Stoopid Shark Videos and the Stone Aging of an Industry

You gotta love the meeting place of commercial shark diving and shark conservation. On one side you actually have good and honest folks trying to persuade decision makers in governments all over the world to consider shark diving as a viable alternative to regional shark fishing.

We happen to agree with this approach and believe that a series of high profile shark sites created in tandem with NGO's around the world would benefit both local populations and shark conservation.

They use the Bahamas as a prime example and an estimated 78 million a year in tourism value for shark diving. Not bad right?

Unfortunately these folks have become the unwitting street sweepers at the end of an Elephant Parade filled with stupid shark tricks and piss poor shark protocols often highlighted with images and video that run in stark contrast to those seeking a better world for sharks.

From the Bahamas to the Red Sea we have an ongoing testosterone handling problem with sharks.

Case in point, this video, and thanks to Da Shark for the find. To the shark apologists out there, and you know who you are, the sharks in this video are not dispensing, "love taps," "shark hugs," and or "shark kisses". This is good old fashioned predatory behavior, and there's no way these folks should have been in the middle of it.

If you really care about sharks and the perception of these animals it is up to the commercial folks to ensure they have a media lock on this kind of garbage shark diving which benefits no one - especially the sharks.


Oceanic white tip shark, massive warning !!! from Ritch on Vimeo.


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.

Shark Survivability 0% To 80%

A very large percentage of "shark fishermen" are in fact "accidental fishermen" - like these fine examples from New Jersey.

After watching this video shark conservation folks can do two things:

1. Get angry and rail at all shark fishermen.

2. Produce the tools for shark survivability.

A series of well placed informational videos highlighting catch and release techniques with real sharks would "educate fishermen" how to save sharks. The fishermen in this video unknowing killed this animal. They just lacked any clear idea how to deal with a shark, from gaffing, to hook removal.

With an industry leader like, Guy Harvey, and the backing of the IGFA, these videos would do more for sport caught shark survivability then most efforts currently being promoted.

Education is the golden key to sport caught sharks.

As shark conservation folks why don't we lead this issue instead of reacting to it? Any takers?