Ocean.
The increase in dangerous and unnecessary thrill-seeking behavior with sharks makes SCUBA divers, conservationists and researchers worried that it’s only a matter of time before there’s a serious accident that could undo all of this progress.
We at Shark Diver couldn’t agree more with Mike’s concerns. Our motto is “Safe and Sane” shark diving. We have been operating our shark dives for 14 years, without handling, or riding sharks. Our goal is not to portray the sharks as harmless pets, but rather as the awesome predators they are. We teach our divers to respect, but not fear our toothy friends.
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.
A shark diver’s story
A couple of days ago, I talked about how we can save sharks here.I would like to share the story of Iben Christine Grundtvig, a 19 year old from Norway, who’s volunteering for Projects Abroad in Fiji. She, along with 19 other volunteers from all over t…
How can you save sharks?
Picture BBC The recent actions by the SW Australian government, deciding to use drum lines to cull sharks, have generated huge protests, with literally thousands of people rallying against that policy.Over the last couple of years, there have als…
Is tagging sharks bad?
Photo source.Mike Neumann from BAD wrote a very informative blog on shark tagging and it’s consequences for the sharks health and survivability. Diving with sharks, Great White Sharks, cage diving, shark vacation, shark holidays and are done with Shark…
How do get work as a “shark diver”?
It’s the time of the year, when we get a steady stream of emails and letters, asking for advise oh how to become a “shark diver” Do you need a biology degree? Do you have to be a divemaster or diveinstructor? I’m a student, interested in sharks, …
Baby Bull Sharks in Fiji!
Mike Neumann of Beqa Adventure Divers just reported the arrival of this years first baby Bull Sharks!A little while ago, we talked about Project abroad and their involvement with the sharks in Fiji. It is this same organization that is tagging these sh…
Do you want to save the sharks in Hawaii?
Lately we all heard of Western Australia’s controversial shark cull policy, supposedly intended to save lives and help the tourism industry. So how is Hawaii dealing with the sharks that frequent the waters surrounding the islands? Are they using a sim…
Do you want to save sharks?
Our friend Mike Neumann from Beqa Adventure Divers, has just made us aware of an “opportunity of a lifetime”. We offer cage diving with great white sharks at Isla Guadalupe, where you will be swimming with shark, on our shark expedition, with tiger-sha…
Who is really saving the sharks?
It seems like there is a new group, or organization, that wants to save sharks, popping up daily. With all these people supposedly having the same goal, why do they all feel that they need to start a new group? Why not join an already established organ…
Richard Branson, voice of reason?
Most of you are aware of the recent “shark cull” policy enacted in Western Australia. Since they actually started to use baited drum-lines, there has been a public outcry to stop the killing of the sharks. Many argue the the drum lines indiscriminately…
What’s the best place to dive with Great White Sharks?
And the answer is…….. drum roll please!….. Guadalupe Island!According to champion free-diver and ocean conservationist William Winram, “Guadalupe Island, 260km off the coast of Mexico is the best place on the planet to see great whites.” He…
Shark cull in Australia. Saving lives?
The first shark was caught and killed under the new shark cull policy in Western Australia. According to the ABC in Australia, Fisherman says animal he shot was threat to public safety.Photo http://www.abc.net.auIn response to the international o…
Happy Holidays!
It has been a great year for Shark Diver. We went to Fiji, the Bahamas and Guadalupe Island and added a lot of new members to our Shark Diver family along the way. We made new friends, both above and below the water. To all of you, around the world,&nb…
John Travolta saving sharks?
John Travolta has joined the fight against finning sharks for shark fin soup. He has posted this on his website. It’s awesome to see, that celebrities are lending a hand in raising awareness to this great cause. Thanks John!I would also like to th…
Do you want to help a shark researcher?
Every year we get hundreds of emails from people asking us, how they can get involved with shark research. This has lead to Shark Diver teaming up with Nicole Nasby-Lucas from the MCSI for a special science expedition to Guadalupe Island next year. Thi…
Galapagos Islands anyone?
Shark Diver is excited to announce that we have partnered with Tip Top Diving and the “Nortada”, a brand new live-aboard dive vessel, to offer an unforgettable dive and eco tour experience in the Galapagos. The Galapagos islands are one of the premier Eco travel destinations in the world. You will have the opportunity to dive with Sea Lions, visit Darwin and Wolf island for a once in a lifetime chance to swim with Hammerhead – Galapagos- Dusky, Whale- and many other species of sharks,along with big schools of Tuna and tons of other sea life. You will also get to do some exciting land tours at North Seymour as well as Darwin station. This is truly going to be an unforgettable adventure. – See more at: https://sharkdiver.wpengine.com//dive-packages/galapagos-island-adventure/?preview=true&preview_id=10263&preview_nonce=087a9022bc#sthash.76dZGfUl.dpuf
Shark Diver is excited to announce that we have partnered with Tip Top Diving and the “Nortada”, a brand new live-aboard dive vessel, to offer an unforgettable dive and eco tour experience in the Galapagos. The Galapagos islands are one of the premier Eco travel destinations in the world. You will have the opportunity to dive with Sea Lions, visit Darwin and Wolf island for a once in a lifetime chance to swim with Hammerhead – Galapagos- Dusky, Whale- and many other species of sharks,along with big schools of Tuna and tons of other sea life. You will also get to do some exciting land tours at North Seymour as well as Darwin station. This is truly going to be an unforgettable adventure. – See more at: https://sharkdiver.wpengine.com//dive-packages/galapagos-island-adventure/?preview=true&preview_id=10263&preview_nonce=087a9022bc#sthash.76dZGfUl.dpuf
Shark Diver is excited to announce that we have partnered with Tip Top Diving and the “Nortada”, a brand new live-aboard dive vessel, to offer an unforgettable dive and eco tour experience in the Galapagos. The Galapagos islands are one of the premier Eco travel destinations in the world. You will have the opportunity to dive with Sea Lions, visit Darwin and Wolf island for a once in a lifetime chance to swim with Hammerhead – Galapagos- Dusky, Whale- and many other species of sharks,along with big schools of Tuna and tons of other sea life. You will also get to do some exciting land tours at North Seymour as well as Darwin station. This is truly going to be an unforgettable adventure. – See more at: https://sharkdiver.wpengine.com//dive-packages/galapagos-island-adventure/?preview=true&preview_id=10263&preview_nonce=087a9022bc#sthash.76dZGfUl.dpuf
Shark Diver is excited to announce that we have partnered with Tip Top Diving and the “Nortada”, a brand new live-aboard dive vessel, to offer an unforgettable dive and eco tour experience in the Galapagos. The Galapagos islands are one of the premier Eco travel destinations in the world. You will have the opportunity to dive with Sea Lions, visit Darwin and Wolf island for a once in a lifetime chance to swim with Hammerhead – Galapagos- Dusky, Whale- and many other species of sharks,along with big schools of Tuna and tons of other sea life. You will also get to do some exciting land tours at North Seymour as well as Darwin station. This is truly going to be an unforgettable adventure. – See more at: https://sharkdiver.wpengine.com//dive-packages/galapagos-island-adventure/?preview=true&preview_id=10263&preview_nonce=087a9022bc#sthash.76dZGfUl.dpuf
Shark Diver is excited to announce that we have partnered with Tip Top Diving and the “Nortada”, a brand new live-aboard dive vessel, to offer an unforgettable dive and eco tour experience in the Galapagos. The Galapagos islands are one of the premier Eco travel destinations in the world. You will have the opportunity to dive with Sea Lions, visit Darwin and Wolf island for a once in a lifetime chance to swim with Hammerhead – Galapagos- Dusky, Whale- and many other species of sharks,along with big schools of Tuna and tons of other sea life. You will also get to do some exciting land tours at North Seymour as well as Darwin station. This is truly going to be an unforgettable adventure. – See more at: https://sharkdiver.wpengine.com//dive-packages/galapagos-island-adventure/?preview=true&preview_id=10263&preview_nonce=087a9022bc#sthash.76dZGfUl.dpuf
Shark Diver is excited to announce that we have partnered with Tip Top Diving and the “Nortada”, a brand new live-aboard dive vessel, to offer an unforgettable dive and eco tour experience in the Galapagos. The Galapagos islands are one of the premier Eco travel destinations in the world. You will have the opportunity to dive with Sea Lions, visit Darwin and Wolf island for a once in a lifetime chance to swim with Hammerhead – Galapagos- Dusky, Whale- and many other species of sharks,along with big schools of Tuna and tons of other sea life. You will also get to do some exciting land tours at North Seymour as well as Darwin station. This is truly going to be an unforgettable adventure. – See more at: https://sharkdiver.wpengine.com//dive-packages/galapagos-island-adventure/?preview=true&preview_id=10263&preview_nonce=087a9022bc#sthash.76dZGfUl.dpuf
Shark Diver is excited to announce that we have partnered with Tip Top Diving and the “Nortada”, a brand new live-aboard dive vessel, to offer an unforgettable dive and eco tour experience in the Galapagos. The Galapagos islands are one of the premier Eco travel destinations in the world. You will have the opportunity to dive with Sea Lions, visit Darwin and Wolf island for a once in a lifetime chance to swim with Hammerhead – Galapagos- Dusky, Whale- and many other species of sharks,along with big schools of Tuna and tons of other sea life. You will also get to do some exciting land tours at North Seymour as well as Darwin station. This is truly going to be an unforgettable adventure. – See more at: https://sharkdiver.wpengine.com//dive-packages/galapagos-island-adventure/?preview=true&preview_id=10263&preview_nonce=087a9022bc#sthash.76dZGfUl.dpuf
Shark Diver is excited to announce that we have partnered with Tip Top Diving and the “Nortada”, a brand new live-aboard dive vessel, to offer an unforgettable dive and Eco tour experience in the Galapagos Islands, one of the premier Eco travel destinations in the world.
