Videos show industry generated 'cruelty to sharks'

Commercial shark diving operations in South Africa are discovering the "industry media rule" first hand this week in a series of high profile media hits on baiting sharks and current S.A regulations.

"Thou shalt not allow or enable images and video that depict operations doing bad things with sharks"

Simple enough rule and yet too many industry members seem to forget that we live in a hyper connected media environment. An environment where videos and images of sharks smashing into cages, or worse, are transmitted around the world to waiting agenda based groups, and on to agencies tasked with providing the frame work and guidelines for our industries continued existence.

This weeks series of videos featuring white sharks thrashing against shark cages are another reason for operations to take a hard look at how they bait animals and why they are doing it.

Shark diving, done right, is a first class educational tool for thousands of divers worldwide. Additionally shark research efforts in tandem with operations helps the species with regional protections based on solid data.

Our industry has much to offer sharks in a time of profound shark crises. But only if operations can find their way past cheap stunt work with sharks and see the broader vision of sustainability.

4,919,978 - That's Media

Back in 2007 an experiment in new media on You Tube was launched. Could we get to one million views of a natural predation event at Isla Guadalupe, Mexico?

The answer to that question was quickly discovered. Yes.

Today this video remains in the top 10. Kudos to the marketing wizards Adam and Zander at L.A based 689Design who wrapped this piece of video eye candy up into the ongoing You Tube power house that is remains to this day. 4,919,978 is an exciting number, we'll be cracking the champagne at 5 million next month.

What "You Tube" Does For Enforcement

Interesting news this week from You Tube and NOAA. Turns out videos posted on You Tube and other online media sites are being watched by enforcement officials - against illegal dolphin feeding.

As a case point to the commercial shark diving industry, we too are being watched. Video's posted to You Tube and other online media sites from South Africa, to the Bahamas and Mexico are being used in ways that are detrimental to our industry.

Viral video spreads faster than traditional media and is more effective in making a case for or against commercial shark diving:

Wildlife protection agencies have a new tool at their disposal - YouTube.

The video-sharing Web site allowed Al Samuels, a special agent with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's office for law enforcement, to find a record of a Georgia shrimper and guests on his boat feeding dolphins near Tybee Island.

"They had taken the bycatch and were using it to feed dolphins, and that was on YouTube," he said. "I got in touch and issued them a warning." Because the investigation remains open, Samuels could not disclose the name of the shrimper or any other details.

However, a video that fits the description was still posted Thursday on YouTube. The 18-minute clip shows a family on the boat holding fish overboard as dolphins beg and jump out of the water.

What looks like harmless fun is not, wildlife officials say.

Complete Story

Hottest Summer Travel Bargains - Tonga

The all new Dark Sands Vulcanus Resort and Spa in Tonga will give guests a $900 resort credit when they book a stay of five nights or more between March 29 and April 15, 2009. Nightly rates at the five-star luxury resort start at $1200 double occupancy (see video).

The credit can be used for a variety of amenities, dining and services, including treatments at the newly expanded, 27,000-square-foot Venus Volcano Spa - recently rated by Zagat as the hottest mud and steam treatments in the world:

The following Underwater Onion was brought to you by Shark Diver. We hear the mud baths at this resort will take your skin off.

"Get, Email" - Brilliant Eco Messaging

We have been highlighting some simply amazing conservation messaging over the past year. With the rise of You Tube and it's many clones, the decade of effective conservation messaging is here.

We need more of same - those with talent please apply:

Smart Conservation-Minus the Viral Factor

The guys over at BAD posted an excellent shark conservation video teaser today. Had to say we liked it too...except the most important factor posting any video on You Tube-the viral factor.

Having a first rate conservation message that perhaps 30,000 people see is like pouring a "cup of salt" on an Antarctic Ice Shelf. We need more videos like these and we need to open them up to a wider audience. Kudo's to Leslie Rochat for this effort. Cannot wait to see the completed doco:

Maybe it's the legacy of decennia of successful terrestrial Conservation - but South Africa seems to be a fertile breeding ground for efficient and intelligent Shark Conservationists, which of course is great!

Case in point: Lesley Rochat who has posted this video on YouTube.
Shame that she has de-activated the embedding feature and thus limited its circulation.

I like it because despite being chillingly graphic, it nevertheless manages to remain pragmatic and doesn't gratuitously vilify and demonize the perpetrators and the Authorities.

That's smart Conservation.

Those are the very same people one will eventually have to meet in order to flesh out what cannot be but a compromise. Ultimately, it is them who will have to sign , and then do (or stop doing) something and that requires that one continues to talk. Yes, certainly assertively but never impolitely.

How not to do it is amply demonstrated by the recent Whale hunting fiasco - and I'll leave it at that.

Shark Diver Hits 100,000,000!

Without a doubt the most watched shark diving video on You Tube right now was shot at Isla Guadalupe and we were in the middle of it in 2007 with white shark researcher-Mauricio Hoyos.

The video has hit over 100,000,000 views and shows no signs of stopping anytime soon. It has also launched the career of aspiring wild animal show host Luke Tipple.

You may also know him as the Dive Operations Manager for Shark Diver and Islander Charters.

What made this video a hit?

Good question. This was a grand experiment in Web 2.0 for us here at Shark Diver. We knew that the right video at the right time with a compelling story would draw interest. It also had a lot to do with how this was marketed on the net.

Without giving too much away-having the right partners, in this case the boys from 689 Design, made all the difference. Adam and Zander are pure genius, they know what works, they know timing, and they (thanks to us) also know Great White sharks.

So, in case you're one of the few shark fans who have not seen the video, here it is yet again:

Shark Diving Media-791,575 And Counting

Almost 6 months ago the good folks at 689 Design, one of the coolest L.A Branding outfits out there, added this piece of video eye candy to You Tube. The idea was to see how niche video candy would work to a broader audience if you wrapped it up professionally.

The results for us here at Shark Diver have been simply amazing. Video eye candy works.

Here's the video once again. By the end of this week we'll be at 800,000 viewers and by the end of this year sitting at 1.2 million:

Great White Shark Video

From the files of Shark Diver. The following white shark video was shot at Isla Guadalupe in 2004 with a large Great White.

Picture yourself 210 miles in the middle of the Pacific. It's 10.00am. A 12 Foot Great White Shark has decided to take a "keen interest" in the side of the shark cage you happen to be shooting out of.

If you happen to be fearless shark diver Sterns Bullen-you tighten your grip on your camera and hang on.

Go ahead, grab a beverage of choice and enjoy an up close look at a great white shark with 48,000 other You Tube shark fans:

When Angel Sharks Attack!

O.K people, how many times do we have to tell you?

They may look all "cuddly" and live most of their lives on the ocean floor, but pound for pound Angel Sharks are just plain vicious, vicious we tells ya!

This was what a team of crack divers discovered when one of the team got a little too close to natures Wild Child of the deep.

Underwater Thrills Lesson #2 here, if you're going to mess with an Angel Shark, ensure that you're not the guy off camera who gets nailed: