Requin blanc Carnet de voyage de plongée - SharkDiver.com

Quand Drew Grgich nous a appelés il ya plusieurs mois pour réserver une aventure de plongée de requin, nous savions que nous avions en herbe Shark Diver sur la ligne.

Son enthousiasme pour les requins, vous pouvez "sentir" tout le chemin de l'Arizona.

Il était aussi un plongeur certifié non, l'un des nombreux que nous "train" de devenir Shark Divers chaque saison.

Aujourd'hui Drew pouvez appeler lui-même un officiel Shark Diver avoir rencontré les espèces de requins supérieure au meilleur site pour eux sur toute la planète.

Il s'agit de son rapport de 2010 voyage avec l'image par Christy Fisher:

Day One (et demi)

Nous sommes venus de partout - - Michigan, New Jersey, dans le Nebraska, la Bay Area, de Vancouver, dans le Maryland, et de l'Arizona - - et nous avions tous un objectif en tête ... nager avec des requins blancs. Rappelez-vous, aucun de nous n'avait souhaite la mort si notre objectif était de faire nager soigneusement installé dans une cage en acier. Néanmoins, nous serions dans l'eau avec eux et donc, ils seraient dans l'eau avec nous! Notre voyage a commencé à San Diego sur H & M Landing. Notre navire a été l'Horizon MW, un 88-pieds. plongée en bateau.

Nous sommes montés à environ 22 heures 30 et étaient en cours peu après minuit. La première nuit a été passé en sommeil agité tout en essayant de détecter si oui ou non la sensation de nausée dans nos estomacs a été le début de nerfs mal de mer ou simplement. Nous sommes arrivés à Ensenada le lendemain matin, vers 9 heures. Une rapide vérification auprès des fonctionnaires des douanes mexicaines nous ont envoyés sur la voie d'Isla Guadalupe, la maison chute de quelques requins blanc 100 + Grande. Le voyage s'est déroulé sans incident, si long - - 18 longues heures pour être exact. On nous a dit que le vol était parmi les plus lisses notre capitaine avait éprouvé. Quelques-uns d'entre nous ont succombé au mal de mer, mais la plupart du temps, tout allait bien. Nous avons vu quelques sites remarquables - une baleine bleue, une baleine minces, les gousses de déplacement rapide et de haute dauphins sautant.

Je me souviens surtout de cette journée est de savoir comment j'étais excité.

Peu de gens dans la vie la chance d'avoir la certitude de savoir exactement ce qu'ils veulent dans la vie et encore moins de faire l'expérience que le désir. Pour moi, mon souhait le plus cher qui allait se passer en quelques heures. C'est trucs assez grisant!

Deuxième journée

Aux alentours de trois heures, le moteur à l'arrêt quand nous sommes arrivés à notre destination. Je suis allé là-haut deux ou trois heures plus tard et n'a pas été surpris de voir d'autres lève-tôt. Nous avons tenté de battre nos caméras en prenant des photos décentes - - pas un exploit facile à 5h du matin avant que le soleil avait même fait une apparition symbolique - - et imaginer que les eaux troubles qui nous entourent ont été grouillant de requins, chaque faim pour le premier quart de plongeurs .

Le changement est arrivé à me comprennent!

Notre divemaster, Martin Graf, me fit entrer dans la cage et me fit essayer un régulateur pour la première fois. Je n'ai d'accord avec la réglementation, mais avant que Martin me déclarer plongée digne, j'ai eu à inonder mon masque et clairement par le nez. Je lui ai donné un bon effort, mais malheureusement, j'ai paniqué quand ma première tentative a entraîné un nez plein d'eau salée. J'ai tiré à la surface et pour un bref instant, me demandais si j'allais être capable de réussir. Martin a été très patient et savait exactement combien d'espace pour me donner pour obtenir plus de mes craintes. Ma deuxième tentative a été couronnée de succès. Le secret était d'avoir un rythme régulier de respiration par la bouche de gagner la confiance, fermer les yeux, et expirez par le nez tout en inclinant le masque.

Nous n'avons pas eu à attendre longtemps. Le premier Great White semble en quelques minutes, le tour de la cage de quelques mètres en dessous de nous dans sa manière gracieuse. Le requin a été suivie par un autre peu de temps derrière. Les deux requins plané ci-dessous et fait des voyages paresseux autour des cages et trop vite, la rotation de notre première heure a été de plus. Chacun d'entre nous ont eu la chance lors de ce voyage. Deux personnes ont dû annuler si cela signifiait que nous avions 10 plongeurs au lieu de 12. Les cages loger quatre personnes chacune. Cela signifiait que nous pourrions effectivement avoir le temps de plongée autant que nous voulions.

J'ai pris un poste supplémentaire de ce premier jour j'ai donc dû cinq heures dans les cages. Nous avons vu sept requins différents le premier jour. La plupart maintenus à une distance respectable de la cage, mais certains proches osé suffit de toucher si nous étions vraiment enclins à le faire. Personne n'a été. :) Nous savions qu'ils étaient différents des requins comme les modèles de marques autour de leurs branchies et des nageoires servir comme une sorte d'empreinte digitale. Ces requins sont à leur tour nommé par le peuple qui le premier a les voir. Les scientifiques ne présente afin qu'ils puissent identifier les populations et les données de mesure des points tels que le nombre d'années qu'ils sont venus à l'île, à quel point les requins sont de plus en plus, et combien de requins sont des résidents saisonniers.

Certains viennent chaque année alors que certains de plus amples irrégulière. Pour mémoire, les requins, nous avons vu sur la première journée ont été Jacques, Bite visage, la Russie, Johnny, Cris de la Croix, et un nouveau mâle sans nom. Nous ne savons pas qui pour ne citer que le requin. . . le suspense est délicieux. :) Le point culminant de la première journée - à part le fait que je faisais de la plongée avec les Blancs Grand! - A été une rotation où Jacques le tour de la cage pour l'heure entière. J'ai été en mesure de tirer quarante minutes de la vidéo va d'un côté de la cage à l'autre. Certains passages étaient à quelques centimètres de ma caméra vidéo - - j'ai eu de belles photos!