You will have the opportunity to dive with Sea Lions, visit Darwin and Wolf island for a once in a lifetime chance to swim with Hammerhead – Galapagos- Dusky, Whale- and many other species of sharks, along with big schools of Tuna and tons of other sea life. You will also get to do some exciting land tours at North Seymour Islands and Darwin station, where you will encounter the native birds and terrestrial animals of the Galapagos Islands.
Our expedition will take place from August 15-22 2014, which is in the middle of high season, when there are thousands of Hammerhead shark and gigantic pregnant Whale sharks swimming around the islands.
We will be diving off the “Nortada” an 85′ live aboard dive vessel that offers 4 lower deck, fully air conditioned cabins with two single lower berths each, private heads, lockers and drawers. There are 2 15ft inflatable, zodiak style, tenders that will take us to the individual dive sites. For our safety, all divers will also be provided a waterproof Nautilus Lifeline radio.
Two 15 foot inflatable tenders with 4 stroke 20HP outboard engines takes fully equipped divers to and from the dive sites.
All divers are provided with a Nautilus Lifeline bi-directional VHF/DSC marine radio with GPS, dive alert and DSMB.
– See more at: https://sharkdiver.wpengine.com//dive-packages/galapagos-island-adventure/#sthash.FkieisYV.dpuf
All divers are provided with a Nautilus Lifeline bi-directional VHF/DSC marine radio with GPS, dive alert and DSMB.
– See more at: https://sharkdiver.wpengine.com//dive-packages/galapagos-island-adventure/#sthash.FkieisYV.dpuf
For more information on this exciting expedition, call us toll free at 855.987.4275 or 619.887.4275 or email us at staff@sharkdiver.com
I hope to see you in the Galapagos Islands in August!
Cheers,
Martin Graf
CEO
Shark Diver
Shark Diver is excited to announce that we have partnered with Tip Top Diving and the “Nortada”, a brand new live-aboard dive vessel, to offer an unforgettable dive and eco tour experience in the Galapagos. The Galapagos islands are one of the premier Eco travel destinations in the world. You will have the opportunity to dive with Sea Lions, visit Darwin and Wolf island for a once in a lifetime chance to swim with Hammerhead – Galapagos- Dusky, Whale- and many other species of sharks,along with big schools of Tuna and tons of other sea life. You will also get to do some exciting land tours at North Seymour as well as Darwin station. This is truly going to be an unforgettable adventure. – See more at: https://sharkdiver.wpengine.com//dive-packages/galapagos-island-adventure/?preview=true&preview_id=10263&preview_nonce=087a9022bc#sthash.76dZGfUl.dpuf
Shark Diver is excited to announce that we have partnered with Tip Top Diving and the “Nortada”, a brand new live-aboard dive vessel, to offer an unforgettable dive and eco tour experience in the Galapagos. The Galapagos islands are one of the premier Eco travel destinations in the world. You will have the opportunity to dive with Sea Lions, visit Darwin and Wolf island for a once in a lifetime chance to swim with Hammerhead – Galapagos- Dusky, Whale- and many other species of sharks,along with big schools of Tuna and tons of other sea life. You will also get to do some exciting land tours at North Seymour as well as Darwin station. This is truly going to be an unforgettable adventure. – See more at: https://sharkdiver.wpengine.com//dive-packages/galapagos-island-adventure/?preview=true&preview_id=10263&preview_nonce=087a9022bc#sthash.76dZGfUl.dpuf
Shark Diver is excited to announce that we have partnered with Tip Top Diving and the “Nortada”, a brand new live-aboard dive vessel, to offer an unforgettable dive and eco tour experience in the Galapagos. The Galapagos islands are one of the premier Eco travel destinations in the world. You will have the opportunity to dive with Sea Lions, visit Darwin and Wolf island for a once in a lifetime chance to swim with Hammerhead – Galapagos- Dusky, Whale- and many other species of sharks,along with big schools of Tuna and tons of other sea life. You will also get to do some exciting land tours at North Seymour as well as Darwin station. This is truly going to be an unforgettable adventure. – See more at: https://sharkdiver.wpengine.com//dive-packages/galapagos-island-adventure/?preview=true&preview_id=10263&preview_nonce=087a9022bc#sthash.76dZGfUl.dpuf
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 Australia killing sharks? Again?
This is getting ridiculous. According to a couple of articles in the Australian, the Western Australian government has again decided to kill great white sharks. According to one article “Large sharks that swim into designated ‘kill zones’ near popular …
Great White Shark Expedition with scientist Nicole Nasby-Lucas
If you have been following us on Facebook, you probably already heard the news. Shark Diver is proud to announce that we are offering a special “Science Expedition” to Isla Guadalupe from September 19-24, 2014. Nicole Nasby-Lucas from the Marine Con…
Good news? Bad news?
Popular wisdom holds that Sharks do not get cancer. That is why shark cartilage is widely used to prevent/treat cancer. Turns out that popular wisdom is once again proven wrong. According to an article in “livescience” sharks can indeed get cancer. …
Paul Walker at Guadalupe
The Marine Conservation Science Institute has named a new great white shark at Isla Guadalupe Paul Walker, in honor of the late actor/director who was a big advocate for shark conservation.As most of you know, Paul Walker died tragically in a car accid…
Another catch and kill order for a great white shark?
Congratulations Australia! You have done it again. According to “The Australian” a catch and kill order has been issued for what is believed to be a great white shark that killed a surfer over the weekend.
The article states 35-year-old Chris Boyd, was attacked on Saturday morning by what’s believed to be a great white shark at the popular surf break Umbries off Gracetown, 270km southwest of Perth. Mr Boyd, originally from Queensland, was killed instantly when he was mauled by a great white shark while surfing at popular break “Umbies” off Gracetown, 270km south of Perth at about 9am WST yesterday
It then goes on to say that The state’s fisheries department issued a catch and kill order for the shark, saying there was an imminent threat of more attacks in the area. The fisheries department is quoted as saying they weren’t ”just going to randomly kill sharks – it depends on what they see”
This is ridiculous. What exactly are they going to see? Since they say that the shark that attacked Mr. Boyd was “believed” to be a great white shark, how exactly are they going to determine that a particular shark is the right one, if they don’t even know the species for certain?
This is another typical reaction for a government agency. Do something, no matter how stupid, just to appear to be doing something.
Our heart goes out to the family of Mr. Boyd, but indiscriminately killing an animal is neither bringing Mr. Boyd back, nor is it making the ocean any safer for anyone else.
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
Great White Sharks playing cupid?
So what does it mean, when you meet a great white shark at Isla Guadalupe and have it look you straight into the eyes? Well, for 2 of our divers this year, David and Fabiola, it meant something very special. Here is a message I got from them just …
Coming face to face with a great white shark. A spiritual experience?
