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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 quick returns regardless of species listings.

Dive Sentry was created to address these problems:

There are an estimated 22 million divers worldwide, of those "active divers" about 1.2 million take regular dive trips around the world to experience the oceans.

Many of these divers recreate in places that are considered Bio Sphere reserves, or Sanctuaries of one form or another. Of these divers many witness regional fisheries abuses like long lining in Coco's, and nets in Galapagos. They often take videos and images of these abuses but are told not to report these events by dive operations who are likely to be negatively impacted by regional politics should their operation be labeled as the "whistle-blowers."

Dive Sentry is engaging our greatest resource for conservation, 1.2 million eyes on the ocean.

Additionally, Dive Sentry automatically allows divers to submit formatted reports and to contact regional fisheries agencies of violations, these regional and international contact lists are updated quarterly. These user generated reports include real time videos and images of netted, finned, and long lined animals.

In an age where millions of square miles are being declared as Shark Sanctuaries without any enforcement or monitoring budgets, Dive Sentry looks to be the eyes and ears of these set aside areas to realize conservation change by highlighting abuses in a real time and very public format.

Intent and Purpose 

The Dive Sentry website has two components to it making the reporting of fisheries violations both anonymous and effective and will enlist the media by providing a real time RSS feed and posted reports. The first section is the reporting section. Divers are asked to submit reports by well defined regions with drill down to actual dive sites like Cocos. Each regional report will auto send uploaded video and images to various regional fisheries agencies responsible for fisheries monitoring and enforcement. These reports will be anonymous, the divers and the operations on which they witnessed the violations will remain secure.

Dive Sentry will actively help the individual diver both with the formatting of the violation report, and providing tips how to shoot effective images and video for enforcement and the media, such as vessel identification numbers, time and date of the violation, species reports, and flag recognition.
 
Dive Sentry will also post all reports on the homepage with an RSS reed for the media along with a geographic tag and free use of images and video with submitted reports. The Dive Sentry website will be linked to all social media outlets and will include an iPhone app that will allow divers to take images and video and submit reports from anywhere in the world, including docks, marinas, and land based outlets selling fresh and dried products.

The media component will be essential. Typically the media is far too busy to chase down reports of fisheries violations. Additionally compounded violations are hard to track. With Dive Sentry a lasting record of repeated geographic violations within set aside areas will be realized. Imagine the impact of just one years worth of video and images of long lining, gill nets, and dead animals on the seafloor attributed to one set aside area.

We all know that poaching happens, we are aware that set aside areas are repeated violated by operations that operate in the shadows. Dive Sentry seeks to alert the world to these violations by exposing them to the media and in a place where, over time, people can connect the violators to the site, and perhaps provide the overwhelming evidence to those who should be monitoring and enforcing these sites that something must be done.

They say that a picture is worth a thousand words.

Imagine a world where 1.2 million words are compounded by 100,000 images and video that are all fed to a waiting regional and international media.

Welcome to Dive Sentry. Created in 2011 for the future of the oceans.

If you see it. Report it.


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.

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 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.

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 can reach us directly at sharkcrew@gmail.com.

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 has many faults. It is too shallow, the light is iffy, it's sitting off a sand bar so the vis is usually terrible on the outgoing tide (when you get sharks), and one of the town sewage outflow pipes runs right through it.

It takes some measure of bravery to snorkel in the raw sewage from "Home Week" we were impressed.

The issues are simple facing film crews who want to shoot sharks in Bimini harbor. We have taken careful stock of these issues in the design and implementation of Bimini Bull Run from site selection, to water depth, to fidelity of animals. This site and these sharks are for specific film projects - not all.

Safety, sharks, and looking at the shark resource in Bimini Harbor as a long term investment in Bimini, it's people, and the animals is what BBR is all about.

Swimming with these animals outside of cages and attempting to feed them at the same time is absolutely contrary to any kind of long term success with these wonderful resident animals. It is also disrespectful to the people of Bimini who call this harbor home. 

Seriously, the level of arrogance exhibited by this crew who knew nothing about these animals was broad by even film industry standards and it didn't go unnoticed by those who were observing.

Like Tiger Beach, if these animals were to be conditioned to swimmers/divers and bait, that combo in a harbor setting will have dire consequences.That's why we designed the cage system for BBR with a removable face panel for filming and it is open to all - whoever you are.

We want to see safe shark interactions, we also want to see great production values. Amateur hour baiting and interactions at the dock across the way will get you no where in the long run.

Fact is we have been doing this a while and we know what works, we are sorry you didn't get your fin cam placed, but we could have told you that in advance - if you had asked.

Lastly about putting tech on any Bull Shark here in Bimini. Go through the Shark Lab first and bring them into the production space for projects like these.

We did it with a South Korean crew last month, fact is they have been here the longest, they know the sharks better then any of us and it shows a measure of professionalism and respect to reach out to the Lab.

So enough said. Our site is available to you and anyone who is interested. We chose the site well knowing that there would be a few who would take swimming in raw sewage over working with us, but that's the nature of the shark film world. 