Troisième journée

Le lendemain matin, j'ai pris la première rotation de la journée avec deux autres braves. Nous avons vu des requins, mais ils étaient loin ci-dessous. Nous avons essayé une quantité d'astuces pour attirer l'attention du requin - - piétiner nos pieds, frapper l'échelle cage avec certains de nos masses de plomb, chantant des airs show - - mais rien ne séduit plus que les requins premier quart.

À la suite de changements ont été beaucoup plus productive. J'ai passé les trois premières heures de la journée dans les cages et a tiré plus de vidéo. J'ai attrapé un autre trois quarts de travail après le déjeuner pour un total de six heures dans les cages. Il y avait deux points forts de la deuxième journée. La première est que je me trouvais en regardant dans la direction exacte nécessaire pour assister à une violation complète. C'est alors que le requin se propulse complètement hors de l'eau tout en poursuivant des proies. La proie se trouvait être une mouette et il est sorti de la voie juste à temps pour échapper à la requins sautant. J'ai été l'une des deux personnes à bord qui ont vu la brèche et c'était vraiment un spectacle magnifique.

Il était un petit requin - - peut-être 6-8 pieds - - mais c'était une violation complète! Le deuxième temps fort a été plus ignominieuse. Nous avons vu un requin de nouvelles - Gunther - qui a eu la gentillesse - - - bien, merde - - - directement en face de la cage à côté de nous. Il était amusant de voir le plaisir et les enfants de 10 ans à l'intérieur de mon compagnon de cage et je. . . jusqu'à ce que le courant nous tiré directement dedans. Je peux donc dire que j'ai eu la chance d'être assez caca par un grand blanc.

Quatrième journée

Je n'ai pris que la moitié du transfert sharkwatch. Il était correct - - rien de vraiment par rapport au premier couple de jours. J'ai pris deux quarts de travail pour la journée avant que nous devions partir. Nous avons eu un beau couple de passe près de Bite visage et Jacques. Ce fut particulièrement mémorable pour moi que Bite visage était un requin présenté sur Expedition Great White, un spectacle sur la Grande-Blancs scientifiques marquage à Isla Guadalupe. Il est amusant de voir les balises par satellite qu'ils avaient attaché à Bite Face à retrouver sa trace. Il est aussi cool de savoir que si elles montrent ses progrès dans une émission à venir, l'une des lignes se croiseront, où je l'ai vu. :)

Nous sommes partis pour la maison après les entraînements du matin et ont une mauvaise passe de l'eau agitée à espérer. J'écris ce que nous faisons notre route vers le nord lente à travers le Pacifique. Je peux honnêtement dire qu'il ya quatre événements de ma vie que mon top liste. La première serait de mon mariage avec vraiment, un attaché deux et trois étant la naissance de mes enfants. Juste derrière serait ce voyage. J'étais un peu inquiet que je serais pétrifié d'aller dans l'eau avec les requins, mais je n'avais pas même un coup de langue de la peur. Les requins sont évidemment curieux de nous les gens de singe dans la cage - pourquoi auraient-ils rester si elles l'étaient pas?

Ils n'ont certainement pas tenter de nous faire du mal et je n'ai pas hésité à accrocher mes bras hors de la cage de tenir mon appareil photo pour une meilleure image. Cela dit, je n'étais pas stupide - - - sans les jambes pendantes sur le côté de la cage, par exemple.

Final Tally sur combien d'heures je me suis plongé - - 15,5 heures!

Mon préféré Martin Graf cite - Les requins sont comme des bébés. Il ya seulement deux types d'éléments à un requin - des choses qui tiennent dans leur bouche et les choses qui pourraient.

Government Shark Cull in Cancun? 70 Animals on the Block

In response to February's unfortunate shark attack in Cancun involving a Canadian tourist, the Cancun Port Authority has reportedly authorized a wide scale shark cull. It was reported that 70 sharks have been taken so far.

The story can be found in Spanish on the Expediente Quinta Roo website along with a video purporting to be a pile of the first sharks to be taken by local fishermen:

Eric Benacek Shark Image - Awesome

Who is Eric Benacek?

Just a regular Joe who happened to be at the right place at the right time to snap this amazing feeding event with some feisty Carcharhinus melanopterus in French Polynesia.

You have to click on this image to get the full effect of light, motion, and life.

Eric spends the rest of his time, when not shooting sharks, as an art student and you can see his work here.

Protect Bahamas Sharks Now - Warning Graphic Images

Back in 2008 we posted these images and a call to action (see below). The images featured two Tiger sharks caught by sport fishermen. The animals were reduced to a set of jaws and some devastating pictures of decks littered with dead Tiger pups.

Three years later, Guy Harvey, the Bahamas National Trust and Pew Trust are mounting a terrific effort to get all of the Bahamas declared a shark sanctuary.

If you needed a reason for added shark protections these images should highlight that need now.

Please support this effort in any way you can and let's make these images the last of their kind:



TIGER SHARK MARCH 2008

Mote Marine Labs Spearheads Gulf Shark Effort

SARASOTA, Fla. – For months the Deepwater Horizon oil spill shut down tourism and commercial fishing along the coast of the Gulf of Mexico. Along with killing 11 people, the disaster cost billions of dollars and the full environmental impact may not yet fully be known. But groundbreaking research happening in Southwest Florida could give us a better idea of the long term effects of the spill on the ecosystem.

Hundreds of millions of gallons of crude oil spewed into the Gulf of Mexico as a result of the Deepwater Horizon disaster.

“Once you have oil, that massive amount of oil spilled into the environment, you already got severe problems,” Dr. Richard Pierce, director of Mote Marine’s Center for Ecotoxicology told WINK.

The spill would eventually become the largest accidental marine oil spill in history. Mote Marine scientists jumped into action last summer to examine the immediate impacts. But the long term effects are the biggest concern. Mote’s Senior Vice President of research, Dr. Michael crosby explains the concept of trophic cascading, a way to refer to major changes in the food chain that could occur as a result of oil contamination.

“If any of those species are negatively impacted over the longer term following the oil spill, it has cascading impacts throughout the entire ecosystem; the entire seascape,” he said.

It’s easy to imagine that all forms of marine life, up and down the food chain, could be impacted in some way by the oil spill. At Mote Marine they are already conducting a study, starting at the very top.

