Isla Guadalupe White Shark Diving-Committee on Environment and Natural Resources

Once the word got out this morning about a ban on "chumming" at Isla Guadalupe, Mexico we dug into the issue a little deeper.

What you are about to read are the official minutes from the Mexican government in April of 2008 as they decide actions (if any) and the reasons for these actions to be taken at Isla Guadalupe.

On a side note, many of the observations about the shark diving activities at the island are inflammatory and incorrect.

For example: Not one vessel has ever used marine mammal fat to attract sharks at this pristine dive site.

Here's what we found, the original in Spanish (link) and the Google translation below.

Part 1. Legislative proposal of April 3, 2008

Part 2. Minutes from April 3, 2008

Previous issues of the Gazette parliamentarians - 3 APRIL 2008

Of the Committee on Environment and Natural Resources, with points of agreement regarding the use excerpts from white shark NOT IN ISLAND Guadeloupe

Honourable Assembly:
The Commission on Environment and Natural Resources of the LX Legislature of the Chamber of Deputies of Congress was Turner, for study and preparation of relevant opinion, the record number 2522, which contains the proposition point to agree on the use non-extractive white shark in Guadeloupe Island.

Under the analysis and study of the point of agreement that dictates, the ordinary members of this committee, based on the powers conferred on us Articles 39, paragraphs 1 and 2, section XXIV, and 45, paragraphs 6, and subsections) f) and 7 of the Organic Law of the General Congress of the United Mexican States, as well as 60, 65, 87, 88, 93 and 94 of the Rules for the Government of Interior General Congress of the United Mexican States, we would submit for consideration by members of this honourable assembly this opinion, in accordance with the following:

Background
1. In meeting held on October 11, 2007 by the Chamber of Deputies of the honorable Congress, Congressman Diego Cobo Terrazas, a member of the Parliamentary Group of the Ecologist Green Party of Mexico, presented with the proposition point of agreement on the non-extractive (fishing) use white shark in Guadeloupe Island.

2. At that meeting, the proposition point to agree Turner was said to the Committee on Environment and Natural Resources, with the record number 2522, for study, analysis and elaboration of opinion, in accordance with the following:

Considerations
The proposition point to agree study concerns the use of white shark that several tourism service providers engaged in protected natural area, with the rank of biosphere reserve, Guadeloupe Island, which lies in the Pacific Ocean opposite the coast of Baja California.
In this regard, the developer said that the great white shark (Carcharodon carcharias) is the only surviving species of the genus Carcharodon. These sharks are characterized by their fusiform body and great strength, is the nose cone, short and thick, at its tip is concentrated a large amount of nerve endings, their mouths are too big and round, is shaped like a bow or parable with two rows Tooth major, and two or three more continuous growth.

His nostrils (narinas) are very close, while the eyes are small, circular and completely black. In its five sides are fissures gill, two pectoral fins well developed and triangular shaped and two others near the tail fin, much smaller. The flow is well developed, like the large dorsal fin of his spine, so unmistakable to anyone. Two other small fins (second dorsal and anal) near the tail complete the aspect of this animal.

Despite their physical characteristics by the white shark is considered a large predator that is distributed in almost all the world's oceans, their low reproductive potential makes it a species vulnerable. Just mention that the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources has detailed in the abundance of white shark populations, as well as the stature of this species has declined in recent years, estimating that this trend to continue their viability could be at serious risk.

Nonetheless, the environmental characteristics of some regions of the world that have allowed large populations of white sharks, which tend to be above average. So, these places have easily been called "white shark sanctuaries." As you mentioned the deputy developer, in the territorial waters of our country is located one of these regions, particularly in coastal island of Guadeloupe.
This is one of the largest islands of Mexico, which has an approximate area of 253.8 square kilometers, is located 241 kilometers from the coast of the Baja California peninsula, in the Pacific Ocean.

The fauna of Guadeloupe Island is not restricted only to the great white shark populations, but also in this region is the largest colony of elephant seals (Mirounga angustirostris) in the Pacific and one of the few people in the world of fine wolf of Guadeloupe (Arctocephalus townsendi). It also serves as an important site for breeding, sheltering and feeding large variety of species of marine mammals, waterfowl and fish.

The important biodiversity of the island and the importance of its conservation were a major cause that led to the April 21, 2005, was published in the Diario Oficial de la Federación the declaration of protected natural area of the island, the category of biosphere reserve.
With regard to human activities on the island, located only a small research station, a detachment of the Mexican Navy and a temporary community of fishermen, called "Cooperative Society Participation State Abuloneros and lobster boats, SCL" who are dedicated primarily to the collection of abalone, which is collected manually by divers of that community.

However, the particular characteristics of the island have enabled to position itself as a place to carry out tourism activities based on the observation white shark which, as noted by the developer in the explanatory memorandum, are carried out by tourism businesses operating either from americas United States or Mexico, from the ports of Cabo San Lucas, in Baja California Sur, or Ensenada, Baja California. These companies come to charge for their trips between 2 and 2 thousand 350 thousand $ 900 per person, 1 in ensuring that their packages "clients" will be able to observe white sharks hunting in their natural state, giving "jumps together to tourists" . These trips are advertised on the Internet pages:

• http://www.clubcantamar.com/spanish/index.html
• http://www.sharkdiver.com
• http://www.greatwhiteadventures.com/pasttrips.html

Thus, also mentions that the techniques used by these providers of tourist services to attract white sharks put at risk the ecological balance in the area, the habitat and populations of this species, and their boats in transporting containers sanguaza ( blood of different origins, mixed with water) and bait that once near the island discharged directly into the sea, with the aim of attracting sharks to see them rise to the surface or jumping. It should be noted that the sanguaza consists of blood from different backgrounds and may be fish, birds or mammals, and in some cases come to contain traces of viscera mixed with water.

These boats sanguaza the shed at night so that the essence remains at sea and the next day to assure tourists the presence of white sharks around them. Another of its methods, but used to a lesser extent, is the use of decoys shaped pinnípedos (lion, elephant seals or sea), combined with grease marine mammal, a situation that obviously is in violation of federal law.