Ego's aside everyone, safety and production values should be foremost considerations, they are with our crew and always have been. You are either doing crap fly by night productions with sharks or you are serious about your craft. For those who choose the latter, go somewhere else, for those doing serious work you'll soon discover that Bimini is a shark wonderland filled with possibilities.

If you actually want to get Bull Sharks in Bimini Harbor we're here to help.

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.

Bimini Bull Run - Pristine Conditions, Let's Go Shark Diving!

Setting up the shark site this morning;)

The crew is here in Bimini on a few projects this week. After a looong night last night of fresh conch and Kaliks we woke up this morning to perfect conditions at the shark diving site we call Bimini Bull Run.

It just does not get much better then 100 foot vis and lots of sharks.


We also have a bunch of soon-to-be shark divers lined up to meet the "resident sharks" of the Bimini Big Game Club at the worlds only dockside shark diving attraction.

The new cage we installed also has film and television capability and you'll be seeing a lot more of that in action in the coming months.

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 sharkcrew@gmail.com.

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 reads like an old school NY Mob Indictment:

"We saw some very clear and very prominent behavioral changes, and were surprised by how these large animals had essentially become homebodies in a tiny area," says study co-author Mahmood Shivji, director of the Guy Harvey Research Institute and NSU Oceanographic Center professor, who led the study."

Ok, so we knew this was an issue going back to 2009 but what of the broader implications of this report?

Equally not good, not good for tourism, not good for the Cayman Islands, and not good for commercial shark diving.

Shark diving you ask? Yes.

Commercial shark diving has struggled over the past decade for relevance and acceptance in the broader tourism space. Resorts and developments still do not want shark diving in their waters but might consider a home spun Stingray City as a gateway to shark diving down the road. In fact we know of three large chain resorts and two cruise lines who are in development stages right now for wild encounters with Stingrays based on the Cayman model.

We have no doubt that a few will drop out of planned Stingray encounters based on this report and that has implications for commercial shark diving. It might be suggested that sharks are also being conditioned in a similar manner - you know that old chestnut.

Regardless, for resort and developments to accept commercial shark diving they must first become accustomed to for profit wild animal encounters that directly benefit the resort, not a third party tourism offering, but an actual on site encounter model.

You may also ask why it is important for resorts and developments to even care about commercial shark diving. Because once they become invested in the oceans they also become good stewards of the oceans. Resorts foster and protect sustainable and revenue generating tourism offerings, so to have resorts care about regional shark populations - is a net positive for sharks.

What's happening at the Caymans is rampant and unchecked, the study results show as much, but consider the lost opportunities of those who now will not choose to engage in wild animal encounters based on raw data vs a best practices outline which tempers wild animal encounters with common animal protocols.

Wild animal encounters are not a perfect match. They never have been, some are better then others, some, like the Caymans, are in desperate need of hard and fast rules and regulations. One thing that is not up for debate is the continuing and evolving need for broad based best practices leadership in the wild animal encounter space.

A road map if you will, covering all species that might be commercialized. We have it for manatees, we have it for whales and dolphins, we even have it for whale sharks.

Stingrays? Anyone?

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 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 the Red Sea and are on a "name and shame campaign" to put a stop to it.

It's a fine concept that needs a little help, like a Facebook side, and a smartphone app, and an actual website that enables divers and boaters to submit real-time reports and images of sanctuary violators direct to government agencies.

Come to think of it maybe a site like Dive Sentry which is basically an in depth version of what the folks over at HEPCA are moving towards?

Regardless, it is good to see this kind of non NGO push for safer sharks, kudos to all.

BTW Dive Sentry is still looking for a good NGO home, it's ready made and ready to roll, know anyone who has the need?

PADI Project Aware, we're looking at you guys.

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.

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 Barnett

Abstract

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.

Behind Blue Glass - Got $5.99 For Some Quality Shark Time?

Of course you do. In fact you will spend on average of $80 on non essential items today that have nothing to do with sharks, or shark conservation, or filing you head with amazing shark video.

That all changes now. 

David Diley (one of the good ones) has released his latest film and yes, you have to pay for it as nothing is free, but it promises to be filled with sharks...and that got our full attention:

"For years some of the largest Great White sharks ever landed, were caught off the coast of Mallorca, sometimes less than one hundred metres from popular tourist beaches. These captures abruptly stopped after the second largest White Shark ever caught was brought back to the dock by fisherman, Xisco Perez. The year was 1976, the year Steven Spielberg's JAWS was released in Spain.

The story has remained largely untold outside of Mallorca until now, David Diley explores why, along the way taking seven unwitting volunteers into the deep, to show how important sharks really are, how shark encounters are actually a positive thing and show the world what is truly at risk.

This was the first film I ever made and features content never before seen on TV, including eyewitness accounts from the people who were there. Behind Blue Glass premiered to a packed room in Portals, Mallorca, in May 2011, after its DVD release earlier that year."