We just finished our 2013 season, diving with Great White Sharks at Isla Guadalupe. We had the pleasure to be able to introduce 173 divers to our smiling friends!
Here is a letter from Jen Saunders, one of our divers, describing her experience.
A Shark Story: The Day I Saw God (He Healed Me)
As the only agnostic member from a devout Protestant household, I was always the black sheep at family reunions and was probably prayed for by aunts, uncles and grandparents more than anyone else in the Saunders clan. I just never bought into the whole “God thing”, but always maintained the highest respect for all walks of faith and those who follow various teachings.
The year before my father passed away from pancreatic cancer we had a conversation about faith and God. My father, a retired professor of English literature, asked how I could feel complete without knowing and feeling the presence of a higher power. I simply replied by stating that his question was equivalent to one asking how I can sleep at night without having ever seen a space alien. My dad was unwavering in his notion that the little pit of emptiness I had always felt in the back of my soul stemmed from my disassociation with a spiritual deity, but it wasn’t until I journeyed to Isle de Guadalupe and gazed into the eyes of an 18 foot great white shark named Thor that this emptiness was filled with an awe for a god that had been absent all my life. As an avid scuba diver and lover of marine life, I had read various books on the great white shark. These creatures are pure perfection of evolutionary art. They boast six thousand pounds of muscle, are the only animal that devours its weaker siblings in the womb, is immune to cancer and is constantly awake. While navigating south from San Diego on the two-day boat ride, I thought about these facts and asked myself if there was a single creature higher than the great white so designed to live forever.
Before I open the pages into the details of my spiritual awakening, permit me to set the stage: Upon entering the cage it only took about 10 minutes before the first shark appeared. It circled the cage carefully studying each diver. In the movie ‘Jaws’ the rugged shark hunter Quint states that great whites have “lifeless eyes, black eyes, like a doll’s eyes”, but this couldn’t be further from the truth. Great whites have a variety of eye colors that include blue and brown. Additionally, each shark made eye contact with every single diver. Later that day a great white named Thor made eye contact with me. I don’t know if sharks can sense emotions in humans or if our heart rates serve as a language they can understand. I stared into Thor’s eyes and felt a calming wave of warmth wash across the face of my soul. I looked into his intelligent eyes with awe and total respect, as a misunderstood creature, and marveled at his powerful mass. Just then he moved in and slowly approached the cage while never breaking eye contact with me. Then, two feet from the cage bars, he broke his path and headed to the right of the cage. Before he vanished into the blue, he swerved to the side and met my gaze once more, as if he was saying “farewell for now fellow soul”.
We shared a moment. I was sure of this. As a well-travelled individual who has lived and seen enough to fill 10 lifetimes, never had I witnessed something so spiritually moving. I felt the presence of a divine being within this shark. This powerful, sensitive creature that never sleeps imprinted his soul into mine. Two months later I can happily report that the emptiness I once felt has been filled. Perhaps my father was right; it may be that my soul simply needed to be filled with the spirit or energy of something ethereal and divine.
Going face-to-face with a great white shark isn’t just reserved for the thrill-seeker or the curious. This is an excursion I would recommend to anyone who feels a void deep within their being, or someone who is suffering from any number of personal or health issues. The great white shark is a healer; he is the misunderstood shaman of the sea.
Coming face to face with a Great White Shark can mean a lot of things to different individuals. What is universal is the fact that you will never forget the first time a Great White Shark looked you straight into the eyes.
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
Aussie kills Great White Shark in self defense?
According to a report in “The Daily Star” a tuna diver killed a 6 meter long (19.8 ft) great white shark. The article states:”It was either the shark or him. South Australian tuna diver, Dean Stefanek, 38, battled a 6-meter shark for 30 minutes and li…
No more shark fin soup in China?
Have the Chinese seen the light and stopped eating shark fin soup?
According to an article in the Washington Post that is exactly what is happening in China. The report states that “consumption of shark fin soup in China is down by 50 to 70 percent in the last two years,”
It goes on to state “Thanks to a former NBA star, a coalition of Chinese business leaders, celebrities and students, and some unlikely investigative journalism, eating shark fin soup is no longer fashionable here. But what really tipped the balance was a government campaign against extravagance that has seen the soup banned from official banquets”
We talked about this a few months back, when China first announced that they would stop serving shark fin soup at state dinners and we are happy to see that the changes are happening faster than anyone anticipated.
We are always happy to report when things are changing for the better and want to thank the Chinese people for caring about our Oceans and the sharks that are such an important part of it.
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
Shark sentenced to death?
Strange things are happening in Australia. According to a report on sharkyear magazine and the international business times a shark has been sentenced to death, because of a suspected attack on a diver. “A catch and kill order was issued and staff have…
Superhero Shark Wrangler?
Ocearch seems to be on a publicity campaign to promote their tagging of great white sharks again. This article on CNN is a bit ridiculous, even by OCEARCH standards.The headline is calling the captain of the Ocearch vessel, Brett McBride, “Shark wrangl…
What does a Miami Herald reporter think of our expeditions to Guadalupe?
Susan Cocking, a reporter for the Miami Herald came out with us to visit the Great White Sharks of Isla Guadalupe She has written this excellent article about her experience with our toothy friends at the island.Like most of our divers, Susan had…
Which Great White Sharks are back at Isla Guadalupe?
Our 2013 Great White Shark season at Isla Guadalupe started out awesome by seeing Chugey, all healed after a near fatal wound and Quetzalcoatl coming back after an 8 year absence. The trips just keep getting better. We see almost daily breaches and hav…
To Dive or Not to Dive with a Great White Shark?
A First Timer’s Feared Question
It’s September 19th, 2013; almost one year to the day that I left the corporate world of broadcast news. Now, if you’d asked me back then, if I had any clue I’d be dunking myself in shark-infested waters 200 miles out at sea, I would have laughed at you with a shudder, as the body tends to do when it senses something unpleasant or scary. But in 2 weeks, I’m going to be doing exactly that. I will be climbing into an aluminum cage floating in a depth of 250 feet of water, where one of the most feared creatures waits for me to dip my little body, dressed like a meal, into its salted sea world.
I grew up on the ocean; lived everyday at the beach. I’m used to the unknown and mystery the vast ocean provides a landlubber, who stares at the horizon and only dreams of traveling there. But as fate would have it, that dream is coming true. Sometimes you don’t have to ask for things that you want; they just seem to find their way to you. My life, like so many others, became mundane; working in an office 50 to sometimes 60 hours a week; punching in, punching out, not making the time or taking the time to live and experience what was “out on that horizon, out beyond the neon lights.”
In March of this year, through osmosis or cosmoses, I met Martin Graf, Managing Director at Shark Diver, who listened to me talk about my love for the sea, big fish, waves, surfing… anything ‘ocean.’ How could he not make me a member of Shark Diver after hearing my longing to be near it? I even call myself, ‘Ocean.’ Now, I am scheduled for ‘the dive’ and what is running through my head? Am I going to be eaten? How ironic though, since my whole working life, I’ve been swimming with corporate sharks, feeling their ‘bite,’ for 20 years. I fear them more! I actually welcome a great white’s nibble. I hear they are turned off by the taste of human blood, anyway. Mine is way to sweet, I can assure them. But it’s got to be on every diver’s mind, even the toughest, which take the leap and book a trip to faraway lands such as Isla Guadalupe, where predators lurk. Some seek a thrill, some fill a bucket list and some are just ‘crazy’ as many do say. Here’s what I tell the divers who express their fears after just committing to embark on a life-changing undertaking…these are the divers who hear from their family and friends, the shuddering, ‘your crazy.’ I say, “This is living!” This dive is one of those awe-inspiring moments that God hands to us when we’re least expected. It’s an offering with an intent on waking our spirit, arousing our soul and forcing us to come face to face with those moments in life that stop you in your tracks and just blow you away. It’s like a bloom in a barren desert, an eagle soaring over a snow-capped mountain, or a giant fish swimming freely in a seemingly endless blue abyss. They are moments that make you cry at their beauty. They are moments you don’t want to experience alone. You are hoping the whole world could see what you see.
It’s not just a ‘crazy’ choice we have made to dive with a giant – no – it’s a climb others may never reach, it’s a cleanse from life’s hazy film, and it is a spiritual moment shared between man and beast that one can only feel by living it! How can there be any other answer? “Yes, to dive!”
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 sharkoperations@gmail.com.
Familiar Sharks Crash Party!
Shark Diver’s Log from the Horizon
After a flat calm crossing, we arrived at Guadalupe Island and awoke to a beautiful sunrise. 150 + ft. visibility, no wind and bright sunshine made for perfect shark diving conditions. After the first couple of rotations, everyone had seen their first shark and we ended up being visited by at least 7 individual sharks. Bite Face, Thor and Johnny stopped by again and Doby, a new shark from last season showed up to check out our divers.
Today was even better. Jaques made an appearance early in the morning and stayed around for most of the day.
What an experience to have a 16.5 ft. shark come by and look you into the eye. Johnny and Thor came back again, along with Thor and our very own ”Horizon”. I have to say that Horizon looks a little beat up. He has his trademark triangular cut out of his dorsal fin and both the bottom and top of his caudal fin are cut.
He doesn’t seem to lead a very careful life. It never ceases to amaze me, that we see sharks like Jaques, Thor and Bite Face who have been around every year since 2001. Still no sign of Shredder though, I’m starting to worry about the guy. Hopefully, he’ll show up soon. The Horizon returns on Sunday, only to head back out that night to take another group of excited divers to the island. All have heard the story of Shredder. We’re bringing the party to you, buddy. Now all you need to do, is attend!
Cheers,
Martin Graf
Managing Director, 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 sharkoperations@gmail.com.
Monster Shark in China?
I came across a headline on the shanghaiist website. “JAWS NOW IN SHANDONG” Shandong fishermen haul in horrifically giant shark!The article states: “Fishermen in Rizhao, Shandong Province, hauled in an utterly massive 10-meter-long (32 foot) whale sha…
Great Whites: From the Eyes of our Divers!
More Great Videos from this Season’s Divers!There is nothing more exhilarating than experiencing seeing a massive creature in its natural habitat. Our divers who come out with Shark Diver to swim with the great whites of Isla Guadalupe are so often ‘bl…
Shark Encounters on the Horizon!
2013 Guadalupe Island.
What a day! To say that the shark action Friday was ‘good,’ would be a huge understatement. We saw over 10 sharks that have been previously identified, along with at least 3 others that we didn’t know.
The action started when our first divers entered the water at 7am and it didn’t stop, even when we stopped diving after running out of daylight. Just before everyone got out of the cages at the end of the day, we had a complete breach right by the stern of our vessel. The sharky cast of characters included some of our favorite sharks that we have known since 2001. Chugey, Thor, Bite Face, Jaques, Squire, Gunther and Johnny along with some newer friends like #89, #130 and #146..JPG)
After another excellent dinner (Rib eye steak with mashed potatoes and string beans) we were treated to a presentation on the great white sharks, by resident shark expert Dr. Mauricio Hoyos. What can I say, I love my job. (pictured: left, Chugey; right, Johnny)
Cheers,
Martin Graf, Managing Director, 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 sharkoperations@gmail.com.
Our Divers See the Whites of the Great Whites!
Another Happy Diver, Another Great Video!We have been hearing so many awesome stories of experiences from recent divers! Keep ’em coming! When divers take the time to make videos, that means it was definitely an adventure of a lifetime.Lucy Challenger,…
Isla Guadalupe Shark Encounters This Week!
What’s happening on the ‘shark boat?’
2013 Guadalupe Island
Yesterday, we woke to a beautiful sunrise and flat calm waters. A great day for shark diving! After a delicious breakfast we had our cage safety orientation and got into the cages. We have 9 divers on board who are not SCUBA certified and were eager to go into the cages and breath from a regulator for the first time.
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| Great White Don Julian |
Right after Steve finished clearing his mask, “Bite Face”, a 15 ft shark we have known for 13 years, swam by the cage, just a couple of inches from where Steve was watching. What a way to start your first dive ever! The morning was a little slow, but we had a few sharks cruise by the cages, checking out our divers. The action picked up considerably by mid afternoon.
During the last 2 hours we had up to 3 sharks at the cages at the same time.
Another nice day at Isla Guadalupe and 17 freshly minted “Shark Divers.” We ended up seeing a total of nine different sharks, with Bite Face, Big, Julie, #130, and Don Julian making an appearance along with 4, as of yet, unidentified animals.
After another one of Chef Mark’s excellent dinners, we are all tired, but excited to see some more sharks tomorrow.
~Martin Graf, Managing Director, 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 sharkoperations@gmail.com.
How is Guadalupe this season?
Our 2013 white shark season has been incredible so far and our divers are coming back excited. This is a trip report we just received from Robert Saipe.
Amazing Time at Isla Guadalupe!
It’s been 2 weeks since we docked after an amazing adventure at Isla Guadalupe, but, each day, I still find more joy as I think about the experience that Shark Diver delivered. When I booked my trip, all I really hoped for was a chance to see even one Great White up nice and close but from safety. Who knew I’d come away with so much more? I’ll try to relay the basics of my experience through these passages, but I know words can’t fully express how deeply thankful I am for meeting our Guadalupe friends!
The crew at Shark Diver really are the best. Most people probably hope for great dives when they book, but I have to tell you that vacation time outside of the dives was wonderful too. The crew, at all times, exemplified the words ‘professional’ and ‘caring’. For me, the fun never stopped. When I was in the water, I saw amazing sharks. When I was out of the cages, I shared countless laughs and stories with crew and other divers. I particularly enjoyed the evening chats with the crew. It’s something special to know that, while the crew worked super hard for us, they were courteous, caring, fun, and, most importantly, ‘real’. I never felt like I was in the company of staff who were just doing their job. I instead felt like I was always having a great time with terrific people who were celebrating the joy with us. “White Shark!” Ah, I’d read those words from other reviews, but now I completely appreciate the chant. Someone would always accent the phrase each time one of our friends would come to visit. On day one of our dives, it took only minutes before we had visitors. Surprisingly enough, not all were of the same species though. You can’t know much about things you’ve never yet considered, so I was amazed at the level of interaction we saw between one of our first sharks and a sea lion. We’ve all seen countless footage of Great Whites breaching upon one of these for lunch, but what an incredible sight it was to see prey almost toying with the massive predator. For nearly 15 minutes, we watched a sea lion swim around and actually follow a great white. Maybe it was taunting the shark (quite speedy one-on-one), or maybe it was hiding in it’s trail, but one thing was a constant; both were very aware yet surprisingly fine with each other in proximity. I’m sure this is wrong, but, in some moments, the calmness of their interaction almost resembled playing. Of course, I wondered if that would change if one got, erm, suddenly hungry.
By my first dive, I had already seen two different Great Whites – wonderful start! Dive Master Martin joined our initial trio in the cage, and it was nice to see him just as excited as we were. Though all of his efforts were devoted to providing us a great and safe time, I thought it was very special to see his obvious love for these creatures too. These are the kind of people I wanted to be on tour with – those who deeply care about these amazing sharks.
We had one-hour rotations, so it was never long before our next turn. The weather was gorgeous, and the breaks were just enough to recharge, enjoy the sun, and get ready for the excitement again. Perhaps we were lucky, but my cage team saw sharks from nice and close on absolutely all 5 dives that day. Some stayed for hours, others just for minutes, but all showed their uniqueness. I have always loved Great Whites, but, before this, I had never realized the impressive depth of their intelligence and personality.By day two, my sleep patterns were fully adjusted, and I woke up feeling extra strong, definitely raring to go. Of course, chef Mark’s hard work had something to do with that. I can’t tell you how nice it was to always have such wonderful food so we could always feel full, great and strong. Every meal Mark and Carolyn served us on the journey was a 10.”
Some divers took breaks from their turns by day two which I think had a lot to do with the gorgeous weather and the fact that we’d already seen so much. Around lunch, I skipped one rotation, however I did make up for that with an open spot later, so, again, I logged 5 one-hour dives. This day was loaded with excitement. Some of the previous day’s sharks returned, but we also saw several new ones, including Annika, the lone female we met on our trip. I loved watching Chuggy, the battle-scarred but strong male as he entertained us with dozens of passes. One unnamed Great White spent hours showing us his charisma. Johnny, Reb, Diablo andAtlantis put quite a show on too. I lost count of how many times these sharks came in for an ultra close look. What wonderful, curious creatures they are. It is an exceptionally profound experience to see a Great White so clearly in control of his domain yet totally willing to exchange a calm moment as you look each other in the eye. Not once did I feel like they were looking at us to attack. I had many chances to see their incredible power, but, at every moment, I felt like each instead looked at us more with curiosity, just like we had for them. It was a wonderful time as, by day’s end, we’d identified a total of 7 Great Whites this day alone.
On day three, I awoke hoping to spend as much time in the water as I could. I decided that, on all available dives, I would wait to see if anyone else wanted the open spots, but I would take them if no one else did. Many did take breaks, so, in all, I was able to enjoy a whopping 7 dives that day. The three I took in a row wore me down a bit, but, wow, they were fun! These sharks revealed so much personality. I find it almost disrespectful to say too much about individual experiences with them (after all, I don’t have their permission!), but let me say, “It really wouldn’t be possible to have closer interaction with Great Whites than I was given on this day.” The eye-to-eye, close as imaginable interaction I had with one in particular will forever be more than just a memory for me; it’s a permanent celebration. I will cherish the sense of joy and awe I felt from those moments forever. Before this trip, I had never met anyone who had been lucky enough to have safely met but deeply interacted with a Great White. What a blessing it is to be one of so few who has spent some time with them in a way where we were both completely safe and could share our curiosities.
On the very last dive, it was quiet for many minutes, but then two entertainers came for close-ups. When the clang on our cage let us know it was time to go, I remember thinking, “How can I leave right now? There’s a massive Great White swimming just a few feet in front of me.” But then, I shared one last look and turned to the ladder with a smile. After all, “What better final moment of the journey could I ask for!”
Thank you Shark Diver! I’ve no doubt I’ll be back soon. This journey with you was absolutely amazing!
Rob Saipe.
Thank you for your great report and pictures! We enjoyed introducing you to our amazing friends and welcome you to our Shark Diver family.
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 sharkoperations@gmail.com.
This blows my mind!
I’ve been diving with the great white sharks at Isla Guadalupe for 13 years now. Over time, I’ve come to marvel at the healing ability of the sharks, the mysteries of their migration, their distinctly different personalities and most of all, and this i…
How fast do Great White Sharks heal?
This is my 13th season at Isla Guadalupe, diving with and observing Great White Sharks. During this time I have learned a lot and found out that I now know a lot less about these sharks than I thought I knew when I started out, all these years ago. It …
Fantastic start to our Guadalupe Great White Shark season!
Brian Arnone having a blast.Our 2013 season at Guadalupe has been awesome so far. On our first 3 trips we saw a total of 18 different sharks we have seen in previous years, along with at least 5 new ones. We have also seen 10 complete breaches! Who say…
Have a real Shark Week!
Just as we are about to start our season, diving with the Great White Sharks at Isla Guadalupe, CNN has published an article, listing the best places to swim with sharks.Not surprisingly, Guadalupe is listed as the place to see Great White Sharks and S…
Shark Diver in the news!
Whitney Meyers, with “Bruce” at Isla GuadalupeShark Diving often gets a bad rap, when it comes to the news media. So it’s nice to see that sometimes the media goes for something other than a sensational headline and gives our industry some credit…
Sharks: Elegance in Black & White
RTSea Productions Seen in Google Ocean, this is a brief exercise in contrast with the sharks of the Bahamas. Black & white imagery has a stark beauty all its own and sharks make for good subjects – not distracted by color, the viewer can appreciate the fluid elegance of these important ocean creatures. Filmed by Richard Theiss; from RTSea Productions.
Great White Sharks: Glimpses of Beauty
RTSea Productions Stunning images of great white sharks at Isla Guadalupe, Baja from RTSea Productions. Compiled for Google Earth’s new ocean layer, this video presents the most majestic and misunderstood ocean predator as it truly is: graceful and powerful – and critical to maintaining a healthy marine ecosystem. Voice-over by Travis. To learn more, visit Google Earth’s new ocean layer and visit http://www.rtsea.com.
Playboy and SharkDiver.com White Shark Video
Playboy TV Reporter at large Thayer Walker discovers white sharks at Isla Guadalupe, Mexico with Playboy Magazine. Along the way he gets upstaged by a 14 foot 1500lb shark called Shredder. More on white shark diving adventures at www.sharkdiver.com
Guadalupe Island: White Sharks & Seals
www.oceansaloft.com The HD video is hosted by Natasha Stenbock and filled with stunning aerials, underwater, and land shots of Guadalupe Island. This unique environment has been thought of as the Mexican Galapagos Islands. Shark finning video courtesy of Sharkwater Productions. Contact Oceans Aloft LLC at www.oceansaloft.com for more info.
Guadalupe Conservation Fund White Shark Research
RTSea Productions A small but dedicated group of filmmakers, researchers, eco tour operators and dive boat owners banded together to create The Guadalupe Island Conservation Fund- a much needed non profit organization. It’s goal is to provide much needed funding to ongoing white shark research teams at the Bio-Sphere. Visit www.guadalupefund.org
A View from Below – Official Film Trailer
Rooftop Pix Buy DVD at Amazon http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002… “Homemade” and “submarine” are two words that don’t go together, but Karl Stanley has proven that convention wrong twice over. He designed and built two groundbreaking deep-sea submersibles with the creativity and resourcefulness of some of history’s greatest inventors. View From Below follows Karl Stanley in his unprecedented, controversial quest to “Go Deeper”. His determination and creativity will amaze and inspire you from the very beginning.
Deepsea exploration
UWproductions Depth: 2000ftBottom time: 5 hoursDescription:We did three submarine deep dives and were very lucky to find some amazing animals.First the Sea lily, one of the oldest creatures on earth. Then, plenty creatures, including conger ells, tinsel fish, angler fish, orange roughy, a purple octopus, a deep sea lobster and others. We also saw a huge six gill shark and at the end we were very luck to find the tiny and charismatic dumbo octopus.
Island of the Great White Shark – Trailer
RTSea Productions An award-winning documentary, Island of the Great White Shark is the first comprehensive look at the great white sharks of Isla Guadalupe, Baja; the ongoing scientific research taking place there; and the unique working relationship between shark ecotourism operators and the researchers. Viewers get up close with the sharks to get an accurate portrayal of these magnificent predators. Available on DVD. For more information, visit http://www.islandofthegreatwhiteshark…
Shark Ecotourism at Isla Guadalupe
RTSea Productions Produced by RTSea Productions for use in Google Earth’s new ocean layer, this video shows that there’s much more to Isla Guadalupe’s shark ecotourism than just an exciting adventure. Sharks are critical to maintaining a balanced marine ecosystem, and responsible ecotourism enlightens people to the threats sharks are facing today and the need to protect them. Voice-over by Travis. To learn more, visit Google Earth’s new ocean layer or visit http://www.rtsea.com.
Elephant Seal attacked at Isla Guadalupe
Dr. Maurico Hoyas shows damage to a Northern Elephant seal after an attack by two great white sharks
In search of the Great White
http://www.mundosmarinos.com This documentary was made by photographer ALEMANY Juanmi. Visit their website Mundosmarinos.com for the professional portfolio of Juanmi Alemany underwater photographer, a sampling of his photographic work and information about their courses
Best Shark Dive in the world?
Valerie Taylor called Beqa Adventure Divers’ “Shark Dive”, “The best shark dive in the world!”. That is high praise from one of the most respected shark divers in the industry and given the fact that we at Shark Diver pride ourselves in off…
The Value of a Live Shark – Bahamas Productions
Over the years Shark Divers has worked with a number of outstanding film and television productions on shark shows that have ranged from Discovery Channel to Ushia Natural History. We have also turned down many shark productions like Endemol’s “Killer Shark Live” at Isla Guadalupe for reasons that ran the gamut from poor production value to the actual name of the show. This year we have been busy once again on a series of shark…
“Shark diving with the best shark guys in the business!” – Jennifer and Mark, August 2011
“I finally know the color of a white sharks eyeball, and it’s not black!” – Jennifer, Guadalupe October 2010
Hey guys, just back from Guadelupe. 5 friends and I just finished the trip and all had an awesome time. Lots of sharks and close passes.