So, it is necessary to establish that these tourist activities based on sightings of white sharks are legally regulated in the General Wildlife Act, covered in article 3. as non-extractive uses, as these activities are directly related to wildlife in their natural habitat, and thus its completion is subject to the issuance of authorization by the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources. This document must at all times ensure the welfare of copies, the continuity of their populations and conservation of their habitat.

As set out in Rule 134 of the General Law on Wildlife, authorizations for use of non-extractive giving the secretariat will include information on:

I. Species and areas of use;
II. Zoning and conditioning;
III. Specifications for sustainability in the implementation of activities;
IV. Duration of the season by area of non-extractive use;
V. Load for the activity;
VI. Times for the implementation of activities;
VII. Means authorised to carry out activities;
VIII. Distinctive for use by area;
IX. The other necessary to avoid adverse effects on wildlife.

Unfortunately, despite legal restrictions stemming from the law and that the secretariat imposed on non-extractive uses to observe white sharks in Guadeloupe Island, which is evident by other companies providing tourist services violate each and every one of these provisions and restrictions.

As mentioned, the practices used to attract these species are so inadequate, that have changed the behavior of white sharks in the region as well as its local distribution. This change its behavior will generate a potential risk to populations of marine elephant (Mirounga angustirostris) and wolf fine of Guadeloupe (Arctocephalus townsendi), as well as abalone fishermen.

Regarding sanguaza, it should be considered hazardous waste and even potentially infectious, and therefore its use as attractive could lead to the spread of viruses or pathogens that are potentially infective and cause harm to the marine and terrestrial faunas of the region.
These actions are in violation of various legal provisions in this field, such as Articles 414 and 416 of the Federal Penal Code, the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, Articles 1, 44, 48, 51, 79, 83, 86, 117, paragraph II, 131, 132, 150, 151 and 161 bis of the General Law of Ecological Balance and Environmental Protection; Articles 3, 47, 99, 100, 101, 102 and 103 of the Act General Wildlife, Articles 132, 133 and 134 of the Rules of the General Law on Wildlife; Norma Oficial Mexicana NOM-059-SEMARNAT-2001, "Environmental Protection in Mexico-native species of flora and fauna-categories risk and specifications for inclusion, exclusion or change-list of species at risk "and even the decree of protected natural area, with the rank of biosphere reserve, Guadeloupe Island. These precepts are violated as a reason argue that those who carried out the non-extractive use of shark dumped hazardous waste into the ocean within and outside the protected area, without respecting the decree and conditions of licences granted by the secretariat, should specify that such actions could even be considered criminal offences federal law enforcement.
Because of the negative effects that these uses to generate atmosphere and the white shark populations and species that are distributed in this manner natural habitat, the Commission will decide considers relevant to urge the Secretariat to continue to refrain from issuing permits extractive use of white shark at the expense of the biosphere reserve of Guadeloupe Island, while not specifying the negative impact caused to the ecosystem and its components.

As regards information that has been referred to this economic way of ordinary commission, can be determined that there is a link between officials of the National Commission of Protected Natural Areas responsible for the management of the biosphere reserve and Guadeloupe Island tourism service providers to facilitate obtaining approvals from the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources to observe white sharks, as well as encourage those who are observing white sharks and therefore consenting practices attraction to different types of tallow for these big sharks, and in some cases, by interceding providers to members of the fishing cooperative in order to avoid carrying out its activities during the days that the vessels sanguaza spilling of the waste in the ocean.

For members of the Committee on Environment and Natural Resources, it is worrying that white sharks are changing their natural behavior in the protected area, resulting from poor harvesting practices and non-extractive zero or nearly zero inspection of the competent authorities . Also, we recognize that fishing for abalone and lobster on the island is one of the most sustainable fisheries in the country, with good yields for fishermen, so there's no pressing need to develop alternative economic activities such as these and also generate serious damage to the ecological balance of the area and violate the spirit of the decree of the reserve.

It is necessary that the Mexican government established inspection operations to regulate the development of activities related to the use of non-extractive white shark in Guadeloupe Island, checking at all times to respect the decree of protected natural area and all applicable provisions.

Accordingly, the members of the Committee on Environment and Natural Resources of the honorable Congress put before the honorable assembly the following:

Agreement
First. The LX Legislature of the Chamber of Deputies of the honorable Congress of the Union respectfully urges the owner of the Secretariat of Environment and Natural Resources to not allow non-extractive uses for the white shark sighting in the biosphere reserve Guadeloupe Island, while not whether these practices modify the behavior of this species, creating a risk to its population, the marine fauna of the region and local fishermen.

Second. The LX Legislature of the Chamber of Deputies of the honorable Congress of the Union respectfully urges the owner of the Secretariat of Environment and Natural Resources to by the Federal Attorney General for Environmental Protection perform operations on the high seas, in coordination with the Secretariat Navy to monitor that vessels come to the biosphere reserve Guadeloupe Island meet environmental standards in this field, as well as abide by the restrictions set forth in the decree that declares natural protected area, with the category biosphere reserve, the area that includes marine and terrestrial island Guadeloupe, under federal jurisdiction, as well as other areas emerged that are there, located in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of the Baja California peninsula.

Note
1 Club Cantamar Liveabord Trips.
As in the Legislative Palace of San Lazaro of the Chamber of Deputies, March 11, 2008.
The Committee on Environment and Natural Resources
Deputies: Diego Cobo Terrazas (heading), chairman; Jesus de Leon Tello (heading), Jose Luis Espino Pineapple (heading), Lucia Morales Susana Mendoza (heading), Benjamin Silva Hernandez (heading), Maria Mercedes Colín Guadarrama, secretaries; Edmundo Bolaños Javier Aguilar (heading), Adriana Davila Fernandez (heading), Jose Antonio Garcia Diaz (heading), Ramiro Flores Ramon Emilio Dominguez (heading), Jose Guillermo Ortiz Fuentes, Jorge Nordhausen Ruben Gonzalez (heading), Christian Martin Lujan Nicholas (heading ), Martha Romo Angel Jimenez, Victor Manuel Torres Herrera (heading), Aleida Alavéz Ruiz (heading), Maria Soledad Torres Lopez, Rafael Garcia Villicaña (heading), Juan de la Rosa Hugo Garcia (heading), Roberto Carlos Martinez Martinez (heading ), Armando Barreiro Perez (heading), Roberto Mendoza Flores (heading), Martha Hilda Gonzalez Calderon (heading), Fernando Quetzalcoatl Moctezuma Pereda (heading), Carlos Ernesto Gonzalez Zatarain (heading), Victor Manuel Mendez Lanz, Jose Ascencion Bárcenas Orihuela, Sergio Augusto Lopez Ramirez (heading), Humberto Lopez Lena Cruz.
• • •
Chamber of Deputies of the Congress of the Union, LX Legislature
________________________________________
Stenographic version of the regular session on Thursday, April 3, 2008

The deputy Secretary Santiago Gustavo Pedro Cortes: From the Committee on Environment and Natural Resources concerning the use of non-extractive white shark in Guadeloupe Island.