Extra bonus footage provided by Richard Theiss and Lawrence Groth.

Buy it here now before the VIMEO servers crash when the rest of the world comes rushing in.

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.

CITES Well Done - Sharks Get a Break

Five species of sharks and two species of manta rays will now be subject to international trade regulation under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, or CITES, a move that could save these threatened species from total collapse.

The required two-thirds of the 177 CITES member governments voted to protect these animals—the oceanic whitetip and porbeagle sharks, three species of hammerhead sharks, and the two species of manta rays—marking an increase in the number of sharks protected by CITES from three to eight species.

"This is a major win for some of the world's most threatened shark species, with action now required to control the international trade in their fins," said Susan Lieberman, director of international environment policy at The Pew Charitable Trusts.

"This victory indicates that the global community will collaborate to address the plight of some of the most highly vulnerable sharks and manta ray species. Today was the most significant day for the ocean in the 40-year history of CITES."

Lieberman added that the gridlock created by those who oppose such controls has been broken. Sharks are primarily traded to Asia for use in shark fin soup. Manta rays are caught and killed for their gill rakers—the part used to filter their food from the water—to make a purported Asian health tonic.

"The tide is now turning for shark conservation—with governments listening to the science and acting in the interest of species conservation and sustainability," said Elizabeth Wilson, manager of Pew's global shark conservation campaign. "With these new protections, oceanic whitetip, porbeagle, and hammerhead sharks will have the chance to recover and once again fulfill their role as top predators in the marine ecosystem."

Pew added that this commitment by the global community to shark conservation needs to be fully implemented and enforced, and should be coupled with national and regional efforts to ensure a sustainable future for these and other top ocean predators, all of which are critical for the health of the wider marine ecosystem.

According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature, 143 shark species are threatened with extinction, but few management measures exist to protect them.

Votes from Committee I on Monday 11^th March:

OCEANIC WHITETIP The vote was 92 For (68.6%), 42 Against, 8 Abstentions (and was taken by secret ballot).

HAMMERHEADS The vote was 91 For (70%), 39 Against, 8 Abstentions (and was taken by secret ballot).

PORBEAGLE SHARKS The vote was 93 For (70.45%), 39 Against, 8 Abstentions (and was taken by secret ballot).

MANTA RAYS The vote was 96 For (80.7%), 23 Against, 7 Abstentions (and was taken by secret ballot).

Read more here: http://www.sacbee.com/2013/03/13/5261350/pew-applauds-unprecedented-conservation.html#storylink=cpy

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.

Getting Excited About CITES?

There's a whole lotta euphoria in the air today regarding CITES and well done to everyone who had a hand in the new listings for species like Manta's and OWT's.

If there was one clear sign that the past decade of action for sharks and rays has been successful it was the announcements of today and the well heeled, well funded opposition groups, who failed to rally the necessary votes to keep sharks and rays from being listed in CITES.

Kudos.

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.

Sean van Sommeran, full of sound and fury, signifying his own self-importance?

How can a tag be in two different places over the span of a decade?

Update: As expected a week has passed and Sean van Sommeran Executive Director of the Pelagic Shark Research Foundation has failed to provide any evidence of his self proclaimed and very public "discovery" of last April.

As expressed by members of the California white shark shark research community this week:

"PSRF's sole obligation was to provide scientific proof of the PSRF ws tag in the Sea of Cortez - from day one."

Instead we have seen reams of Internet bluster, accusations of secret Corporate/NGO cabals and no more than a few somewhat grade school accusations leveled at those who would question what is now understood as one of the most outrageous claims ever perpetrated on the California white shark research community.

The final question remains. Why? Unfortunately getting any coherent answers to the Big Shark Research Lie will probably be as hard to come by as getting any tangible proof that anyone involved in the original story ever existed, aside from one man sitting at his desk in Santa Cruz back in April of last year with a very big imagination.

Now on to our original blog post:

Sean van Sommeran, full of sound and fury, signifying his own self-importance?

We're almost loath to blog about this guy, as one might loath the prospect of researching the life habits of parasitic tapeworms that inhabit the bottom of port-o-potties at construction sites in San Diego.

Yeah, that kind of loathing.

But for the *fact* (and when blogging about SvS you use that word lightly) that the white shark research world was rocked by the assertion of a tag discovered on a shark in the Sea of Cortez back in April of last year - we would not be writing right now.

SvS claimed in the news, and on Facebook, and in emails, and on the phone, and via carrier pigeon and even to the homeless in Santa Cruz when they would listen, that the mailbox he calls the Pelagic Shark Research Foundation had in fact tagged a simply huge white shark that wound up in the Sea of Cortez providing - for the first time - direct evidence of adult sharks moving from California into the Sea of Cortez.

He was adamant about it and he had proof, an image of a tag.

Then the story took a weird turn, according to the PSRF a rival researcher stole the "tag evidence" (as witnessed by an actual image attributed to the shark) and the PSRF was robbed of one of the most exciting research stories of the year. A new page on white shark migratory patterns was wiped out and the world was a darker place because of, "well heeled corporate researchers who are jealous of PSRF success."