Groundbreaking research is happening right now at Mote Marine involving sharks. Dr. Robert Hueter says when he started looking for other studies on the impacts of oil on sharks, what he found surprised him.

“Incredibly, we discovered there was only one paper in the entire world on oil contaminants. There are lots of other papers on other types of contaminants. But on oil (or hydrocarbons) and sharks — one paper in the whole world. So we’re really dealing with a vacuum of information and we realize this study that we’re doing now is not only going to tell us what’s happened, perhaps, with the Deepwater Horizon incident, but also lay the groundwork for understanding what the effects of oil worldwide could be on these shark populations,” he said. “We are looking at fertility and if the animal’s reproductive systems have been affected by the chemical pollution they may have been exposed to.”

Dr. Robert Hueter is leading a study to see how oil affects the top predators in the gulf, sharks! The team will take four, week-long cruises to the area around the well over a two-year period. They catch the sharks, collect blood and tissue samples, and in some cases tag them for future study.

“It’s a health assessment of the entire gulf. The Gulf of Mexico is a huge place. You don’t just figure these things out in months or even a year two,” Dr. Hueter said. “I’ve heard people say we dodged a bullet… I say we took a bullet. We didn’t dodge a bullet, but we took a bullet and we’re now assessing how bad the wound is and how much blood we’ve lost.”

Funding for Mote’s shark study is coming from a grant by the Florida Institute of Technology. The grant is paid for by money from BP. It even led to the purchase of new equipment to help analyze the data collected in the field. They take their next cruise into the spill zone next month.

Update: Special lecture series Dr. Robert Hueter's talk "Tracking the World's Largest Shark." tonight information here.

Tiger Beach Expeditions 2011 - New Fall Dates

With the surprising interest in our spring 2011 expedition dates to Tiger Beach this year aboard the M/V Kate we have decided to offer even more.

Announcing our fall 2011 line up with Tigers in the Bahamas. Departures are from Freeport and the maximum number of divers will remain at just six, which means extra days diving, and ultimate expedition flexibility:

September 24-01

October 3-10
October 13-20
October 22-29

November 01-08

Join us this season. If you thought spring Tiger sharks were fun wait until you meet "The Big Ladies of the Fall".

Shark Diver Tiger Beach information here.

Image Wolfgang Leander - who else could have made this shot?

Marine biodiversity, sharks and tourism – which is the aggressor?

Press Release ITB Berlin March 2011

Adventure tours and eco-tourism are among the fastest growing markets in the tourism sector, a trend accurately mirrored by events at ITB Berlin this spring.

In the Trends & Events Hall a total of 123 tour operators, tourism boards and organisations representing 31 countries are presenting their latest Adventure Eco, Youth Travel and Economy Accommodation products, with information on expeditions, diving holidays and nature tours, as well as sustainable tourism. Numerous international exhibitors can be found in the Adventure Eco section in particular, among them Tourism for Peace Jenin & Gilboa, a tourism project from Israel and the Palestinian territories.

On 11 March, for the first time at the world’s leading travel trade show, a Shark Day organised by SHARKPROJECT will be taking place at ITB Berlin 2011, sponsored by Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit. According to a survey by the North Atlantic Dalhousie University in Halifax, over the past six years the number of deep sea sharks has fallen by 80 per cent. At a podium discussion representatives of international tourism organisations as well as the celebrity figure and actor Hannes Jaenicke, who for years has been championing wildlife conservation, will discuss ”Marine biodiversity, sharks and tourism – which is the aggressor?“

Next weekend at ITB, visitors will also be able to see the MS Haitanic exhibition and the film entitled “Hannes Jaenicke im Einsatz für Haie“.

Mobbing a Whale Shark - For the Right Reasons

After a whale shark (Rhincodon typus) beached itself at Nayarit, Mexico, last month locals got together and tried for several hours to free it.

There's no news on the final outcome, but we like to see folks helping sharks when they can, great video:

White Shark Photography - Just the Best Please

As a commercial shark diving company we have been very fortunate to work with some of the most gracious underwater photographers in the business.

Some of them are not "industry names" but the work they do is nothing short of stunning.

One of these is Juanmi Alemany from Spain and you may have seen his work with white sharks here on this blog and on our website.

Juanmi went from shark photographer to shark conservationists with a public gallery exhibit in Spain of his work attempting to demystify the white shark for the general public by taking them several thousand miles away to a small island off the coast of Mexico for some quality time with Carcharodon carcharias.

For more on his work please visit him here.

Study - Shark Navigation, Amazing

A new study released in the Journal of Animal Ecology this week from the Florida Museum of Natural History reveals that some shark species can pinpoint navigate long distances.

US ecologists analysed data from eight tiger sharks, nine blacktip reef sharks and 15 threshers which had been tagged with trackers and released off Hawaii, Palmyra atoll in the Pacific or southern California before being followed for between seven and 72 hours.

The research team featured some well known names in the shark research field:

1. Yannis P. Papastamatiou
2. Daniel P. Cartamil
3. Christopher G. Lowe
4. Carl G. Meyer
5. Brad M. Wetherbee
6. Kim N. Holland

Summary

1. Animal search patterns reflect sensory perception ranges combined with memory and knowledge of the surrounding environment.

2.  Random walks are used when the locations of resources are unknown, whereas directed walks should be optimal when the location of favourable habitats is known. However, directed walks have been quantified for very few species.

3. We re-analysed tracking data from three shark species to determine whether they were using directed walks, and if so, over which spatial scales. Fractal analysis was used to quantify how movement structure varied with spatial scale and determine whether the sharks were using patches.

4.  Tiger sharks performed directed walks at large spatial scales (at least 6–8 km). Thresher sharks also showed directed movement (at scales of 400–1900 m), and adult threshers were able to orient at greater scales than juveniles, which may suggest that learning improves the ability to perform directed walks. Blacktip reef sharks had small home ranges, high site fidelity and showed no evidence of oriented movements at large scales.

5. There were inter- and intraspecific differences in path structure and patch size, although most individuals showed scale-dependent movements. Furthermore, some individuals of each species performed movements similar to a correlated random walk.

6. Sharks can perform directed walks over large spatial scales, with scales of movements reflecting site fidelity and home range size. Understanding when and where directed walks occur is crucial for developing more accurate population-level dispersal models.

More here.