It regards, President.
The President deputy Cristian Contreras Brown: They discussed the points of agreement. Under that there has been a speaker is considered… Do you want to speak for or against the opinion? To favour of opinion? Have the floor Mrs Martha Hilda Gonzalez Calderon, up to five minutes. In favour of opinion.

She Martha Hilda Gonzalez Calderon: I have asked, on behalf of my parliamentary group, to speak on the importance that we believe has the opinion that is under consideration.
The white shark is not just one of the species that are endangered, but also the sustainable development of tourism. The lack of a policy of sustainable tourism development has led to endanger not only this species, but the elephant marine and wolf fine of Guadeloupe.
The manner in which tourism takes visitors to our country to see these species has led to a hazardous waste are discarding the water, threatening the sustainability and ecological balance in this area.

We know that many activists in environmental protection have raised the voice not only in Mexico but in several countries, pushing for measures to conserve this species, which is caught as a sporting activity and also marketed exploiting their jaws and their fins, among other parts of the animal.

This is the reason that this species has been provided in institutional activities that deploys the International Convention on Endangered Species, which has promoted trade control of this marine animal.

Similar pronouncement has been expressed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources has reported that fewer individuals of the species, as stressed by the proponent, deputy Cobo Terrazas.

Therefore, there is information from the declining trend in the number of white sharks, a phenomenon that is not immune to Mexico, where, in addition, there have been various activities that nonetheless be non-extractive are linked to tourism promotions that have incurred in activities dangerous to the species, while tending to alter the natural environment of white shark.

For the above reasons and taking into account the country's biological heritage is an inescapable subject of public attention and in this case the federal legislature, is that we support staff in the parliamentary group and as the positive opinion on the proposal in accordance with point to submit in due course Congressman Diego Cobo Terrazas. Thank you very much.

The President deputy Cristian Contreras Brown: Thank you, Mrs Martha Hilda Gonzalez Calderon. Exhausted the list of speakers, is considered sufficiently discussed. He reserved his vote for economic package.

Mexico: Chumming Ban Update

Recent word from Mexico this morning.

According to our "sources" within the shark research and advocacy community in Mexico the chumming ban announced by the Secretary of the Navy yesterday may not be as it was first reported:

1. The "ban" has not been written into law and as such is just a recommendation.

2. While the dumping of fish parts and blood may be banned, hang baits (primary form of shark attraction) may still be allowed.

Right now the situation in Mexico is still blurry. More news will come in as time moves forward and we'll keep you updated as this story continues to unfold.

Mexico: Chumming banned at Isla Guadalupe

In a stunning action today, Mexico's Secretary of the Navy banned "chumming" activities at Isla Guadalupe, Mexico.

White shark cage diving operations are at a crossroads. We'll keep you updated as this unfolds, but is has long lasting repercussions for shark diving operations worldwide.

Ensenada, BC - For three different reasons the Ministry of the Navy has denied any permit for dumping waste sanguaza and pieces of fish in the reserve island of Guadeloupe.

Entre las razones destaca el ataque de tiburones blancos a buzos de una cooperativa pesquera y la alteración del comportamiento de los escualos. Among the reasons highlights the white shark to attack divers from a fishing cooperative and altering the behaviour of escualos.

Un documento indica que apenas en abril pasado le fueron negados permisos para el vertimiento de trozos de pescado a las naves Ocean Odissey y Searchger Horizon de Rosarito. One document indicates that just last April were denied permits for dumping of chunks of fish to craft Ocean Odissey and Horizon Searchger of Rosarito.

La Zona Naval puntualiza que: “No autoriza el vertimiento al mar de trozos de pescado y sanguaza para la actividad de observación de tiburón blanco en la reserva de la Biósfera de Isla Guadalupe”. The Naval Zone says: "Does not permit the dumping at sea of pieces of fish and sanguaza activity for observation white shark in the biosphere reserve of Guadeloupe Island."

Precisa que la Cámara de Diputados, con fecha tres de abril de 2008, aprobó en un punto de acuerdo el prohibir aprovechamientos no extractivos para el avistamiento del tiburón blanco en la reserva de la biósfera de Isla Guadalupe. He explained that the Chamber of Deputies, dated three of April 2008, adopted on a point of the agreement prohibit non-extractive uses for the white shark sighting in the biosphere reserve of Guadeloupe Island.

En el segundo punto agrega que aunque el material a verter es biodegradable y no existe riesgo de contaminación tal que ocasione cambios drásticos en la calidad del agua marina, en el sitio propuesto, existe información donde se argumenta que alimentar al tiburón blanco para ser objeto de observación ecoturística ha alterado el comportamiento natural del mismo. The second point says that even if the material is to shed biodegradable and there is no risk of contamination that may cause drastic changes in the quality of seawater at the proposed site, there is information which argues that feed the great white shark to be observation ecotourism has altered the natural behaviour of the same.

Asimismo, puntualiza que se cuenta con informes de la Sociedad Cooperativa de Producción Pesquera de Participación Estatal abuloneros y langosteros, los cuales reportan que sus trabajadores (buzos) fueron atacados por un tiburón blanco. It also points out that there are reports of the Fisheries Cooperative Society Production Participation State abuloneros and crawfish, which reported that its workers (divers) were attacked by a great white shark.