The whole Steve Zissou vibe.

The image was the key and as we pointed out back in April nothing about the image made any sense at all, never mind the story, or the person peddling the story, or the fall out from the story within the California white shark research community - then the same image appeared last week on Facebook attributed to another GWS tagging event in California by the PSRF in 2001,wait, what?

The ENTIRE MX tag story was...wait for it...you probably know where this is going... a lie.

A huge, pulled out of your steaming arse...lie.

A malformed and twisted...lie.

A moronic half baked fib, nurtured to a white lie, and then kicked into a caldron of hate and misinformation and left to the desert like elements of Mexico...lie.

A childlike and somewhat stupid, "I didn't put my finger in the pie momma" but with far reaching adult implications...lie

We could go on, but our sustainably harvested, shade grown, $40/lb morning coffee is growing colder by the minute and frankly, like the tapeworms, once you get past the "ick factor" this entire story is about as interesting as the bottom of those port-o-potties we mentioned earlier.

Oh, and LIAR!

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.

Florida's $80M Tourism Mistake - And A Solution!

Waayy back in 2002, Floridian law makers, responding to a few folks with some good media connections and seeing a political opportunity banned shark diving in Florida's waters.

O.K they banned shark feeding, with the intent of banning shark diving - it worked.

Hailed as a "good idea" at the time Florida watched in 2008 as it's entire economy withered and died in response to the housing crises. Even tourism, Florida's staple economic driver, almost collapsed.

Meanwhile, in the Bahamas, just a few miles away shark tourism grew, and grew, and grew. It's an 80+ million dollar Tourism Juggernaut and it was created entirely by the decisions of Florida almost a decade ago.

Stop and consider for one moment $80 million dollars - those are compelling numbers.

Shark tourism has defied every tourism paradigm. It continued sustainable growth in the face of shark bites, economic downturns, and negative media. It is predicated on one simple principal - people want to interact with sharks.

In the intervening decade the perception of sharks, thanks to the tireless work of countless individuals and the blending of shark conservation messaging with commercial shark diving, arrived at a sustainable place where Florida should now consider allowing commercial shark diving back in Florida waters.

Why?

Because sustainable operations with hard and fast protocols could well be regional economic drivers.

The value of commercial shark diving to the state of Florida could be in excess of $400 million dollars, given the size of the state, the numbers of tourists, and access to sharks.

It is time for enlightened Floridian lawmakers to look back at the $80 million dollar mistake of the past and look to a future where the commercialization of sharks, conservation, and even research can be blended into sustainable operations that boost the economy.

Alternately, Florida can continue to watch double digit tourism growth with sharks in the Bahamas and feel the sting of tourism dollars leaving the State of Florida.

In the world of tourism, especially wild animal encounters, the number one rule for lawmakers is, "never take an option off the table - forever."

You never know when technology, demand, or public sentiment will change.

Leaving your tourism suite - short changed.

 

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.

Mystery Sharks off Rottnest?

Mystery sharks off Rottnest shed new light on species

News Release

The University of Western Australia

28. February 2013

————————
The discovery of two sharks never seen before in Australian waters is set to re-write scientists’ understanding of the species.

Shark biologist Ryan Kempster, of The University of Western Australia’s Oceans Institute, said the rare sharks were caught off Rottnest Island two years ago at a depth of 430 metres by local recreational fisherman Steve Downs.

Mr Downs gave the two sharks to a group of researchers at UWA’s Oceans Institute and School of Biology, and the WA Museum.

The mystery sharks were a male just under a metre long and a pregnant female about 1.2 metres long.
“After two years of thorough investigation which included DNA sequencing, the sharks were identified as mandarin dogfish (Cirrhigaleus barbifer), a species never before seen in Australia,” Mr Kempster said.

“This species was known previously to be found only between Indonesia and Japan, and also New Zealand.”

It’s not known why the sharks were found so far from their normal habitat.

But the find already has scientists re-evaluating their understanding of the species.

“The female shark found off Rottnest had 22 unborn pups and is only the second ever-recorded specimen of a pregnant female of this species,” Mr Kempster said.

“Previously, it was thought that the maximum number of pups for this species was 10.”
The researchers’ findings were announced this week in the Marine Biodiversity Records journal published by Cambridge University Press.

Source: University of Western Australia

Related Scientific Paper :
Ryan M. Kempster, David M. Hunt, Brett A. Human, Channing A. Egeberg and Shaun P. Collin (2013).




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 Diving Bimini, Bahamas at Bull Run

Martin Graf from Shark Diver is having an amazing month in Bimini, Bahamas getting to know the locals or Bull Sharks in the marina at the Bimini Big Game Club.

The Bimini Bull Run crew asked Martin to join us to help set up the world's first dockside shark diving operation because of his decades long experience with sharks in Mexico at Isla Guadalupe.

Bimini Bull Run is also a new film and tv hub site for all shark production needs while on Bimini. Our one day shark production site works in tandem with commercial shark diving operations and shark safety.