“One of the single most amazing shark diving experiences of my life” – Mark Lawson, Guadalupe 2011
“Shark diving with Shredder, my favorite shark by far, say hello to him for me next year!” – Richard, September 2010
“We had bad weather and no sharks, then 30 sharks and it was game on, kudos guys Shark Week will be great again this year” – Rick Pace, Bahamas 2012
“Awesome Tigers sharks, simply awesome, thanks guys!” – Tom Black, April 2009
“Wow Wow Wow, those sharks are SO huge, but SO beautiful…see you next year guys!” – Sally, November 2010
“Thanks for the shark diving adventure, my husband’s been raving about his sharky gift all week” – Mary, Bahamas April 2011
“Eight Tiger sharks? Are you kidding me? Eight flippin’ Tigers and I was in the middle of it!” – Daniel Stubbs, Bahamas 2011
Shark Week VW Commercial – Behind The Scenes
Yes, that’s Luke Tipple driving the SOVW or as we knew her “Skittles,” in the Bahamas a few months ago during the filming of the anchor commercial to Shark Week 2012. Seen it yet? From the same team who brought you last years anchor commercial with Gillette, comes a series of very cool design, build, deploy shark commercials that bend the world of underwater exploration. Luke was not alone in this endeavor. Greg “Moondog Mooney,”…
Sport Diver Magazine – Shark Diving with SharkDiver.com
This month outdoor writer Jim Cornfield covered Isla Guadalupe, Mexico and Shark Diver for Sport Diver Magazine. The article was a short update to Isla Guadalupe and commercial shark diving with several industry quotes from CEO Patric Douglas: “Site stewardship is especially important here (Isla Guadalupe) in what is perhaps the most robust shark site on the planet.” Kudos to Sport Diver Magazine for continued positive coverage of the global shark diving industry. It is…
SharkDiver.com Behind the Scenes Gillette Commercial
In 2011 Shark Diver and our film and television team at Shark Divers was asked to tackle a technically challenging commercial shark production by one of the largest advertising agencies in the world BBDO. Over the years we have come to be known within the film and television community as the company that successfully pulls off challenging and unique productions with sharks. From Mythbusters to “walking on water with sharks,” our teams always look at…
Tiger Beach Shark Expeditions 2011 – CEO Trip Report
As the CEO of Shark Diver I have been fortunate enough over the past decade to meet some amazing divers, work with some great dive crews, and experience sharks in ways that few people are fortunate enough to. This spring I spent a month in the company of sharks at Tiger Beach with the M/V Kate. We shot a couple of film projects, entertained a host of excited divers from all over the planet, and…
Shark Diver in the Vancouver Sun
Vancouver Sun March 2011 Eye to eye with the Great White By Craig Reynolds North Americans are closer than they think to what is arguably the best place on earth to experience Great White Sharks. When you tell people you’re going on a shark dive, you can almost guarantee that you’ll get a fairly similar reaction from most people. You’re crazy, they’ll say. But for those of us guys (and yes, girls too) who think…
Marshall Islands “They Be Burning Shark Boats!”
50 sharks. That’s all it took for a Hong Kong fishing company to receive the following from the Marshall Islands who recently declared all of their waters a Shark Sanctuary:
1. One burned boat (TBA)
2. $120,000 fine
3. Permanent banning from the Marshall Islands
A long line fishing boat has been fined 120,000 US dollars and banned from fishing in Marshall Islands water for violating the country’s ban on shark finning.
The Marine Resources Authority Director Glen Joseph says the shark fins and skins confiscated from the vessel that fished under the aegis of the Marshall Islands Fishing Venture will be publicly burned in the near future.
Marshall Islands Fishing Venture is part of the Hong Kong-based Luen Thai Enterprises, which operates long line fishing operations in Majuro and other parts of Micronesia to export sashimi to markets in Japan and the United States.
Shark fins and skins from an estimated 50 sharks were discovered on board the long liner during a regional fisheries surveillance enforcement program in February.
Mr Joseph says they will not relicense the vessel to fish in Marshall Islands waters.
He says the message they want to get out to anyone operating in Marshall Islands waters is that they are serious (about the shark ban), and it is the law.
Meanwhile, Marshall Islands Fishing Venture manager Derrick Wang says it regrets the actions taken by the captain of this particular vessel, and appropriate actions have been taken to ensure future incidents with this vessel and other vessels under of it will not happen.
News Content © Radio New Zealand International
PO Box 123, Wellington, New Zealand
PO Box 123, Wellington, New Zealand
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 sharkcrew@gmail.com.
Greatest White Shark Diving Image Ever?
Behold. Juanmi Alemany’s master shot from the cages of Shark Diver at Isla Guadalupe, Mexico.While tens of thousands of images from this site are floating around, this one we absolutely love for reasons that run the gamut from energy, to action, color …
NO. FREAKING. WAY.
Alexander Polli. Respect. 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 dyna…
Joe Saba’s Floridian White Shark Problem?
Credit Joe Saba”This pic was taken at popular fishing/dive wreck, the Eagle, off of Islamorada in about 90′ of water!”That’s the caption to this remarkable image on Facebook today and yes that’s a big white shark (Carcharodon carcharias) apparently cru…
Bimini Bull Run Trip Report April 2013
“This is by far the best hotel in Bimini unless you want cookie cutter places. Must do: Shark Tank!! Please remember you are on”
We did the Living Social Deal that offered the Baleria shuttle leaving Miami Friday morning staying at BBC and returning Sunday evening.
The boat ride over was the “vomit comet”. North winds made it so rough it was horrible! Many, many people got sick. Finally arrived and it took another 40 minutes to get our bags and get off the boat.
Arrived at the Big Game Club and was met with cool AC, friendly staff, and complementary punch. Once we got our room (101) which was clean, big, and the patio was right off the pool and tiki bar.
Be aware of the restaurant. Patience is needed (all around the island). We call it Bimini Time. The portions are HUGE. You can easily share a meal (I had the seafood sampler $19 and it was good) and there is 18% ALWAYS added on food and drinks.
A MUST:::: The Shark Tank was FANTASTIC!! Words cannot describe this. We had 6 sharks inches from our faces. Amazing smaller fish, a barracuda, and a big stingray (briefly) were also there.
I will be back here for sure!! Staff was friendly, helpful, and honest. Rooms were big, clean, and welcoming. The pool was clean and well kept and there were a few hammocks in the shade.
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 sharkcrew@gmail.com.
The Cretin’s Guide to Commercially Killing Sharks
Don’t get me wrong I am all for shark research. Having personally sponsored at least one ground breaking shark project for a number of years at Isla Guadalupe anyone who knows me knows I love fresh shark data.But when does widely available shark data …
Blackfish?
We heard about this one two years ago when the underground film buzz said there was something “unique and balanced” in the works about Tilikum the Killer Whale.The result is Blackfish. For all intents this film hits all the marks. Kudos.Go see it befor…
Rumble in the Research Jungle – Domeier vs Fischer
They say a picture is worth a thousand words. If so this picture says everything about Fischer Productions and their brand of shark research.
(We had some prescient words about this image back in 2009.)
Fischer’s program series is so lofty that it has ensnared almost every known asset in the shark community and created seismic fault lines everywhere it has gone. And it has gone everywhere.
You are either for Chris Fischer or against him, and many of those who have joined his merry band of televised shark rock stars have the scars to prove it.
Many of the sharks this program has featured also bare scars of their own as well.
For the record while many in the commercial shark diving community were running to Fischer to supply him with everything from whale meat to shark cages my direct response to his request for a shark cage in 2010 was –“Go Fuck Yourself Chris”.
I rather enjoyed that phone call.
I have never been one to mince words with folks I find disagreeable – it’s one of my better traits. I find many who would put their public declarations for sharks by the wayside for a few minutes of televised fame even more disagreeable. But that is the nature of film and tv these days.
I once thought (call it an evolution) that science and tv could be married together to deliver the best and brightest to waiting audiences. Then the major cable players started cutting doco budgets, slashing and burning them in an almost Visigothic manner until a 60 minute show was left with a budget of $150,000 and that included post production.
What do you get for $150,000 or less?
You get Gurney Productions and sharks. There will always be someone who is willing to drop their pants and chain wrap a Tiger shark, and film it, (yes ABC that’s you buddy) for a few film credits and the chance to film the next piece of shit that comes down the chute.
But I digress. Sorry about that, Emma is fine now, her chain scars are healed, and the low rent cabal who enjoy swimming in effluent are on to other shows. God bless them, someone has to do it.