Además, los barcos de pesca deportiva ocasionan daños a los equipos langosteros al cortar los cabos y con ello las trampas provocando cuantiosas pérdidas económicas. In addition, sport fishing boats causing damage to equipment crawfish to cut the ropes and thereby traps causing heavy economic losses.

Top 10 Extreme Vacations-Sharkdiver.com

For the second year in a row 2007 and 2008 MSNBC has named Shark Diver one of the Top 10 Extreme Vacations on the planet.

Top 10 extreme vacations

We've found 10 extreme vacations to get your heart racing and, just in case you aren't quite ready to swim with the sharks, we've also included a similar — albeit less-adrenaline-pulsing — alternative with each of our top adventure-filled trips

6. Shark diving
If "Jaws" didn't permanently scare you out of the water, pack your gear and go deep-sea diving with the sharks off the coast of Cape Point, South Africa. Apex Shark Expeditions runs day trips into False Bay (some 30 minutes from Cape Town) between November and June, inviting you to swim for over an hour with Mako and blue sharks without anything but your wet suit between you and their fins.

Low-adrenaline alternative: Check out the world's largest predatory shark — the great white — in the Pacific waters around Mexico's Isla Guadalupe; Shark Diver outings put you underwater — and safely behind bars — in a secure steel cage.

Ahhh, that cold, clean refreshing mass media. Thanks to MSNBC and Shermans Travel for this honor, and thanks to all our divers who made it so!

Australia to hand out Shark Fin Permits?

Sent in by blogger Neutral Dive Gear this morning. If true this would be a major departure from Australia's eco record concerning the Great Barrier Reef.

Let's hope this is just a wild hair idea.

Shark Fin Fishery proposed for Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area

An alarming new proposal by the Queensland Government will establish a dedicated shark fin fishery in the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area and other marine parks in Queensland.

The Australian Marine Conservation Society is astonished by this proposal, in which Queensland's fisheries department (DPI&F) plans to legitimise one of the most unsustainable forms of fishing on the planet - shark fin fishing. With over 90% of the world's sharks and other big fish gone from our oceans, this project is unsustainable, unethical and will be flatly rejected by the Australian public.

Not only is the Queensland Government proposing to hand out specific fishing licenses for shark fin fishing, which will entrench the practice for years, they are planning to legitimise shark finning in the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area and in the Marine Parks of Moreton Bay and the Great Sandy Straits with this new license proposal.

The proposal will create new licenses to fishers to catch unlimited sharks and also to catch sharks with nets over a kilometre long in our off-shore waters.

Shark finning at sea, where the fins are cut of the shark and the carcass is thrown overboard, is banned in Australia (thanks to our efforts). However, shark fin fishing, where sharks are targeted for their high value fins but their carcasses are kept and sold as low value waste products, continues.

AMCS has pressed DPI&F to phase out shark fishing and they have failed to do so. What does it say for the sustainability agenda of this agency when it fails not only to protect one of the state's most vulnerable group of species, but promotes their exploitation?

During 2000-2004 shark fishing in Queensland increased four-fold with a massive 1240 tonnes of shark being landed in 2004*. The main pressure on sharks in the Great Barrier Reef is fishing, and this pressure is increasing. More than 90% of the Great Barrier Reef commercial shark harvest is taken by the gillnet fishery with the remainder taken by the line and trawl fisheries. However recreational fishers catch and retain a significant number of sharks.

Sharks are extremely vulnerable to fishing impacts. This is because their biology is more like whales and dolphins than other fish. Sharks are slow growing, have extremely low reproductive rates (producing very few young) and are mostly long lived. This means that they are very slow to recover from impacts on their populations. Many shark fisheries around the world have collapsed.

Sharks are apex predators, helping to control populations of prey species. Consequently, reducing the number of sharks may have significant and unpredictable impacts on other parts of the ecosystem.

The Queensland Government must revoke this proposal and commit to a program with fishers to save sharks, not hunt them. We strongly encourage anyone who treasures Queensland's sharks to have their say on this matter.

AMCS Ocean Activists will receive an email about this issue. If you are not yet an Ocean Activist please join up via our website; www.marineconservation.org.au.

If you are not on the internet then please send your written objections to:

East Coast Inshore Fin Fish Fishery RIS Response
Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries
GPO Box 46 Brisbane QLD 4001
Fax: 07 3229 8146
Online: www.dpi.qld.gov.au/fishweb

Sea Shepherd Credibility Gap

There's an old story about the Emperor of all the lands who strolls through a crowd completely naked and a child who shouts out "but he's got no clothes!".

That's the feeling you get with the activist Sea Shepherd organization these days following their much covered claim that Paul Watson, titular hear of the organization, had been shot by Japanese whalers.

The claim was bogus. Since that time not one follow up investigation has been made into the alleged shooting. Leaving us and many others to shout "but he's got no clothes!".

If Sea Shepherd is to have any lasting credibility in the eco world, they will have to radically change course. Already they are running out of International ports to call home, nations are turning away Sea Shepherd vessels and or impounding them as soon as they arrive. How can an activist organization continue without ports to dock in?

Sea Shepherds eco madate is a fine a noble one. It's the execution of that mandate, under the guidance of Paul Watson, that has turned a once proud eco organization into a continuing farce and slide towards irrelevance.

Case in point this latest event in Watson's home country of Canada. Political theater aside, does anyone believe any claims made by Sea Shepherd crews anymore?

HALIFAX - The Sea Shepherd Conservation Society vowed Tuesday to bill Canada $1,000 for every day it holds the seized anti-sealing ship, the Farley Mowat.

The ship was boarded by RCMP officers on April 12 off Cape Breton during the annual East Coast seal hunt in the Gulf of St. Lawrence. The ship's 17-person crew was also taken into custody. The Dutch-registered ship is being held in Sydney, N.S.

"At no time did my ship ever enter the 12-mile limit," Alex Cornelissen, the ship's skipper, said in a release. "They had no right to board us and these charges are ridiculous.All we did was take pictures of seals being slaughtered on the ice."

The Sea Shepherd Conservation Society said it will send an invoice to the federal Fisheries Department on the 12th of each month, asking for $30,000 for the time the ship is held.