At Auction - The World's Largest Sharks Jaw

June 2011 the "World's Largest Sharks Jaw" will go up for bid in Dallas at the Heritage Auction Galleries.

With a $625,000 asking price, the question is, where would you put it?

Megaladon Jaw Auction

The ferocious Megalodon was the largest predaceous shark ever to have swum the oceans of our planet; completely dominating the marine food chain for almost twenty million years. That it could reach the length of two city buses is immediately apparent from this tremendous, astonishing jaw, containing 182 first-class fossil teeth, each with superb enamel coverage, coloring, serrations, and measuring up to 7 5/8 inches along the diagonal, amongst the largest Megalodon teeth ever discovered.

Whilst the teeth of the Megalodon have been found on continents across the world, the finest examples are found along the coastal plains of the Mid-Atlantic States. The majority of the specimens here were personally collected by the late Vito Bertucci in the rivers of South Carolina; esteemed for his dedication and success in seeking out the finest Meg teeth. It took him over sixteen years to recover enough specimens of the appropriate size and shape to complete this collection, the largest jaw set in the world, measuring 11 feet across and 8¾ feet high. Positioned with scrupulous scientific accuracy in a pair of jaws modeled in resin and scaled up from a Great White jaw set, the teeth are accurately arrayed in four rows; each row at a different angle for maximum efficiency in rending the flesh of the great fish's victims. The jaws contain four teeth that each measure over 7 inches along the diagonal, although this is not immediately obvious because part of the roots are embedded in the jaw.

The first description of Megalodon teeth occurs during the Renaissance in Europe, where their distinctive triangular shape led to their being identified as the tongues of dragons. In 1667, however, Danish naturalist Nicolaus Steno recognized them as shark's teeth, and published a description and engraving in his The Head of a Shark Dissected. It was only in 1835 that they were assigned to a definite species, as Swiss naturalist Louis Agassiz coined the species Charcharodon megalodon. Charcharodon is the genus of today's Great White Shark (Charcharadon carcharias), but the precise relation between the species has been much disputed; today it is considered that Megalodon belongs to its own, separate Carcharocles genus. No wonder the confusion: like that of today's sharks, the Megalodon's skeleton was composed entirely of cartilage rather than bone, a substance almost impossible to preserve in the fossil record; indeed only very few fragments of the Meg's vertebrae have ever been uncovered. As a result, even the size of the prehistoric fish has been a continual cause for debate, with estimates for a maximum full-grown size varying from just over 40 to a terrifying 98 feet in length.

Nonetheless, the teeth on their own can tell us a certain amount about the Megalodon's physique and hunting methods; near-complete sets of dentition found in the US and Japan allow comparatively accurate reconstruction of the jaw arrangement. Bite marks on contemporaneous victims indicate a vicious, efficient hunter, who rather than the opportunistic method employed by today's large sharks, was an active hunter who probably rammed its prey heavily from below in order to stun them, before going in for the kill. It may even have employed a disabling tactic of biting off the fins and flippers of the whales and other large marine fauna upon which it preyed, in order to immobilize them.

Vito Bertucci - "Megalodon Man"

Vito Bertucci dedicated over twenty years of his life to aquatic fossil hunting. Originally a jeweler and goldsmith, as an avid scuba diver he began underwater fossil collecting in the early 1980's, and soon became captivated with the teeth of the Megalodon. From his discovery of the very first specimen measuring over 7 inches in length, he undertook years of research into the relative lengths and arrangement of these teeth, visualizing the day when he could reconstruct an entire jaw. His first attempt comprised teeth up to 6 inches in length, the larger specimens being considerably harder to find, and that 5½ foot example now hangs in the American Museum of Natural History, New York, whilst another, measuring 6½ feet high, is on display at the Baltimore Aquarium. He opened and operated a Shark Museum in Port Royal, South Carolina, and his life and work was featured by National Geographic both on its television channel and in its print publication. After 16 years of collecting, Vito finally had enough 7+ inch teeth to recreate his greatest jaw yet, the one on offer here, which took over a year and a half to construct with the meticulous scientific accuracy demanded of such an important project. And sadly, it was to be his last, for Vito Bertucci passed away in October 2004 doing what he loved best, diving for fossils in the cold dark waters of the Ossabaw Sound in Chatham County, South Carolina.

Estimate: $700,000 - up.

Gulf of Mexico - Fetal Dolphin Syndrome?

Just months after America's worst oil disaster in the Gulf of Mexico a much higher than normal seasonal appearance of newborn and still born dolphins are washing ashore in at least four states.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration declared the recent dolphin deaths "an unusual mortality event," with today's numbers topping 80 animals discovered so far.

Is this a byproduct of heightened regional monitoring after a major ecological disaster, or a harbinger of things to come for the Gulf?

As top order predators regional dolphin populations are the quintessential "canary in the coal mine," the first to signal accumulated toxins in the food chain. Dolphins may have gorged on weakened fish and shrimp last summer, or may have become immune compromised passing through sub sea plumes of oil and Corexit.

Or this may just "an unusual mortality event," with no causal effect at all.

Unfortunately there is very little hard data on seasonal fetal dolphin deaths in the region. Most dolphin census data or studies look at population groups and mass strandings see example.

Hopefully the cause of fetal and calf dolphin deaths in the region can be uncovered by researchers, but as we read over at the Deep Sea News Blog from Dr.Bik last week:

Then there’s the money. Or rather, there isn’t the money. Only $50 million of BP’s promised $500 million in research money has been doled out; a scientific board has been set up to distribute the remaining $450 million, but it seems like they’re still writing ethical guidelines and drafting up an application process. Which means, probably another year before any scientists will be able to use money from this pot.

Niche Tourism - Whale Sharks in Mozambique worth $50 million?

Great article today in the Boston Globe on sustainable whale shark tourism in Mozambique at Praia do Tofo.

What we were unaware of was the regional tourism valuation of $50 million. That's an impressive number and one much higher than traditional artisanal fisheries which breakdown a whale shark into a few dollars locally compounded with declining stocks.

PRAIA DO TOFO — Eyes stinging with the wonder of it, my head breaks the surface and a rippling swell sloshes about my ears. Up here all is hysteria, hyper-adrenalized euphoria: 16 goggle-eyed tourists treading water, yelling astonishment through surf and snorkels. Bubble, splash, gurgle . . . “ . . . mazing’’ . . . “ . . . did you see?’’ It’s an understandable reaction when you have just been for a paddle alongside a shark the length of a bus.