We take shark diving seriously at Bimini and always have. The team here at BBR have been working with sharks for the past decade in the Bahamas. We see sharks as they are, top predators, not playthings, not toys, and not a resource that we can abuse.

Sharks are wild animals, they are magnificent, and they must be treated with respect - always.

At Bimini Bull Run our goals were simple, bring the world of wild sharks to as many people as we could and hopefully they will come to understand these animals, their eco systems, and the wild places they live in as places we need to protect for future generations.

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 sharkcrew@gmail.com.

Bimini Bull Run Video - Getting to Know The Locals

Meanwhile the hard working crew over at Bimini Bull Run are spending the next few weeks getting to know the locals or Bull Sharks at their all new marina based cage dive operation.

It's a tough job but someone has to do it.

Fortunately they have Martin and Carson on site every day. Martin is none other than Martin Graf who has, for the past decade, been head of diver operations for Shark Diver, today he runs the whole company, that's when he's not at Bimini Bull Run in the Bahamas enjoying the sun, sand, sharks and locals.

These big animals have come to call the Bimini Big Game Club home for the past 60 years, eating fish scraps from fishermen as they return each day from offshore adventures. The team at BBR have created a 'locked down site' in ten feet of water where divers and animals can interact safely allowing even those with no dive certification a first hand glimps into the wonderful world of sharks.

Today's visibility was not the best, in fact this is about as bad as it gets, but it was some quality time taken to introduce the animals to the shark cage and cameras getting everyone into a routine that will remain the same for years to come which is the basis of any lasting shark program.

Welcome to the sharks of Bimini Bull Run video here.

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.

Two Sides To A Fin - KOP Productions - Good Stuff

Great little documentary about sharks and shark fin by KOP Productions. 

The issues are not as cut and dry as one might imagine (no pun intended...well yes, there's some pun, about 20%). It is very easy to stand on a Facebook soapbox and cry foul when it comes to sharks.

Lord knows there's millions of petition folks about, but like any complex animal trade issue involving cultures, countries, and economic scales balance and nuance must play into viable solutions.

Of course we just used about six words your average shark conservationist, who fervently believe that blonde swimsuit models or head gear challenged divers, the ones who egregiously molest sharks for their own Facebook "like' number count, have no idea of their meaning. For example the words "viable" and "solution,"...pressing on, there are a few who actually think about these things and write about them too.

Da Shark has some thoughts on this and we'll let him play the Judas Conservationist with this issue because he's waaay ahead of the curve with his solutions and we find ourselves agreeing with them because they contain balance and nuance. Two additional words sadly left out of the Big Book of Shark Conservation these days while folks run off on moronic tangents trying to shoe horn the concept of an upside down Tonic Tiger Shark into some kind of broader conservation meaning.

Without videos like these the conservation movement for sharks would devolve into crudely drawn images on bathroom stalls and shit smeared bumper stickers slogans, wait, that has already happened, thanks to a small group of absolute twits who happen to exhibit a modicum of media savvy - oh and you know who you are, unfortunately we all do.

Sharks these days are running a gauntlet, at sea it's hooks and we can all agree that's bad news, in shore it's idiots with Kardashian sized egos, cameras, and a compliant media who lionize stupid pet tricks with sharks.

Anyway, this is the mainline to good conservation messaging, enjoy:




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.

Sharks, is it getting creative around here or what?

Edd Brooks over at the Cape Eleuthera Institute Shark Program has some very creative folks working at his lab, like for instance Brendan Talwar and Ian Rossiter who produced this very amusing look at sharks, shark conservation, and more in, The Story of Sharks:



Yeah we're also huge fans as well.

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.

Tiger Shark Rescued...by Divers?

Vintage 1960's man vs shark images

"Divers Save Tiger Shark!," now that's a headline I'd like to see more often. It seems like all we hear about in the media is sharks doing something to humans and just how dangerous sharks are to us.


This video shows a couple of divers, coming across a shark that had been caught, stabbed and thrown back into the water.

The divers then proceed to help the shark. I've seen the remarkable ability to heal that these beautiful animals posses and hope that the shark swam off and is ok.

This story illustrates the stark difference in attitude towards sharks that exists today. On one hand you have someone callously stabbing a shark and throwing it back into the water and then someone else actively trying to help that same animal.

Regardless of the outcome of this rescue attempt, it's nice to see that divers react to a shark not with fear, but compassion and that a media outlet reports something other than sharks attacking or threatening people.

Kind of like what we do around here on a daily basis;)

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 sharkcrew@gmail.com.

Shark Free Marinas Video - Oceanic Allstars

Like peanut butter and jelly on some sort of yummy media based steroid, the combination of two extremely dedicated shark media folk and the Shark Free Marinas Initiative in Fiji has lead to the following PSA which, when you get right down to the nuts and bolts of it, is pretty great stuff.

Kudos to Duncan and Jillian for the fantastic work:

  Shark Free Marinas - Fiji from Oceanicallstars: Duncan Brake 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.