"This will be $365,000 every year," the society said in a statement

Greenland Sharks "Monsters" of the Arctic

And you thought Canada was one of the least sharky places on the planet...think again. This week Canadian biologists are tagging and tracking this cold water "denizen of the deep" in an effort to understand more about them.

These are the same critters accused of stalking and graphically de-rubberizing young seals off the coast at Sable Island.

Canadian fish scientists are opening a window into the mysterious world of the Greenland shark -- the top predator in the Canadian Arctic about which almost nothing is known.

Except this, says Steve Campana of the Bedford Institute of Oceanography: "These are very, very strange sharks."

Its meat is poison. Its mouth is far under its body. It has almost no spine. It's so lethargic that it doesn't even snap at the scientists who hook it and attach a radio to it.

In the eastern Arctic "this is the apex (top) predator, the king of the food web, along with the polar bear. There's a sister species in the western Arctic. And as with any ecosystem, if you don't know anything about the apex predator, you're in a lot of trouble figuring out what's going on."

Christie Fisher and "One Eyed Jack"

The two images you are looking at were taken at Tiger Beach in 2007 and 2008. Shark Diver Christie Fisher has been diving with us for 4 years now. She's also been honing her underwater shark photog skills. To say she's become fearless in her new pursuit is a complete understatement.

In 2007 she was introduced to a frisky Lemon shark who's one eye was damaged beyond repair. This particular animal from the looks of things took a "liking" to Christie.

This week she was going through her images and emailed us:

"This is the SAME shark (One-Eyed Jack)!! I was looking
through last year's pictures tonight and noticed the eye again."

There's a lot going on at Tiger Beach with the sharky wildlife at this site. Having the same Lemon shark in what is usually a complete cloud of critters show up two years in a row is why divers come here year after year.

For Christie it's just another day at her new office in the Bahamas.

Jumping the Shark

The term has come to be known when a website, film/television franchise or company is at or near it's end-pulling one last stunt in an effort to get ratings.

For Fonzie and the gang this was the last hurrah. Old school Bikini's and all.

This moment in television we found on You Tube and here it is. One question: "who shot the original Tiger Shark footage for this show?"

Pygmy Whale Research-Dissection Blog

This was sent in by one of our blog fans who discovered researchers in New Zealand about to dissect and blog about a Pygmy Right Whale.

These rare critters do not seem to be a part of any main whale evolutionary tree.

The blog is fascinating, and at times a bit gruesome but it does shed light into the world of whales.

Make sure you are not eating lunch... and thanks Ellen!

Freakish Mystery Surround "Seal Shootings"

O.K, so it's not like the media gets things wrong all too often, but this is just too creepy. As you know we have been following recent events in Oregon where several caged seals were "shot to death" apparently in response to record low Salmon stocks.

Today an autopsy revealed that all 6 dead, caged, animals had not been shot at all...here's where it gets bizzare, read on:

Exam indicates sea lions weren't shot to death in Oregon

3 hours ago

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Federal fisheries officials now say the six sea lions found dead in traps on the Columbia River apparently were not shot to death.

Spokesman Brian Gorman of the National Marine Fisheries Service said Wednesday that preliminary results of a necropsy found no evidence of recent gunshot wounds but found numerous shallow puncture wounds in one animal consistent with sea lion bite marks.

Gorman says X-rays found metal fragments in soft tissue near the neck of two animals.

He says a metal slug was found in the blubber of one animal, but neither the fragments nor the slug appear to be fatal and may have been from old wounds.

The agency is still trying to determine how the animals died near the Bonneville Dam.

The Big Question-Just how do 6 caged seals end up dead in one single night?

Stay Tuned.

Island of The Great White Sharks-Boston

Richard Theiss and Mexican shark researcher Mauricio Hoyos recently presented the new white shark documentary Island of The Great White Shark to rave reviews in Boston last week.

After 3 years of intense filming Richard and Mauricio completed what has been hailed as one of the "best shark documentaries in the past five years".

NPR Television was invited to review the film last week and interviewed the pair.

The film attempts to present white sharks in a positive light for the first time. Typically white sharks are presented as little more than eating machines with no thought to solid research and story lines.

Island of the Great White Shark will be screening in a major city near you summer of 2008. Stay tuned for a complete list of screening dates.

Ocean Pillage-High Tech Sales

This morning we got the following spam email-with a twist. Here's what's interesting about this one:

1. The sheer amount of ocean/wildlife product for sale "direct to consumer"

2. The method of sale (email)

When people in the eco community throw around numbers like 100 million sharks taken each year just for their fins, one would be well reminded after reading this email how that comes about.

Those that harvest from today's oceans no longer have to rely on old school distribution methods and even government regulations. Today, with a click of a mouse, 600 tons of sea product can be traded direct to consumer overnight:

we can offer,

100 tons of squid illex tentacles seafrozen of jigger vessel packing 1 x 20 abt without eyes and beak Price usd 1700 c+f china port

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600 tons squid tubes seafrozen of jigger vessel ask !!!

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Fijiian Sharks Rare and Rarer

Something interesting from Fiji this week. The local papers there always have great shark stories.

Spotted rare baby shark surfaces

A FRIDAY night fishing trip became exciting after a baby shark was caught just off the waters of Naqara Island and Wainadoi jetty.

The shark was brownish-yellow and had black spots. The man who caught it is Horace Morell of Vatia, Labasa. Mr Morell, who now resides on Naqara, said he had seen other sharks but not one of this colour and shape.

"I was surprised because I have never seen a shark with spots and yellow. I smacked it but my wife said to let it go. I threw it back into the sea. Instead of swimming away, it circled the boat and came back so I caught it again and put it in a cage.

"I haven't decided what to do with it yet but I think I will keep it for a while. I used fish bait to catch it. It has a small mouth and gills. It looks like a Leopard shark because of its black spots but I am not sure."

Mr Horace said he wanted to get in touch with shark feeders of Beqa who might be interested.

He said he was able to put his hand in the shark's mouth. His wife Mele said it was also the first time for her to see that kind of shark.

She said they might give it to someone willing to look after it. In the meantime, they have not weighed their options on whether to sell it for research.