In recent years, their docility has spawned a mini-industry of companies offering people the chance to swim with one, a niche tourism market worth more than $50 million a year. Many specialists claim that interactions between whale sharks and humans, when carefully managed, have little negative impact on the animals’ behavior, with some advocating responsible tourism as a key means to safeguard them down the line.

Complete story.

Impacts of climate change on tuna?

Interesting reading over at the SPC Ocean Fisheries Programme website this week on the effects of climate change on a regional fishery worth 4 billion.

Background

The tuna fishery in the western and central Pacific Ocean (WCPO) has undergone continuous expansion over the past 30 years, with the catch of skipjack, yellowfin, bigeye and albacore tunas reaching 2.4 million tonnes in 2007. The landed value of the catch in 2007 was approximately USD 4 billion, with considerable economic benefits accruing to Pacific Island Countries and Territories through direct participation in the fishery, employment, onshore processing, provision of fleet services and support, and foreign access licence fees.

With the increases in catch that have occurred, tuna resources in the WCPO are coming under increasing pressure. Skipjack tuna, which makes up 75% of the total catch and is responsible for nearly half the catch value, is currently in healthy condition, although exploitation rates continue to increase and may reach sustainable limits within the next decade. On the other hand, catches of yellowfin and bigeye tuna are estimated to be close to, or possibly exceed, their sustainable limits. Albacore tuna in the South Pacific is currently exploited within sustainable limits, but overfishing is believed to be occurring in the North Pacific.

In addition to the pressure from fisheries, the physical and biological oceanic environment is known to profoundly affect the distribution, abundance and catchability of tuna stocks. The effects of El Niño – Southern Oscillation (ENSO) variability in particular have been well documented, with El Niño events tending to result in eastwards displacement of tuna resources and fishing activity, higher catchability by purse seine fisheries through shoaling of the thermocline, positive effects on recruitment for skipjack, yellowfin and bigeye tunas and negative recruitment effects for albacore.

As models linking tuna stocks with biological and physical oceanography have been developed and enhanced over the past ten years, we are now able to see the effects of large-scale changes in ocean climate at the decadal and longer time scales. To date, these studies have mainly been hindcasts that reconstruct the historical responses of tuna stocks to such variability. However, recent advances in the modelling of atmospheric and oceanographic processes associated with climate change have opened the possibility of explicitly modelling the responses of tuna stocks to specific climate change scenarios.

More here.

Like a street sweeper at the end of an Elephant Parade - Is conservation missing the point?

Nine billion humans will inherit the earth by 2050 and we're already seeing the effects of over population with a limit to food production technology, either with species loss or degraded habitats - right now.

In fact almost every single conservation effort on the world scene, from pandas to sharks, can be looked at through a lens of overpopulation.

Does the world conservation scene need to widen their conservation lens to look at the bigger picture, or like the little Dutch Boy, is conservation happy to keep a finger in failing dike?

The RTSea Blog waded into this issue today with it's usual calm demeanor and brings up some great points:

The 800-pound gorilla in the room is getting restless again. I've used that metaphor in the past to describe the growing human population that is driving so much of our consume-not conserve behavior. At the recent annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), the issue of population growth, and what toll that will take on our natural resources, was raised again by Jason Clay of the World Wildlife Fund.

Complete post here.

Guy Harvey Tiger Tracks - Just The Facts

The Guy Harvey Tiger shark (Galeocerdo cuvier) tracking program is delivering the goods, and for folks like us who just love to know the "what,why and where" of the animals we are fortunate to encounter each year, this is just good stuff:

An important requirement for the proper management and conservation of any shark species is a robust understanding of its migratory patterns, how it uses its environment, and identification of what is termed its “critical habitat” – areas that are key to successful reproduction and feeding. To understand tiger shark movements and aid in conservation efforts, the GHRI/GHOF in collaboration with the Bermuda Shark Project and with financial support from AFTCO is investigating tiger shark movements in the western North Atlantic in a long-term study. The sharks’ movements are being studied by employing satellite tags that relay information on where the tiger shark is and/or its depth in the ocean.

Kudos to the entire Guy Harvey team and the good folks at the Bermuda Shark Project for helping us all learn more about these magnificent animals.

Study results so far.

With Support of Guam Fishermen, Lawmakers Pass Amended Shark Fin Ban Measure

Guam- After ironing out their issues with Senator Rory Respicio and Vice Speaker BJ Cruz's shark finning bill, Guam's fishing organizations are now supporting a substitute version of the measure.

Guam Organization of Saltwater Anglers (GOSA) President Tom Camacho says the fishing community is backing Bill 44 because the amended measure allows restaurants in possession of imported shark fins to deplete their stock in 180 days, as well as give local law enforcement the ability to enforce the federal statute on shark finning and ray parts. It also would require the Department of Agriculture to involve the community and report to the legislature every three years on the issue. Camacho says the problem with the original measure was that it implied the local fishing community practiced shark finning.

“It's kind of disheartening that to elude to the fact that it happens on Guam is really a false statement” said Camacho. “So what we wanted to do is mention that it's an international problem and that we support the prohibition, the practice of shark finning. In addition to that, there are existing federal laws and rules out there that also control how things are done in the open seas. We wanted to make sure that the bill kind of mirrors what the federal government is saying that is and is not allowed.”

Camacho mentions the intent of the bill now protects Guam's unique traditions and culture. The alternate version of the shark finning bill also addresses the dangerous practice of shark feeding. Camacho adds this act alters the shark's behavior and poses a threat to human life.

Speaking of Shark Subs and Isla Guadalupe

Earlier this week we posted a new semi-sub design from South Korea that we thought would make an excellent shark tourism vehicle at Isla Guadalupe, Mexico.

As it turns out this is not the only sub about to hit the marketplace and today were introduced to this bad boy, The Neptune Sport Micro.

All we have to say about this sub is - "Dang."

You do not get much better than this. Capable of depth to 600 feet and speeds of 6 knots, including barrel rolls and other tricks, the Neptune Sport Micro should be hitting store shelves sometime in 2012...and we want one.