Bimini Hammerheads, Shark Protocols, Common Sense

 Greetings from Bimini,

With the enormous amount of interest that the Great Hammerheads are generating around Bimini this year, I wanted to attempt to to set the record straight regarding this incredible situation happening around the island.  I don’t mean this message to be confrontational or self-righteous, rather I’m hoping it can be informative and maybe even helpful.

As anyone familiar with Bimini has probably already assumed,  the researchers at the Bimini Biological Field Station (SharkLab) are responsible for discovering and determining the regularity and reliability of diving with these big hammerheads.  The SharkLab staff began diving with these sharks on a regular basis back in 2003, and since then have utilized various ‘hammerhead sites’ around the island for numerous research projects and related expeditions.  Obviously the hammerheads were around long before that, and can be found in more than one location around Bimini, but all of the visiting “shark diving” boats are utilizing sites and situations developed by local SharkLab researchers.

Due to the rarity of interacting with these sharks, and the incredible potential for research opportunities on an IUCN Redlisted species, local guides and tour operators have resisted the exploitation of this yearly “Hammerhead Season” around Bimini.  It was decided that research should be the priority surrounding this event, rather than commercialization. 

For better or for worse, that all changed in 2012.  An off-island SCUBA operator caught wind of the situation around Bimini and convinced a former-SharkLabber to show him the basics of how-and-when-and-where to attract these incredible sharks.  A year later, after the wide publicization of that proclaimed “one time only” expedition, we now have at least 10 off-island dive operations converging on Bimini to experience this event.

Anyone coming to dive with these sharks around Bimini needs to accept that there is considerable amount of responsibility that comes with your expedition.  You have the ability to do an enormous amount of damage to the reputation of this island and to this endangered species of shark, and hopefully you do not take this lightly.  I’m a firm believer that under the right circumstances and with the proper insight, any species of shark can be safely encountered in the wild.  That being said, I would imagine there is little to no agreement on exactly what those circumstances and insights are.  But simply stated, if you think its acceptable to put yourself, or your guests, or the sharks, at any elevated risk for the sake of photos, videos, or bragging-rights, you are wrong.  If you or your guests get hurt around Bimini because of your own recklessness, the tourism industry on this island could face irreparable damage, as could the public perception of these sharks, and we want people to take that very, very seriously.

Additionally, I’d like to suggest that if you are benefiting in anyway from your expedition to Bimini, that you should make a point to patronize some of the local businesses while you’re here so that the island benefits from your trip as well.  Go to the local bars at night, take some meals at local restaurants, take a tour of the SharkLab, or whatever else you think is fitting.  If you’re looking for a marina to tie up in, please consider Bimini Sands Resort & Marina, the Bimini Big Game Club, Seacrest Hotel & Marina, Bimini Blue Water Resort, Weech’s Bimini Docks, or Brown’s Marina.  All of these marinas have supported local conservation measures and should be rewarded for doing so.

If, for some reason, you’re not willing to spend money on the island, then contribute in some other way.  Help maintain the moorings at the local dive sites, do a beach clean-up with your crew and guests, join and help publicize the Bimini Marine Protected Area Campaign, or something else worthwhile.

We don’t need, or want, this amazing event around Bimini to turn into a circus of competing egos.  There is no need to further misrepresent the history of this situation, nor is there any reason that the operators involved can’t coordinate and cooperate in a professional manner, all without interfering with ongoing research. 

If you are seeing this message, I’d ask that you help distribute it to anyone else you know that is participating in these Great Hammerhead expeditions .  We expect your cooperation in ensuring the safety of every person and animal involved in these excursions, and also expect your help in maintaining a professional atmosphere around the island with proper diving etiquette employed.  The Bimini Tourism Advisory Board is currently discussing this issue, and will soon put forth a set of guidelines to help ensure that Bimini’s ‘Hammerhead Season’ is managed appropriately, helping to assure that people have fun during their visit while being solicitous towards the animals and the people on this island.

As Bimini emerges as the regional “Hammerhead Headquarters,” we all need to do what is necessary to make sure your excursion not only benefits you and your guests, but also the sharks and the island of Bimini.

Thank you for your time, and please feel free to contact me if you have any further questions or comments.

Regards,

Grant Johnson
Vice-Chairman, Bimini Tourism Advisory Board (BTAB)
Activities Director, Bimini Sands Resort & Marina (2007 – Present)
Manager, Bimini Biological Field Station –SharkLab (2001-2007)
South Bimini, Bahamas

More info:
Bimini Marine Protected Area Campaign - facebook.com/Bimini.Marine.Protected.Area
Bimini Blue Coalition - facebook.com/BiminiBlueCoalition

Note: We happen to agree with this statement and will support any and all efforts to help promote 'sustainable shark tourism' on this unique and fragile island.

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.

Sharksploitation or Conservationsploitation or Both?

Free-diving with a Great White Shark, being one with it is a great idea if you're a self proclaimed shark conservationist, right? You're showing just how non aggressive, nice and cuddly those sharks really are.