This post is about another evolution I am having and that is of Dr. Michael Domeier.
This week the whole Fischer Shark Men thing blew up on Mike Da Sharks Blog and for the first time I read an in depth response from Dr.D to what happened out there in 2008 at Isla Guadalupe and the Farallones.
If Dr.D has been reticent about posting, he should do more, not less of it.
It takes a lot of cojones to get up and set records straight. I am of the mind if those who are trying to take you down are beneath you or they pose little threat over the long term because they eventually destroy themselves, you sit and watch. It’s amusing to watch, trust me.
But, in the case of Fischer, and the research career that has been sidelined by bombast, self aggrandizement, a PT Barnum lust for the media that overshadows everything?
Oh no, no no no, you have to get up and Rumble in The Jungle and set a record, otherwise it gets set for you, and kudos to Dr.D for setting that record this week.
I am beginning to actually like the good doctor once again and that’s another evolution. There’s an Act Two here that Dr.D is about to realize having been through the crucible of out of control productions and Titanus Egoist, he may well become a spokesperson for film and tv, or something that fits both worlds.
The fact is production budgets will never come back, so someone has to create the actual research that can be done for the few paltry production shekels being offered. Science on the cheap can be done, and it can be educational, but it requires a PhD to pull it off.
Something to think about.
I am if nothing an optimist who fervently believes that change can happen and good things can come if people think out of the box. Dr.D is good man who got cashiered by a true used car salesman, you could see that train wreck a mile away, but his voice, now the ooze is off the rose, could lead to great things.
More please, and kudos to Mike for stirring that pot.
Oh, I know the industry HATES us bloggers, always poking into things best left alone and our multi syllabic ways of getting points across.
But if there is any good to be had of Shark Men it is Act Two for Dr.D and I have a feeling that his Act Two will be a good one…I have a way of prognosticating these things, and they tend to come to pass, so we’ll see you on another blog post in two years.
Go get ’em Dr.D.
PS1: Shark Alley has some words…and as per usual they made me laugh.
“The most challenging experience one will face during a career in white shark research is being suckered into working with someone that is a dick. Like a one-night stand, they/their projects may look attractive and say all the right things, but then you wake up and realize that you’re some wrinkly married man’s mid-life crisis.”
Cheers,
Patric Douglas
Founder
Shark Diver
Currently enjoying semi-retirement
About Shark Diver. As a global leader in commercial shark diving and conservation initiatives (yeah we built a few) 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 sharkcrew@gmail.com.
Video: Shark Named “Compy” – Tip Dorsal Fin Blog
Video Transcript:Whoa!….Holy Shit!….Oh My God….Woooo!…Ho!…Ohoho!…Woo!….Hahaha!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 …
Guy Harvey Leads Isla Mujeres Expedition To Deploy Satellite SPOT Tags to Study Mako Shark Migrations
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: John Bell
954-766-2794
Guy Harvey Leads Isla Mujeres Expedition To Deploy Satellite SPOT Tags to Study Mako Shark Migrations
DAVIE, FL— APRIL 9, 2013— The tagging and tracking of shortfin mako sharks in late March off the coast of Isla Mujeres, Mexico is expected to provide scientists with remarkable and previously unknown details about the timing and long-distance migratory movements of this vulnerable species in the Atlantic Ocean.
An expedition headed by the Guy Harvey Research Institute (GHRI) at Nova Southeastern University, tagged mako sharks with the satellite reporting SPOT tags. Unlike the more commonly used pop-up satellite PAT tags, SPOT tags should provide multiple and more accurate daily detections, providing scientists with a high resolution view of the migration patterns of this animal.
For a visual snapshot of the expedition, go to https://vimeo.com/63367194
Given the high fishing pressure on makos for their fins and meat, this species is showing declining population trends in parts of its range, which has resulted in the species being listed as “Vulnerable” on the IUCN Red List of threatened species.
Last year a shortfin mako shark dubbed “Carol” in New Zealand was tagged with a SPOT tag and is showing an amazing journey that has covered nearly 9,500 miles over ten months, averaging 60 miles per day during some parts of her migration. GHRI collaborated with the New Zealand National Institute of Water an Atmospheric Research (NIWA) on the tagging of “Carol” and three other mako sharks off New Zealand.
Internationally known marine artist, scientist and conservationist, Dr. Guy Harvey, who returned to Isla Mujeres for the second consecutive year, described the most recent expedition in his online blog, which can be found at http://www.GuyHarvey.com/guys-journal.
Shark biologist Dr. Brad Wetherbee with GHRI and the University of Rhode Island, angler and WTVJ NBC 6 weather anchor Jennifer Reeves and Emmy Award winning producer/cameraman George Schellenger accompanied Dr. Harvey. The team worked with Captain Anthony Mendillo of Keen M International.
Dr. Mahmood Shivji, Director of the GHRI at Nova Southeastern, said the newly tagged shark, named “Jen” for Jennifer Reeves (who caught the shark), can soon be followed on a new website combining all tracking projects into one integrated portal.
“The public interest in GHRI’s shark movement research has been amazingly strong,” said Dr. Shivji, who reported that the New Zealand online mako satellite-tracking site has received nearly 73,000 unique visitors over the last seven months, equating to an average of over 10,000 unique visitors per month.
“We hope to replicate the tremendous success of our New Zealand research in the Atlantic,” said Dr. Harvey. ”Now we have a new group of Atlantic makos to follow which should reveal much new information on their seasonal movements in our part of the world, including the route that they take and distances traveled.”
About the Guy Harvey Research Institute at NSU:
Established in 1999, the Guy Harvey Research Institute (GHRI) at NSU is collaboration between the renowned marine artist, scientist and explorer, Dr. Guy Harvey, and Nova Southeastern University’s Oceanographic Center. The mission of the GHRI is to provide the scientific information necessary to understand, conserve, and effectively manage the world’s marine fishes and their ecosystems. The GHRI is one of only a handful of private organizations dedicated exclusively to the science-based conservation of marine fish populations and biodiversity. The research, education and outreach activities of the GHRI are supported by the Guy Harvey Ocean Foundation, AFTCO Inc., extramural research grants, philanthropic donations by private businesses and individuals, and NSU. http://www.nova.edu/ocean/ghri/index.html
About Guy Harvey Ocean Foundation:
The Guy Harvey Ocean Foundation is a leader in international efforts to protect our oceans and marine environments. The GHOF advocates for sustainable fishing practices, funds inspired scientific research and supports innovative educational programs. Our principle objective is to help ensure that future generations will enjoy and benefit from a naturally balanced ocean ecosystem where fish and other marine wildlife flourish. GHOF has led or assisted include the establishment of a shark sanctuary in Bahamian federal waters, the addition of five species of sharks to Florida’s protected list and the enactment of the U.S. Billfish Conservation Act. In the fall of 2012, the GHOF led a petition drive in support of the National Conservation Law in the Cayman Islands. The GHOF also assisted the launch of the first catch-and-release fishing tournament in Venezuela.
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 sharkcrew@gmail.com.
To Save Everything…Click Here
With the success of CITES this year and the listing of several new ocean species the next step for conservation is enforcement.Regional fishermen and fishing interests are slow to adopt CITES agreements, and set aside areas are often plundered for quic…
Bimini Shark Video from CJ Brooks – Awesome!
It’s unique shark videos like these that reveal the absolute best of the island of Bimini, Bahamas.Kudos to CJ Brooks for this amazing look at a genuine shark wonderland. Sharks of Bimini from CJ Crooks on Vimeo.About Shark Diver. As a global l…
Bimini Bahamas Hammerhead Diving – Epic!
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…
Paul Watson ‘enclosure’ plans in Japan ‘flawed and misguided’
By Andrew Tafferty, Staff Writer, The Age
A Japanese underwater cameraman’s plans to capture eco fugitive Paul Watson so tourists can throw rotten butter at him in Japan has infuriated conservationists, who said claims the scheme would create peace and harmony around the world “do not add up”.
Daito Suzuki, a camera operator for Ninkei One, wants to build a 20,000 square foot enclosure in Taiji, Japan that includes an exact replica of the Steve Irwin for Watson to inhabit.
Visitors would pay £65 each to gain access, and an additional £65 to throw rotten butter at Watson just like his television series Whale Wars. The money would be used to fund real conservation organizations like PEW Trusts.
But a group of conservationists and wildlife charities, including Save Captain Crunch in Britain, called Mr Suzuki’s plans “flawed and deeply misguided” and have urged authorities in Japan to halt it.
The scheme’s opponents deny Mr Suzuki’s claims that Paul Watson is an insufferable media loon who would best be kept in long term enclosures like the one being proposed in Taiji, where his daily rantings and crazy antics could be watched by paying clients for their amusement.
“The conservation arguments for this project do not add up,” said David Ottley, Japans coordinator for Sea Shepherd.
“You cannot tell me that Paul Watson who is known to enjoy lavish Hollywood fund raising parties with $75.00 sustainable appetizers, can be happily confined to a 20,000 foot enclosure with an exact replica of the Steve Irwin, with no possible escape from tourist stress, no ability to feed naturally, nor seek out the natural conditions that suit him at different times of the year, nor have Internet access.”
The enclosure, south of Higashimuro District, Wakayama, Japan and close to popular tourist beaches, would double as a marine rescue and rehabilitation centre, Mr Suzki said.
“This is not some hoodlum misthought project, my opponents are misinformed,” he told The Age.
“We have been working on this for more than ten years, since Paul Watson first started to try and shut down Japan’s scientific whaling, it’s a million-dollar investment and we have the support of some of Japans leading conservationists and the JWA.”
Some proceeds from the profits of money earned from tourists would also pay for displaced Sea Shepherd crews to process cashew nut shells into oil at factories in Japan.
Mr Suzuki is waiting for final approvals from Japans National Environmental Management Authority, which is expected to decide whether the project should go ahead next week.
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 sharkcrew@gmail.com.
Filming Sharks in Bimini – A Cautionary Tale
Yesterday we watched the antics of a film crew in Bimini harbor swimming around at a boat dock across from us with baited Bull Sharks in an attempt to place a “fin cam” on the back of an animal. Sadly, as they discovered, the shark site they chose …
New Shark Blog in Town? ‘Bout Bloody Time
Da Shark has discovered a new shark blog and after just two posts we have become fans.Of course that’s also after a few Kalik Beers at one of our favorite Out Island Bahamas watering holes that happens to have crackin’ Internet.And why, you might well …
Southern Stingrays Gateway Shark Diving and Conservation?
There’s a new paper from Guy Harvey’s team about Cayman Island’s hugely successful wild animals encounter, “Stingray City” and what rampant and uncontrolled commercialism of species does to feeding and movement patterns.Oh and it’s not good, in fact it…
Shark Sanctuaries: The HEPCA Enforcement Roadmap?
We just found this website and we have to say it’s a great idea and perhaps an actual solution or stop gap measure to the question of shark sanctuaries and enforcement. Welcome to the fine folks from HEPCA who have had enough of sharks being taken from…
Fiji Leading the Shark Pack – Cool Research
Has it been a decade over there in Fiji?
Looks like it and now we have research driven data as well.
The kind of data that helps an entire industry grow, the kind of data that Fiji and the Team at BAD are so good at initializing and producing – quality work.
If you thought today’s blog post from Fiji and Da Shark was celebratory, you were correct, and congratulations are in order as well for the entire Fiji team who have fearlessly, “done their own thing,” and in doing so laid out a template for sustainable shark diving the world over.
We have long been fans of BAD and Da Shark, and no we’re really not secret investors, we just have an eye out for excellence in the shark diving community and Fiji consistently fires on all cylinders when it comes to commercial shark diving, conservation, and research.
So Kudos to all for this latest paper and another continued decade of adventures to all:
Opportunistic Visitors: Long-Term Behavioural Response of Bull Sharks to Food Provisioning in Fiji
Juerg M. Brunnschweiler, Adam BarnettAbstract
Shark-based tourism that uses bait to reliably attract certain species to specific sites so that divers can view them is a growing industry globally, but remains a controversial issue.
We evaluate multi-year (2004–2011) underwater visual (n = 48 individuals) and acoustic tracking data (n = 82 transmitters; array of up to 16 receivers) of bull sharks Carcharhinus leucas from a long-term shark feeding site at the Shark Reef Marine Reserve and reefs along the Beqa Channel on the southern coast of Viti Levu, Fiji.
Individual C. leucas showed varying degrees of site fidelity.
Determined from acoustic tagging, the majority of C. leucas had site fidelity indexes greater than 0.5 for the marine reserve (including the feeding site) and neighbouring reefs. However, during the time of the day (09:00–12:00) when feeding takes place, sharks mainly had site fidelity indexes smaller than 0.5 for the feeding site, regardless of feeding or non-feeding days.
Site fidelity indexes determined by direct diver observation of sharks at the feeding site were lower compared to such values determined by acoustic tagging.
The overall pattern for C. leucas is that, if present in the area, they are attracted to the feeding site regardless of whether feeding or non-feeding days, but they remain for longer periods of time (consecutive hours) on feeding days. The overall diel patterns in movement are for C. leucas to use the area around the feeding site in the morning before spreading out over Shark Reef throughout the day and dispersing over the entire array at night. Both focal observation and acoustic monitoring show that C. leucas intermittently leave the area for a few consecutive days throughout the year, and for longer time periods (weeks to months) at the end of the calendar year before returning to the feeding site.
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 sharkcrew@gmail.com.
How do we identify the Great White Sharks?
We have over 370 individual Great White Shark identified at Guadalupe Island. The Marine Conservation Science Institute has been keeping track of these awesome animals since 2001.
Lets look at what makes these unique and the methods we use to identify them. The first thing we determine is the sex of the sharks. Male sharks have claspers and Females don’t.
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| Female Shark, no claspers |
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| Male shark, claspers |
Once we know the sex of the shark, we look at the pattern of the transition from the white belly to the grey top. This transition is like a fingerprint. We primarily look at 3 different areas of the Shark. The gills, pelvic area, and the tail.
Lets look at this picture of a Great White Shark and identify it.
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First we need to determine the sex of the shark. So lets take a closer look at the pelvic area. We can see that there are no claspers, so it is a female.
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| No claspers, = female shark. |
Now that we know that is a female, we look through our database and try to match up the color pattern to the females we have in our database.
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| #262, Deb |
I think we found a match #262, Deb, looks like a perfect match. What if we are not convinced? In that case we look at another area. How about the gills?
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| Left is our photo, right is our databese |
As you can see, the color pattern on the gills matches as well, so we have a confirmed match. The shark in our picture is #262 “Deb”
Aside from the color pattern, we also look for mutilations. We have previously talked about the amazing healing ability of our sharks here, so we have to be careful to not use regular injuries as a sole means of identification. Here is a picture of”Bruce” with a big bite from another shark.
Just a year later, he barely showed any sign of that injury.
Unlike flesh-wounds, mutilations are permanent. We have many sharks that have some unique mutilations, like the famous “Lucy” with her mangled tail.
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| Lucy |
However, even with mutilations we have to be careful. There are multiple sharks who may have similar mutilations, so we still have to make sure that we positively identify those sharks. At Guadalupe, “Andy”, “Chugey”, “Tzitzimitl”, and “Cori B” all have the top of their tail missing
There are other mutilations, like missing pieces of a pectoral, pelvic, or dorsal fin that can all be used as a preliminary identification, but like mentioned above, it’s never a sole means and always has to be confirmed by looking at the color pattern.
Many people, especially on social media are using “birth marks”, black spots on typically the white belly of the shark, to identify the sharks. Those are actually not birth marks at all, but rather copepods, a parasite that can move around and may disappear from a shark, so they are not a good way to identify our sharks.
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| “Tzitzimitl” with copepods. |
All of our divers receive a copy of the entire Photo ID Database witch contains every shark we have identified at Guadalupe Island.
Now that you know how to identify the sharks, you are ready to come shark diving with us. How great will it be when you watch “Shark Week” the next time and you’re able to say “this is the shark that swam right by me”. Our goal is not to simply get you face to face with Great White Sharks, but to also share everything we know about all the individual sharks we encounter. Some individuals we have known for 21 years and watched the grow from “little” 12 footers to well over 16 feet.
Some of our trips are hosted by Nicole Nasby-Lucaas, the scientist who keeps the database, where she shares her vast knowledge from years of researching Guadalupe’s Great White Sharks with our divers.
Call us at 619.887.4275 or email crew@sharkdiver.com for more information on our expeditions.
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.