Beqa Adventures Divers Limited operations manager Andrew Cummings said the description of the shark could mean it was either a Leopard or Zebra shark. He said it was a particularly uncommon find in Fiji waters but said the shark was harmless.

Bionic Dolphin-Cool Tech

If there's one thing we love about the oceans and covering this subject it's stories like this one.

Researchers and staff at the Clearwater Marine Aquarium
rescued a young Bottlenose dolphin last year who's tail was unfortunately lost to a crab trap.

What they did with her after that is nothing short of amazing:

"CMA's marine life stranding response team is one of the nation's most successful. Many of the sick or injured animals we rescue are released after rehabilitation, but some become permanent CMA residents, due to the extent of their injuries. Residents include dolphins, sea turtles and river otters. The most amazing rescue story of all is Winter's."

State: No chumming for sharks near beach

Recently state regulators in Alabama drafted new laws banning "bloodbaiting" 300 yards from beaches and swimmers in an effort to protect them from sharks?


May, 2008

By RYAN DEZEMBER

Staff Reporter

Aiming to protect beachgoers, state regulators say they expect by the middle of this month to enact a ban on chumming for sharks and other within 300 feet of the beach.

The law, which was drafted by the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural resources with input from Orange Beach officials, generally prohibits anyone from targeting sharks by chumming or bloodbaiting, whether it's with fish parts or synthetic attractant.

With state budgets slashed how are they going to enforce this new regulation?

You Know You're Doing Well When...

This morning one of our blog fans sent in a link to another sharky website. We're not going to mention it by name-but it was nice to see they have all but completely copied our format.

In the dive industry and the shark diving industry there are leaders, dreamers, and all the rest.

Our little shark blog hit the Internet back in December with it's off hand brand of looking at the people in shark diving industry and the oceans eco side.

It was a hit. Thanks to our readers who liked what they saw and wanted more.

We're happy to see "others" out there copying what we do. In a strange way having someone copy you is a nice compliment. In a strange way.

It would be nice to see them come up with something original for a change as well, but like we said there's the dreamers and all the rest. Heck we'll take the compliment;)

Sharks and Neptunic-Black and White Bliss

Jeremiah Sullivan-the genius behind Neptunic Shark Suits recently returned home from several new "adventures with sharks" which we're sure you'll be seeing and hearing about in the weeks to come.

He did have time to send in this image which sums up these sharky adventures nicely.

Is it just us, or do sharks always look better when you take the time to shoot them in black and white?

With the exception of Wolfgang, no one does this brand of underwater photography better.

Shark Diving-New Website for Six-Gills

If you were not at the Northwest Dive Travel Expo last weekend you missed one of the most exciting dive operations to hit the West Coast in the past 5 years.

Hydrus has pioneered Six-Gill caged shark feeding encounters in the waters off of the Pacific Northwest. Thus far Team Hydrus has played host to many of the old timers in the film and dive industry who are always first to "sniff out" the next big thing. Howard Hall and company to mention some names.

"We were the first team in history to successfully attract and dive with Six Gill Sharks in shallow water while the animals were feeding. Over a 5-year period we created a one-of-a-kind program to attract Six Gill sharks. During those years we documented animal behavior never seen before by scientists, started documenting the behavior of individual animals, designed and build many custom pieces of equipment to enhance the observation experience, and conducted a “proof of concept” event at the Seattle Aquarium, which helped them start their Six Gill Shark research program."

Dust off those camera housings and seal up that dry suit...it's Six-Gill time!

Salmon Wars-Seals in Crosshairs

This ugly eco news was almost inevitable. With salmon stocks up and down the California and Oregon coast disappearing at an alarming rate, the natural predator gets the bad rap.

In this case the seal. Sadly several elephant seals were also shot on California's central coast this week as well.

Sea lions shot dead on Columbia River as salmon battle rages

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — For years, the sea lions lounging at the Bonneville Dam have had easy pickings from salmon waiting to go up fish ladders to upriver spawning grounds.

Over the weekend, the federally protected sea creatures were themselves easy prey for a gunman who shot and killed six of the sea lions as they lay in traps meant to humanely catch them.

State and federal authorities were investigating the shootings, which came less than two weeks after an appeals court issued a temporary injunction against authorities killing the salmon-gobbling mammals. Agents have been trapping them instead, but trapping will be suspended during the investigation, said Rick Hargrave, a spokesman for the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife.

Fishermen and American Indian tribes have pushed to protect the salmon and remove the sea lions, by lethal force if necessary.

The carcasses of the four California sea lions and two Steller sea lions were found Sunday around noon below the Bonneville Dam on the Columbia River on the border of Oregon and Washington.

The six animals appear to have been shot by somebody on the Washington side during the night, said Brian Gorman, a spokesman for the National Marine Fisheries Service.

Giant Stingrays-Elasmo Thai

When this came across our desk this morning all we had to say was Holy Cra%@!

Yes this is what you think it is, and no this has not been photoshopped. Researchers and fishermen in Thailand landed a simply monster freshwater stingray-what they did with it after this photo finish is anyone's guess.

April 29, 2008—Recreational fishers and biologist Zeb Hogan (wearing cap) hold a live, 14-foot-long (4.3-meter-long) giant freshwater stingray the fishers caught in the Bang Pakong River in Chachoengsao, Thailand, on March 31, 2008.

After weeks of combing remote Southeast Asian rivers for giant freshwater stingrays—possibly the largest freshwater fish in the world—Hogan finally found the creature near a Thai city. To his surprise, she gave birth soon after capture. (Read full story.)

There are accounts of freshwater stingrays growing as large as 1,000 pounds (450 kilograms), which could make them the largest freshwater fish in the world, Hogan said. Hogan runs the National Geographic Society's Megafishes Project, an effort to document 20 or so freshwater giants.

The giant river rays are extremely difficult to catch, as they bury themselves in mud when hooked. They routinely break fishers' lines and bend finger-size hooks straight to escape capture.The ray's deadly barb, located at the base of its whiplike tail—and wrapped in a cloth in this picture—can easily puncture skin and bone.

Two Shark Attacks-Two Worlds

After the shocking and sad news from Solana Beach last week more news came in of another fatal attack-this time on a American surfer in Mexico.