They love humans and are just misunderstood.

This is the message Ocean Ramsey is trying to get out in this video. Or is she?

Great White Shark at Isla Guadalupe after interacting with another Shark

I've been observing and diving with Great White Sharks at Isla Guadalupe for 11 years and have literally spent thousands of hours watching them, observing their behavior and interactions. I can honestly say that I love those sharks and the one thing I can absolutely state is, that that feeling is  NOT mutual. While the sharks are definitely interested in us, seem to recognize individual people and swim by just to check us out, looking each diver straight into the eyes, they do not have warm fuzzy feelings towards humans.

Let's put this in perspective. Everything in the Great White Sharks society is, by human standards, extremely violent. Their interactions range from giving each other space and and respecting the others size, to violently biting each other. I have never seen two sharks touch each other, without any violent response. They do not form human like bonds and get touchy feely with each other. Even their mating involves biting each other in order to hold on.

So back to Ocean Ramsey and her video. Not only do I not agree with the portrayal of the Great White Shark as a harmless creature, I think that diving down and holding on to the sharks can actually make them more dangerous to humans. If they don't like being held onto, they might start to associate humans with being a nuisance and treating them accordingly.

Where do these stunts lead to? What is the next person that wants to get their 15 minutes of fame going to do? Open the sharks mouth and brush it's teeth? Her video is not about shark conservation but simply an attempt at self promotion. If we really are concerned with shark conservation, we need to accurately show what these magnificent creatures are like. They are neither mindless killers, nor are they pets.

Cheers,
Martin Graf
Managing Director

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.

Creating Shark Week Anchor Commercials - Big Productions, Big Fun

Volkswagen 2012 Shark Week

For the past three years the crew over here at Shark Diver have been the creative force behind some of Discovery Channels most memorable Shark Week anchor commercials.

The idea of off brands getting into the shark space is nothing new, Snickers did it in 2010 and the commercial world became a much more interesting world for it.

Our full time entrance into this unique and growing space was to bring the, 'live shark element' to commercials.

In 2012 we were asked to create the entire underwater world for Gillette and Shark Week.

This was one very challenging shoot as there's a saying in the production world, 'never work with children or live sharks.' That being said we managed to attract and hold six full time Tigers and over 50 Lemon sharks to a locked down offshore shark site in the Bahamas delivering a completely unique first person commercial that quickly went viral.

In 2012 we were asked again to put our collective talents into an underwater production for Volkswagen. The lead on this one was What.We.Do.Media, and you'll recognize the talent behind this company as none other than Luke Tipple.

Creating a submersible iconic car brand replica and taking into the world of sharks? - Inspired.

That's what we do here at Shark Diver, with a tight team, we deliver extraordinary commercial visions that go viral featuring iconic brands...underwater with sharks.

Looking forward to 2013 - 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 sharkcrew@gmail.com.

Bimini Bull Run Operational, Bull Shark Diving!

Bimini Bull Run is now operational:

1. Shark Cage - Check

2. Safety Systems - Check

3. Sunset Bar at Sharky's - Check

4. Website - Coming Soon

5. Playboy Playmate and Wahoo Tournament - Check

In all we're excited about the new shark diving operation at Bimini Big Game Club, but is it for hardcore shark divers?

No, fortunately for them and just 30 minutes from the docks at Bimini Bull Run are more big sharks than you can shake a stick at - Tigers, Lemons, Reefs, "others."

This site is for non cert day divers who have never had a wild shark encounter, this will be their first, and just up the dock will be their first shark beer as well, it's nothing short of shark diving paradise.

See you in a few weeks!

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.

Bull Shark Caught Goa, India - That's a Biggun'

 Local fishermen in Goa, India catch a simply massive Bull 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 can reach us directly at sharkcrew@gmail.com.

S.A Shark Nets - Wagging The Conservation Dog - And Wrong Sounding Muppets

Pizza box tops and lipstick...now THAT'S conservation!

Word on the street is that Shark Angels, those rough riding take-no-prissiness step children of Sea Shepherd, have managed to get the shark nets in  Aliwal Shoal Marine Protected Area taken down.

Or at least they will come down sometime in the future, and when they do you can thank the Shark Angels for it:

"Thanks in part to the hard work from several shark angels for almost four years, KZN Sharks Board has buckled under the pressure and has recommended the removal of four gill nets in the Aliwal Shoal Marine Protected Area within the next year. This includes nets at both Scottburgh and Park Rynie and is a monumental step towards the abandonment of shark nets throughout the country – and hopefully at some point, the globe. The announcement, which came at the quarterly meeting of the Aliwal Shoal Forum in KwaZulu Natal, was made quietly and without fanfare - because it signals the weakening of the Sharks Board and constitutes an incredible triumph for those working hard to protect sharks, who have been struggling to achieve the removal of the nets since 2008." 

Like many out there in the conservation space this news seems a bit odd to us...like wrong sounding Muppets.

