Shark Conservation Wins - T'Was a Good Month

Image Ocean Research

Naturally when word and images of some guy in S.A who had caught a protected white shark appeared on the Internet in 2011 - we had some choice words of our own to say about it:

"Simian, Rock Squatting, Douchebaggery with Sharks"

Note: It was the fine assemblage of words like these to describe events of the day that made us one of the most read shark blogs out there.

But wait, there's even better news, because said "Simian" was arrested and fined, yes fined!

Just when you thought that S.A was little more than an overheated battleground for competing commercial operations, a few disparate conservation types, and a mess of shark regulations, something was done for sharks..

Actually, S.A is a fine place for sharks and for the commercial interests as well who rallied around this one dead shark to see justice for protected species done.

Now, if we could only get New Zealand on board with the legal shark fin quota they have and the few commercial miscreants who still harvest sharks for fins, and you know who you are - Lady Anna still killing sharks or have you given that up for Lent?

Oh and yes there was this, the bust of some fishermen in Honduras in a no take zone. Is this the end of shark fining in sanctuaries?

If Mikes breathy post is any indication we can all call it "Victory" and go home, as for us we'll take a more nuanced approach and wait and see. After six years of shark blogging we know better.

BTW if you happen to be into the nuanced approach Mike also wrote this, and it's about as good as it gets. Read his post before you go off on your next racist Facebook Rant about how, "brown and yellow people and raping the oceans"...they are not for the most part, what they are doing is surviving, and not in the twice-a-day Skinny Latte manner of Julie from Sea Shepherd, (oh how she suffers for sharks) but in the classic, "don't have two dimes to rub together and my folks need to eat," sense.

Good blogging.

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.