The reaction on the US side to the unfortunate event in Solana was anything but vengeance for the shark. In fact the media and the California public, for the most part, understood the white sharks place in the oceans.

Not so on the Mexican side of the border. The shark attack at this site has been met with baited hooks and overall hysteria.

Two shark attacks-two worlds.

Mexico's hunt for shark that killed second California surfer draws protest

ACAPULCO -- Authorities used baited hooks to catch sharks today near a Mexican beach where a U.S. surfer was killed in an attack. Adrian Ruiz, 24, of San Francisco bled to death after being bitten on the thigh Monday while surfing off Troncones beach west of Acapulco.

Mexico's Navy and maritime authorities said they have strung about 200 yards of lines with baited hooks near the beach in an attempt to catch sharks that may be using the area as a feeding ground.

Emergency personnel are warning beachgoers about sharks' presence near the largely undeveloped oceanfront, said local civil defense Director Jaime Vazquez.

It is not clear what species was involved in Monday's attack, but Navy Cdr. Arturo Bernal said that helicopter overflights had sighted two great white sharks nearby.

Cool Dive Website of the Week

You probably need to go online today and see this one if you dive, like to dive, know someone who dives or care about diving in general.

The sites got a great dive community, nice divers, and in depth dive site info.

Webmaster Greg has things running smoothly and updates on a regular basis. Cool features as well.

Dive in.

Busting a Shark Myth Wide Open

This image and story have been making the rounds on the Internet like a Nigerian Bank Email. Unfortunately both image and story are completely fake.

It's a classic Underwater Onion.

YOU HAVE TO READ THIS FIRST BEFORE LOOKING AT PICTURE.

Family on vacation in Australia for a week and a half when husband, wife and their 15 year old son decided to go scuba diving. The husband is in the navy and has had some scuba experience. His son wanted a picture of his mom and dad in all their gear so he got the under water camera ready to go. When it came to taking the picture the dad realized that the son looked like he was panicking as he took it and gave the 'OK' hand sign to see if he was all right.

The son took the picture and swam to the surface and back to the boat as quick as he could so the mom and dad followed to see if he was OK. When they got back to him he was scrambling onto the boat and absolutely panicking. When the parents asked why, he said 'there was a shark behind you.' The dad thought he was joking but the skipper of the boat said it was true but they wouldn't believe him. As soon as they got back to the hotel they loaded the picture onto the laptop and this is what they saw.

Giant Squid Video-Autopsy

The Giant Squid autopsy from New Zealand we blogged about earlier this week now has a video for your review. Thanks to the good folks at current.com for sending this in.

While it's not an alien autopsy, it might as well be.Rumor is these are also tasty critters:

Shark Diving Video-Oldies Rule!

A lot of people ask us what cage diving with Great White sharks is like. It's moments like this. Shot in 2004 at Isla Guadalupe, Mexico with Sterns Bullen (fearless shooter) cage left with a frisky 12 footer:

White Sharks in Shandong China?

Almost certainly.

One year ago this news report surfaced about a massive shark taken off the shores of Shandong China.

The story was being used at the time as a propaganda piece:

"A super large shark, which is 4.5 meters long, 2.6 meters round and weighs 630 kilograms, was caught by fishermen in Rizhao, east China's Shandong province on Monday morning. Such a big shark is extremely rare. It indicates the coastal waters' quality has been improved."

If you look at the area on a map, the shark was likely taken in the Bohai Sea which makes us wonder what white sharks are doing in this area in the first place?

Deep Water Sharks-NOAA

Back in 2004 researchers with NOAA shot this ungainly looking critter around 3000 feet deep.

They think it is a new shark species and is close to 22 feet long. Yes, that is a green laser being used to gauge the size of the animal and the distance from the submarine.

What's fascinating about this fellow is the tail set up-which is completely unlike anything seen previously-even with deep water shark species.

Unfortunately they have not seen another one like this in the past 4 years of deep water exploring. Unlike the Blunt Nosed Six Gill which seems to be everywhere. Some deep water sharks seem to be as rare as some of their top water cousins.

Sharks and The U.K Media

The Times recently covered shark attacks worldwide with a completely hysterical and not surprising bias. The following quotes were taken from that article.

By employing broad unsupported statements about sharks and the use of the classic "but experts have said" they continue to propagate fear in the reader about sharks. What we have here is a failure to communicate.

Quotes from the article:

1. " Another theory suggests that the killer shark off California may have been trying to protect a newborn pup".

2. "But experts have said that great white females are more likely to eat their offspring than protect them".

3. " Some argue that thriving seal populations are attracting sharks to tourist areas, especially during March and April when female sharks arrive in the warmer waters between California and Mexico to give birth".

When will media begin to report these unfortunate events from the sharks P.O.V?

Island of The Great White Shark-Documentary

By now you have heard about the new white shark documentary-Island of the Great White Shark. Richard Theiss spent the last 4 years documenting the research work that Shark Diver started with the help of Mexico's CICIMAR and U.C Davis.

The project is almost complete and sheds light on white shark tracking and behaviour at the island that was unknown until this data was gathered.

Here's a short clip:

Giant Squids-Cool New Research

And you thought we would never get around to blogging about the Giant Squid again.

The AP reports today that researchers in New Zealand, home to perhaps more giant squids than any other place on the planet (betcha didn't know that) have concluded that their critters have the largest eyes of any animal on the planet.

Take that Mr. Blue Whale.

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — Marine scientists studying the carcass of a rare colossal squid said Wednesday they had measured its eye at about 11 inches across — bigger than a dinner plate — making it the largest animal eye on Earth.

One of the squid's two eyes, with a lens as big as an orange, was found intact as the scientists examined the creature while it was slowly defrosted at New Zealand's national museum, Te Papa Tongarewa. It has been preserved there since being caught in the Ross Sea off Antarctica's northern coast last year.

"This is the only intact eye (of a colossal squid) that's ever been found. It's spectacular," said Auckland University of Technology squid specialist Kat Bolstad, one of a team of international scientists brought in to examine the creature.