Minus the gas tipped rocket propelled kill spears on the front, unless you're going after Jaguar Sharks and then it's o.k.

Trans-Atlantic Pelagic Sharks Research Initiative (TAPS)

Introduction

Elasmobranch (sharks, skates and rays) landings in recent years have increased significantly, mainly the result of greater interest and valorization of some products such as fins in the Asian markets, but also due to the by-catch in many fisheries around the world targeting other species. Yet, not much is known about most of these elasmobranch species biology, and many populations may be currently facing serious threats/declines.

Oceanic pelagic sharks pose a particular difficult problem when it comes to fisheries management and conservation, as they migrate between territorial waters of different countries and international waters, between continents and hemispheres. On the other hand, these sharks are regularly caught by different fishing gears and during different fisheries in a more or less targeted way.

Not only these species are extremely vulnerable to fisheries, but they are also very poorly known, and it is therefore urgent to carry out more biological research to allow for enlightened fishery management and conservation. Such better and improved data has been requested by the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT), the international management body of these species in the Atlantic Ocean.

Pelagic sharks are commonly caught as by-catch in the tuna and swordfish longline fishery that takes place along the Atlantic Ocean. Those pelagic sharks are highly migratory. An integrated inter-continental and inter-hemispheric approach is needed for their efficient study, management and conservation.

Aim

To study the biology, population dynamics, population genetics, movement patterns and habitat use of pelagic sharks in the Atlantic Ocean.

The current focus of this research initiative has been on the pelagic species that are impacted by long-line fisheries, and include:

- Blue shark, Prionace glauca
- Mako shark, Isurus oxyrhynchus
- Bigeye thresher, Alopias superciliosus
- Smooth hammerhead, Sphyrna zygaena
- Oceanic whitetip shark, Carcharhinus longimanus
- Crocodile shark, Pseudocarcharias kamoharai

The data is being collected by fishery dependent sampling by fishery observers on board commercial long-line vessels.

Map of the ICCAT sampling areas and the location of the sharks sampled within this Research Initiative. This is an ongoing Research Initiative, and each month more samples are being collected and analyzed.

Isla Guadalupe White Shark Sub/Cage Diving?

Occasionally newly developed technology offers us the ultimate application for commercial white shark diving - and this is it.

It's built by South Korean company, which plans to sell fleets of these Ego Semi-Submarines to resorts, and single units to individuals and yacht owners.

The company offers to build custom moorings for the craft, as well as hoists for yachts.

Who needs a shark cage anymore?

If you wanted the closest and driest encounter with a white shark that you could possibly get this would be it...and our company logo would look great on the side as well.

Now, where's that South Korean phone book?

Shredding report shows NOAA chief as obstructionist - Duh

A few months into last summers Oilmageddon in the Gulf of Mexico, we had some harsh words for NOAA chief Jane Lubchenco.

One of the joys about this blog is that we get to front run issues that are obvious to all - but spoken by few.

We were not alone, as Congressmen John Tierney, Barney Frank, Massachusetts Democrats, and Walter Jones of North Carolina, all called for Lubchenco's ouster in that same year.

It did not happen.

This week others are calling for the head on a plate of NOAA's leader over an apparent "shredding scandal" of sensitive fisheries documents. According to Lubchenco's office shredding documents is not widespread within NOAA, and this was a one time anomaly.

Really?

The bottom line is this and we said it back in August, "Life is defined by moments of crises when people in positions of power are called upon to act beyond their constraints, rise above them, and lead."

Jane Lubchenco is incapable of leadership. She aptly demonstrated that during America's worst oil crises by towing the BP party line time and again, much to the shock and consternation of those who have been following her disaster of a career at NOAA.

So, once again, we are suggesting that Jane Lubchenco , "Pack her Disney lunch box with the picture of Ariel on it and begone from Washington, begone from ocean policy, and begone from any position that requires her to be in leadership."


More on the shredding scandal.

Miriam likes Steampunk - So do we

If you're looking for cool oceans content that runs the gamut from recent Antarctic studies to media look no further than Deep Sea News.

It's one of the many reasons we feature these guys on our blog roll, the other reason is that we're just not all that good at finding stunning videos like this one.

If you have 15 minutes today, sit back and say ahhh. Here's to "Lost Things," may we all never lose sight of them:

Shark fin ban Guam - Shark feeding ban as well?

One of the hopes for regional shark fin bans and set aside shark sanctuaries is that commercial shark diving development will be allowed to re-purpose local fishermen from unsustainable fisheries into sustainable commercial shark diving.

The shark tourism numbers are eloquent, in places like the Maldives sharks are worth $6.00 to local fishermen, where a live shark at a tourism site might be worth $30,000 over the lifetime of the site, and that's just one shark.

In the Bahamas a $78 million dollar shark tourism industry safely introduces thousands of divers to the world of sharks each and every year.

So, reading the recent discussions on the senate floor about a proposed shark fin ban in Guam yesterday is a bit dis concerning as it would appear that at least two Senators are seeking a complete ban on shark chumming as well.

A complete ban on shark chumming would preclude the second act for regional shark conservation efforts allowing fishermen to capitalise on a growing international shark tourism marketplace.

Guam News:

During floor discussions, Sen. Respicio proposed an amendment that would also prohibit the practice of shark feeding, which has been used to lure the animals.

Cruz said he supported the amendment.

"The intent of this bill was to allow nature to be nature," said Cruz.

He said that bringing sharks closer to shore was "unnatural" and dangerous.

Sen. Chris Duenas also rose in support of the amendment.

"It is the experience of many fishermen as they go fishing is that there are a lot of sharks," said Duenas. "But there's no question that when you add fish parts to the water … you would artificial attract sharks to a location, fishermen have a hard enough time off there fending off sharks."

Sen. Judith Guthertz called the practice of attracting the animals through fish parts "very dangerous." She said the bill wanted to prevent dangerous commercial activities that would attract the animals to cages.

"It's inappropriate and unfair to the animals," she said.

Sen. Ben Pangelinan said the practice throws the ecosystem off balance.

"You can train a dog to wear a skirt and sit up and bark. Or pants for that matter," said Pangelinan.

He said that the practice has meant that sharks have been conditioned to follow the sounds of boats -- because the animals know that the sound may mean food.