But in fairness, let's all celebrate this news. Four nets, a victory, and Julie Anderson's redemption in the shark conservation space for years of mismanaged stage craft masquerading as an attempt to sell a Reality TV show...wait a minute...now we see it.

Could be the coffee kicking in but, stay with us here, if one wanted for the sake of argument to sell a Reality TV show about an org that saved sharks, and one happened to be peddling said show to various networks (we know because we walked into said networks weeks after), wouldn't one also want to post victory notices on websites even though said victories were:

"made quietly" and "without fanfare" and "recommended" and "within the next year"

Yup. Check that box. It's known as Wagging The Conservation Dog a distinct media specialty of Sea Shepherd and it's media clones. You take an issue, front run it to assume some sort of conservation victory, spread the story far and wide and sit back and collect donor dollars...or eye balls from networks.

Kinda of like wrong sounding Muppets and ENRON. In the conservation space the rules say you post actual victories, you celebrate actual change, you give thanks to folks who work hard for animals.

The rest is just media nonsense and for the sharks in Aliwal Shoal Marine Protected Area who will be killed in nets this week, next week, and the week after, the Shark Angels "victory" is as short lived as the animals that keep dying in them.

Mike's Blog - The Issue Ongoing.

Now for some amusement:



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 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.

New Film and TV Production Hub with Sharks for Filmmakers

Miami, FLORIDA - Sharks are some of nature’s most sought after animals in the production world. 

The Bull Shark (Carcharhinus leucas) has long been considered as one of the oceans top predators. Perhaps that is why divers and non-divers the world over get such an exciting adrenaline packed thrill from encountering them. 
 

Film productions seeking these unique sharks have long had difficulties finding and successfully producing these large predators – until now.

Bimini Bull Run is a new shark production location on the pristine and white sand island of Bimini, Bahamas a 30 minute flight from the USA.   Purpose built for film the television productions at the marina of the Bimini Big Game Club Resort seeking guaranteed shark encounters with large Bull Sharks. This unique site will also be used as a regional film and TV training center for Bahamians seeking to learn more about productions in the Bahamas.

It is a well known industry secret that successful productions with sharks, from commercials to reality tv/hosted shows, enjoy what has been called, “ the shark bump,’ the rise in ratings when sharks are an integral part of productions.

Bimni Bull Run was conceived and built by industry experts who have designed cage systems and a unique platform that is land based to guarantee shark encounters in as short a time as possible, enabling a host of productions the flexibility to film Bull Sharks safely and efficiently.

Bimini Bull Run is a commercial concept endorsed and supported by the Shark-Free Marinas Initiative and the Bahamas Film Commission. Bimini Bull Runs specially designed cage systems are attached to purpose built docks that allow divers, non divers, filmmakers, and underwater photographers access this unique and thrilling underwater world. 

Bimini Bull Run is strategically located just 40 minutes from additional offshore shark species such as Tiger Sharks ( Galeocerdo cuvier) and Reef Sharks (Carcharhinus perezi).

A spokesperson for the site said: “We’re very excited to be able to offer one day guaranteed shark encounters with this completely unique under filmed shark species. Sharks are under siege around the world and we have found that positive encounters with sharks change attitudes and mind sets allowing for the continued preservation of these animals in ways that negative encounters cannot accomplish. At the end of the day these magnificent animals have called Bimini Big Game Club home since the 1930’s when folks like Ernest Hemmingway called this resort and marina home. It’s a completely new opportunity that allows divers, non divers, and productions a safe place to encounter them in their natural habitat.”

Since 2002 we have been doing productions with sharks in the Bahamas. In the film and TV world The Bahamas is known for the ease in which you can film sharks and for your outstanding Film TV Commission and staff who go to great lengths to make productions happen here.

Unfortunately there are no sites where you can film sharks successfully, or guaranteed, in one day. Most production sites for sharks in the Bahamas require a boat trip or diver certification and a minimum of two or three days of film time which sends a lot of productions to other sites around the world.

It's a shark production need that has gone unfilled - until now.

Additionally this new shark site, when in production use, will allow local school children to watch and be part of select productions hopefully opening the world to film and television to them on the ground level. 

About Bimini Bull Run

Biminibullrun.com is the preeminent one day guaranteed shark encounter site in the Bahamas. Along with cage diving instruction and optional pool courses our specially designed cages allow non certified divers a rare glimpse into the world of the sharks face to face. Our goal is to educate, inspire, and share the world of the sharks with generations of divers and non divers the world over to help preserve this precious resource for future generations.

For more information on Bimini Bull Run please visit www.Biminibullrun.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 sharkcrew@gmail.com.

From the Office to the Ocean Part I - Of Shark and Man

First official teaser for the film "From the Office to the Ocean Part I - Of Shark and Man"
Filmed on location in Pinewood Studios UK, Manchester UK and Shark Reef, Fiji
Produced and Directed by David Diley.

What's not to like about this?

  "Of Shark and Man" - Teaser Trailer 1 from Scarlet View Media 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.