Tiger Beach-Bahamas Rare Event

For the past 8 days Shark Diver's Luke Tipple has been the dive safety operations manager for a simply massive film crew, shooting Tigers and Dolphins in the Bahamas.

The shoot spans three continents and is styled after Blue Planet. While they are still in production we cannot give you any more details, we'll update you as soon as we can.

We can share with you this image he sent into the office this morning.

What you are looking at is "Raw Nature" to quote Luke (*add Australian accent here) a green turtle who lost out on a turtle vs tiger encounter off Tiger Beach last week.

It looks like this little critter had quite the rough time of it. When you're a turtle and you show up to Tiger Beach, it's like driving through a bad neighbourhood. Always keep your doors locked, drive fast, and do not stop for gas late at night.

Strange Sharks-Photoshop? No Way!

We get quite a few emails from blog readers each week. Some with images like this one, others with offers for cheap V!@gara delivered to your door.

This particular image was sent in from Sarah who lives in the U.K-wanting us to identify this unlikely looking critter.

At first we said "Unicorn Shark?"

Then it occurred that this critter had to be a deep water species, and if there's anything we know about deep water sharks (we know a fair bit) anything is likely down there.

Here's what we found out about this shark:

Almost nothing except about 300 posts, arguments, half stories, wild rumors and the like. Seems this critter has generated a lot of talk and is perhaps from Japan.

Whatever this critter is, we hope it gets to be about 20 feet long and shows up on our chum line one of these days. If that happens we'll probably need a handful of that cheap V!@gara.

Shark Attack in San Diego

This tragedy while unfortunate is the result of life off the California coast.

These waters are sharky, and perhaps more sharky than anyone cares to admit.

It's also a testament to the white sharks ability to not choose humans as a prime prey source. After observing these animals for over 6 years now I have come to realize they will spend a lot of time "watching and observing" suspected prey items before attacking-most often they choose not to.

Off the shores of Nor Cal I often meet surfers who say they have never seen a white shark. My response is always "that's not to say they have not seen you".

White sharks very rarely make mistakes. This particular set up, with a swimmer in a black wetsuit, in the morning, along the shoreline, lagging behind a pack of other swimmers met more than one criteria for this shark to make a tragic mistake.

It is sad anyway you look at it.

Maps and Statistics of Confirmed Unprovoked Shark Attacks

You may be asking about the image to the right here. As one would expect there's at least one person on this planet who maps out all "recorded" shark attacks on the planet.

Hey, it's the age of the Internet, if they have blogs about cheeses of the world, you just knew someone had to have this.

The interesting thing about this map and the links on it-is the low numbers of shark events worldwide. Here's the breakdown.

Perspective On the San Diego Shark Attack

One of the better looks at this entirely sad event on Solana Beach this morning comes from the Daily Green Blog.

What is believed to be a great white shark attacked and killed a 66-year-old swimmer off Solana Beach, San Diego Friday, leading to a beach closure, mourning among friends and relatives, and rampant media attention.

Such fatal attacks have been relatively rare.

A single swimmer in the South Pacific was the only person to die from a shark attack in 2007, but total shark attacks rose nearly 13% over 2006, according to statistics released in February by Florida Museum of Natural History at the University of Florida.

The number of fatal shark attacks hit a 20-year low. In 1987, there were no fatalities. (There were four deaths each in 2005 and 2006, and seven in 2004.)

“It’s quite spectacular that for the hundreds of millions of people worldwide spending hundreds of millions of hours in the water in activities that are often very provocative to sharks, such as surfing, there is only one incident resulting in a fatality,” the lead author, George Burgess, said at the time. “The danger of a shark attack stays in the forefront of our psyches because of it being drilled into our brain for the last 30 years by the popular media, movies, books and television, but in reality the chances of dying from one are infinitesimal.”

The number of shark attacks overall increased from 63 in 2006 to 71 in 2007, a nearly 13% increase, continuing a gradual upswing during the past four years.

“One would expect there to be more shark attacks each year than the previous year simply because there are more people entering the water,” Burgess said. “For baby boomers and earlier generations, going to the beach was basically an exercise in working on your suntan where a swim often meant a quick dunking. Today people are engaged in surfing, diving, boogie boarding and other aquatic activities that put them much closer to sharks.”

Often, about half of the world’s attacks occur in United States mainland and Hawaiian waters, but the proportion was greater in 2007, Burgess said. Last year’s total of 50 attacks returned to 2000 and 2001 levels of 53 and 50, respectively, after dropping from 30 to 40 for each year between 2003 and 2006, he said.

There also was an upswing in attacks along the Florida coast, jumping from 23 in 2006 to 32 in 2007. There has been a gradual increase in human-shark skirmishes in the Sunshine State since they dropped from 37 in 2000 to an 11-year-low of 12 in 2004, he said.

Within Florida, Volusia County continued its dubious distinction as the world’s shark bite capital with 17 incidents, its highest yearly total since 2002, Burgess said. Attractive waves off New Smyrna Beach on the central Atlantic coast are popular with surfers, he said.

Additional U.S. attacks were recorded in Hawaii – seven — marking a five-year-high, along with South Carolina, five; California, three; North Carolina, two; and Texas, one.

Elsewhere, there were 12 attacks in Australia, up from seven in 2006 and 10 in 2005, but down slightly from the 13 attacks recorded in 2004. There were two attacks each last year in South Africa and New Caledonia, with single incidents reported in Fiji, Ecuador, Mexico and New Zealand.

Most of those attacked (56%) were surfers and windsurfers, followed by swimmers and waders (38%) and divers and snorkelers (6%). The one 2007 fatality was a snorkeler from France visiting the Loyalty Islands archipelago in French New Caledonia.

“We advise not getting yourself isolated because there is safety in numbers,” Burgess said. “Sharks, like all predators, tend to go after solitary individuals, the weak and the infirm, and are less likely to attack people or fish in groups.”

Shark-Attack Victim ID'd

Update. Very sad news.

The swimmer killed in a fatal shark attack this morning off the coast of Solana Beach has been identified by a family friend as 66-year-old Dave Martin. Martin is a retired veterinarian who has lived in Solana Beach since 1970. The announcement was made at a press conference held in Solana Beach.