Read story.

Guy Harvey with PEW and BNT - Event

NASSAU, Bahamas -- The Bahamas National Trust are very excited to have as a guest speaker, Guy Harvey. Dr. Harvey has agreed to provide support for the BNT’s Shark Conservation Campaign that is being implemented in The Bahamas in partnership with the Pew Environment Group. In addition to his speaking engagement, Mr. Harvey has designed a poster promoting protection of shark and a special Guy Harvey T-shirt for the conservation campaign.

Guy Harvey is a unique blend of artist, scientist, diver, angler, conservationist and explorer, fiercely devoted to his family and his love of the sea. Growing up in Jamaica, Guy spent many hours fishing and diving with his father along the Island's south coast. He was obsessed with the creatures of the sea and began drawing pictures of the many different fish he observed. Guy captures marine wildlife animals in their natural environment with extraordinary detail and brilliant colors.

Harvey has traveled the globe to observe marine live and is passionate about its conversation. The BNT are thrilled that he has agreed to speak and support the Shark Conservation Campaign and hope that many of you will join in for what promises to be an exciting evening.

For the past two years, the Guy Harvey Ocean Foundation and the Guy Harvey Research Institute at Nova Southeastern University have been sponsoring and conducting an ongoing project to tag and track tiger sharks in the western Atlantic. The goal of this long-term study is to gain a better understanding of the migration of the tiger sharks in this region and to use that data to aid conservation efforts. Dr. Harvey will be speaking on the tagging and tracking process that has now been expanded to the Bahamas in an area known as Tiger Beach In Grand Bahama.

Space is limited to 300 persons for this event, therefore all members please RSVP by February 28th if they want to have a seat. Call 393-1317 or email sharks@bnt.bs

Da Shark - Elasmobranch fishing in Baja

Da Shark has dug up some fine reading by some well known names in the research community on artisanal elasmobranch fishing pressure in Baja.

This is just flat out good stuff.

As we have been blogging about for the past two years at least one species, the Great White, is under threat from regional long line and gill net fishermen.

Back to the paper:

Abstract

Artisanal fisheries account for up to 80% of elasmobranch fishing activity in Mexican waters, yet details associated with fishing effort and species composition are generally unavailable. This paper describes a survey of the artisanal elasmobranch fishery of the Pacific coast of Baja California, Mexico from 2006 to 2008. The objectives were to determine the geographic extent, size, and targets of the artisanal fishery, and to describe the catch characteristics at Laguna Manuela, an artisanal camp where elasmobranchs are the primary target. For the latter, we used a combination of beach surveys and a novel survey method involving the identification of discarded carcasses. Forty-four artisanal fishing camps were identified, of which 29 (66%) targeted elasmobranchs at least seasonally, using primarily bottom-set gillnets and longlines. At Laguna Manuela 25 species of elasmobranchs were documented. Gillnetting accounted for 60% of fishing effort, and the most commonly captured species were Rhinobatos productus, Zapteryx exasperata, and Myliobatis californica. Longline fishing accounted for 31% of fishing effort, and the most commonly captured species were Prionace glauca and Isurus oxyrhinchus. Catch was composed of mainly juveniles for many species, indicating that the immediately surrounding area (Bahia Sebastian Vizcaino) may be an important elasmobranch nursery habitat. The results of this study will serve as a baseline for determining future changes in the artisanal fishery, as well as changes in species demography and abundance.

Daniel Cartamila, Omar Santana-Morales, Miguel Escobedo-Olvera, Dovi Kacev, Leonardo Castillo-Geniz, Jeffrey B. Graham, Robert D. Rubin and Oscar Sosa-Nishizaki

Hand Feeding Whale Sharks? Seriously?

Got the following image sent to us this week.

It would appear that this is a diver hand feeding a Whale shark (Rhincodon typus), or maybe not as we always assumed to hand feed a Whale shark you would need a pair of tweezers (see diet).

Upon further investigation this might actually be a Whale shark being hand fed "something" as this image was shot in Okinawa, Japan at the site of two (didn't it used to be three?) penned and beat up looking sharks.

The additional images we found show what appear to be net damage from rubbing to the eyes and maxillofacial areas on both animals.

See blog post from 2007.

Video - Hammerhead "ache"

Fly fishing for Bonefish is fun, watching a Hammerhead shark (Sphyrna mokarran) on preadation chasing down a much smaller Lemon shark (Negaprion brevirostris) in the Bahamas last week - even more so.

Fortunately the little Lemon shark survived, unfortunately there's a Hammerhead in the Bahamas with a big welt on his snout:

Thresher Shark Research and Conservation Expeditions

Location: Malapascua Island, Cebu, The Philippines
Dates: April - August 2008
Website: The Thresher Shark Project

Divers interested in marine/shark science may apply to assist Simon Oliver in conducting fieldwork for a doctoral research project on Pelagic thresher sharks. Since ONLY 2 assistants will be accepted on the project at any given time, this is a unique opportunity for selected individuals to gain hands on training and experience in shark survey methodology, behaviour, biology, ecology and conservation from a specialist. Accepted candidates will also receive training in scientific diving, marine wildlife photography and marine videography, and benefit from the use of professional underwater camera and video systems.

Volunteer research assistants will be based on Malapascua Island and shuttled to Monad Shoal aboard a small dedicated research vessel. Ops will run from 05:00 to 20:00 five days a week and include SCUBA survey, underwater video observation and in situ tagging operations (pending funding). Evenings will involve data review and analysis, training and gear maintenance.

* Visit The Thresher Shark Project for expedition details *

What's Included:

• Dedicated research vessel + crew
• SCUBA amenities (air, weights)
• Diving (*NO decompression, MANDATORY 2 hour surface interval)
• Data analysis facilities (computer, video review)
• Survey amenities (slate, environmental gauges)
• Use of underwater video/still cameras (Amphibico Prowler, Amphibico Evo HD Elite, Aquatica A90)
• Tagging tackle (pending funding)
• Field lab amenities (microscope, dissection kit)
• Return boat transfer Maya - Malapascua

What's NOT included:

• Room
• Board (food, drink)
• Flights
• Visa Extensions
• Insurance
• SCUBA equipment
• SCUBA training
• Airport transfers

COST: (GBP) £250 / per week (5 days diving).

Qualifications: PADI Rescue Diver equivalent or higher, 60 ++ dives logged.

* Successful candidates MUST show proof of comprehensive liability and SCUBA insurance (DAN is accepted) *

Number of Openings: 2 per week

How to Apply: Email CV and references to Alison Beckett (A.J.Beckett@liverpool.ac.uk)

* Applicants will be screened according to their interest levels and diving competency *

Isla Holbox - Whale Shark Island Video

Whoa, when did this get launched and why didn't we cover it?

Found on You Tube today and noticed that a mere 3,623 souls have been exposed to this first rate documentary on Holbox, Mexico. Feel free to pass this on to friends and family because Kip Evans and crew did a first rate job and you don't see storytelling like this too often:

The waters around Isla Holbox off Mexicos Yucatán Peninsula teem with plankton, a feast for giant whale sharks—10-meter giants that gather by the hundreds from June through September.

These super-sized, but toothless filter feeders are the core of a local tourism industry, but over-development could threaten this delicate balance. Dr. Sylvia Earle narrates.

Kip Evans - Producer and Director of Photography. 2010 Blue Ocean Film Festival non-broadcast winning Film.

California's Shark Fin Battle - When Blogging Matters

Got the following email this morning, one of many, from concerned members of the public and fans of shark conservation worldwide who, after reading our posts, contacted Senator Leland Yee for his stance on the proposed California anti-shark fin bill AB 376.

As we have long known blogging about the issues matters.

Kudos to all who sent a letter to Sen Yee. His sudden 72 hour reversal in position this week might have been due to your "collective" efforts.

Dear Senator Yee,

This refers:

California's Shark Fin Battle - "Culture" not on the table?

Being an outspoken South African, I am not too familiar with Californian legislation, nor "PC" and "Political Speak" - as I say what I mean, so your statement confuses me a tad.

Are you against shark finning and its consumption, and will you do everything in your power to stop this Marine Apocalypse, or do you think that its still OK in this day and age to consume non essential "food" with minimal nutritional value just because it is "cultural"?

If cultural is the operative word, then surely if your people can embrace modern technology [which they do with great gusto] why not remove an archaic social status anachronism and help save the planet?

I look forward to following your path.

Sincerely
George
George Askew
+ 64 [0] 220698361

To achieve the impossible it is precisely the unthinkable that must be thought and victory belongs to those that believe in it the most and believe in it the longest.

PangeaSeed Launches Inaugural Philippine Shark Study Tour

PangeaSeed, a Japan-based nonprofit conservation organization, is kicking off its inaugural Philippine shark study tour 26 March -10 April 2011. PangeaSeed in collaboration with the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) Philippines and the Thresher Shark Research & Conservation Project will host a not-for-profit international research expedition and cross-culture exchange. The event will aid in the gathering of information and ideas through community outreach and awareness activities to educate and develop a better understanding on the global need to protect sharks and our oceans.

With 70-100 million sharks slaughtered each year to satisfy the global demand for shark fin soup, considered an Asian delicacy, the expedition will focus on shark preservation and conservation. The United Nations released a report in the spring of 2010 stating that if the mass harvest of sharks continues, global shark populations will disappear in the next ten to twenty years. It is known that sharks now represent the largest number of threatened marine animals on the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of threatened species. Furthermore, as an apex predator, sharks play one of the most important roles balancing the delicate ocean ecosystem. Today, over 1 billion people on the planet depend on the oceans as their main source of food and income – if that source disappears, imagine the problems we’ll face.

Tokyo-based PangeaSeed is a non-profit organization dedicated to educating and raising international understanding of the plight of sharks. PangeaSeed is the first and only organization in Japan to raise public awareness regarding shark conservation and preservation. “In collaboration with the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) in Donsol and The Thresher Shark Research & Conservation Project in Malapascua, our organization will host an international ecological awareness study tour in two parts 26 March -10 April, said Tre’ L. Packard, PangeaSeed managing director. “This pioneering tour is the first of its kind for Japan. With the kind and generous support of our sponsors including Aqua Lung scuba gear, Oxford Suites Makati & renowned global artist Brad Klausen, our group will continue its goal to break down the misconceptions of sharks and help to redirect attention to the urgent environmental needs surrounding our oceans.”

The first leg of the tour will guide a group of international attendees to assist PangeaSeed and WWF Donsol marine biologists with whale shark research and data collection. The data collected will be added to an international database shared by researchers and scientists worldwide. These efforts will help to develop a better understanding of the need to preserve and protect the threatened whale shark. Packard added, “Attendees will have the rare opportunity to be in the water with these magnificent animals and study them in their natural state.” Additionally, attendees will host a number of cultural exchange events at Donsol schools to educate students on their very unique and special responsibility of whale shark conservation, ocean preservation and how it can directly benefit the local population.

Brazil - Samba, Ethanol and Tuna Hub?

Press Release from FIS:

Japanese and Brazilian businessmen are to cooperate in duplicating Brazilian production of tuna and also improving the quality of the equipment used and the labour force working in the sector, with the aim of transforming Rio Grande do Norte into a tuna hub.

The Brazil/Japan Tuna Project, which the company Atlantic Tuna will participate in, is likely to generate over 2,000 new jobs, directly and indirectly through the operation of 16 Japanese vessels in Brazilian waters.

It is expected that they will produce 8,000 tonnes of tuna annually for BRL 114 million (USD 68 million), which will be marketed in Japan and the United States.

The initiative includes the arrival of Asian crew members on board the tuna vessels and the training of approximately 380 Brazilian employees by the National Industrial Apprenticeship Service (Senai) and the Federation of Industries of Rio Grande do Norte (Fiern), reports Tribuna do Norte.

According to the president of Fiern, Flávio Azevedo, "Natal will be the next area for the largest producers of tuna, the fishing terminal will soon be ready and São Gonçalo Airport will begin operating soon."

The president also explained that Brazilian legislation was loosened in order to develop this project, as Law of 2/3 states that foreign firms wishing to operate in Brazil need to employ at least two thirds of their staff from the local area.

"The Brazilians are unable to operate the most modern tuna vessels, as there are no boats here like the ones in Japan. However, this law has been relaxed now," said Azevedo.