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Shark sightings good for business?

We always hear about “shark scares” in the media. In Western Australia, the government is conducting a highly controversial shark cull, mostly because of fear that sharks are bad for business.
shark diving, swimming with sharks is fun, cage diving, bull sharks
So I was quite surprise to see this headline “Shark sightings off Cape Cod a boon for tourism“

The East Valley Tribune writes “ In “Jaws,” the fictional mayor tried to protect the summer tourism season by keeping a lid on reports of the man-eater lurking offshore. As sightings of great white sharks mount off Cape Cod in real life, however, businesses in the Massachusetts town of Chatham are embracing the frenzy.”

Maybe the Western Australia government should visit Chatham Mass. and talk to their businesses. They would hear that instead of the great white sharks scaring tourists away, they actually attract them.

Shark T-shirts are everywhere, “Jaws” has been playing in local theaters and boat tours are taking more tourists out to see the huge seal population that keeps the sharks coming. Harbormasters have issued warnings but — unlike the sharks in the movies — the great whites generally are not seen as a threat to human swimmers. 

No sensational headlines, no mass hysteria, no loss of business. Why don’t we see more of this kind of reporting in the media?

A local business man is quoted as saying: “I mean, truthfully, we’ve probably grown about 500 percent in terms of the sale of our shark apparel,” he said. The T-shirts, hoodies, hats, belts, dog collars and other accessories bear the iconic, torpedo-shaped image of great whites and sell for between $10 and $45.
 
Read the entire article here

It’s nice to see that an entire community has been embracing the great white sharks and found a way to use them to their benefit. This is an example, how humans and nature can benefit from each other. The people have a booming economy and the sharks don’t get culled. Are you listening, Western Australia?

Cheers,
Martin Graf
CEO 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 staff@sharkdiver.com.

30
Jul 2014
By Shark Diverswimming with sharks, UncategorizedComments Off on Shark sightings good for business?

Japanese Whaling Crew eaten by Killer Whales?

Journalism standards, and I’m using the term “standards” very loosely, have pretty much disappeared in a lot of cases. Take today’s headline on the “worldnewsdailyreport” which proclaimed “japanese whaling crew eaten alive by killer whales 16-dead”

Now for those of you who don’t know about the World News Daily Report, this is how they describe themselves.

“World News Daily Report is a news and political satire web publication, which may or may not use real names, often in semi-real or mostly fictitious ways. All news articles contained within worldnewsdailyreport.com are fiction, and presumably fake news. Any resemblance to the truth is purely coincidental, except for all references to politicians and/or celebrities, in which case they are based on real people, but still based almost entirely in fiction.”

So basically, they are like “The Onion”, a satirical publication. That didn’t stop other “reputable” news organizations, like the “International Business Times” from putting up headlines like “Killer Whales Gobble Japanese Whaling Crew” even AOL in the UK put up a headline “Pod of Killer Whales apparently attacked whaling crew”. After I wrote to the editor of the International Business Times, they changed their story to say that it was a hoax. AOL in the UK followed suit, citing the correction in the “IBT”

This explains a lot about how the news business works. Someone comes out with a story and everyone else just picks it up, without checking any sources or facts. 

Japanese Whaling Crew Eaten Alive By Killer Whales, 16 dead – See more at: http://worldnewsdailyreport.com/japanese-whaling-crew-eaten-alive-by-killer-whales-16-dead/#sthash.6hQvDwjd.dpufjapanese-whaling-crew-eaten-alive-by-killer-whales-16-dea

Then of course, stories like these also bring out some crazy responses like this.

“Pretty gruesome scene, my sincere condolences to loved ones for your loss. As tragic as this may be, hopefully the Japanese will see this as a sign that Gaia’s had enough of Japan’s cavalier, inhumane stance on whaling – “ENOUGH”!

If you live here on the Hawaiian islands long enough, before long it becomes evident almost everyone that spends time here that the consciousness of our “Earth Mother” is everywhere, in every moment, every drop of water every cloud, in every little thing and in every living creature – we co-exist in a conscious world.

This tragic event was no coincidence.”
source 

So the bottom line is. Don’t believe everything you read. Check things out for yourself.

Cheers,
Martin Graf
CEO 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 staff@sharkdiver.com.

29
Jul 2014
By Shark DiverKiller whales, stupid reporting, UncategorizedComments Off on Japanese Whaling Crew eaten by Killer Whales?

“Sharknado” is real!

When the syfy channel aired “sharknado” last year, we all assumed that unlike  the Megalodon: The Monster Shark Lives! “documentary” on the Discovery channel, it was meant to be a spoof. Well, we have been wrong.

source

Just before the release of “Sharknado 2”, Tara Reid, in an interview with GQ magazine said:  

“I mean, the chances of it happening are very rare, but it can happen actually. Which is crazy. Not that it – the chances of it are, like, you know, it’s like probably ‘pigs could fly’. Like, I don’t think pigs could fly, but actually sharks could be stuck in tornados. There could be a sharknado.” 

Ahhhh,…… well,……. wow!

Tara, I mean the chances of it happening are very rare, but it can happen actually, which is crazy, not that it, the chances of it are rare, like, you know, it’s like you actually have a coherent thought, like I don’t think you could have a coherent thought, but actually you could be waking up one day, with a coherent thought. You could actually make sense one day!

In a related story, Discovery Channel has announced that Tara Reid will be joining them as a “shark expert” on  shark after dark.  We applaud their decision to add Tara to their lineup of shark experts. It will greatly improve the quality of those experts.

If you want to see those sharks in their natural environment, before they’re all sucked up in a tornado, join us on one of our our expeditions.

Cheers,
Martin Graf
CEO
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 staff@sharkdiver.com.

25
Jul 2014
By Shark Diversharknado, tara reid, UncategorizedComments Off on “Sharknado” is real!

Who is going to be at Guadalupe?

Our Great White Shark season is starting in a couple of weeks. This is going to be my 14th year, visiting Guadalupe Island and believe it or not, I’m getting more excited to go back each year. I just can’t wait to see who’s back. Is “Shredder” going to…

20
Jul 2014
By Shark DiverReal Shark Week, UncategorizedComments Off on Who is going to be at Guadalupe?

Could the Manhattan Beach shark bite have been predicted?

The recent shark bite incident at Manhattan Beach Pier, made worldwide headlines. Just google “shark attack Manhattan Beach” and you get literally pages and pages of links with headlines screaming “Shark Attack”.

Weather.com used the picture below to catch their readers attention and wrote that A 7-foot-long great white shark attacked a swimmer off the California’s Manhattan Beach on Saturday, causing panic amongst crowds of people enjoying one of Southern California’s most popular beaches on the 4th of July holiday weekend.

source

Now a headline and picture like that would scare any sane reader and make them think twice about swimming in the ocean.

Of course we know, that the shark didn’t really attack the swimmer, but was trying to get away from a fisherman, who had him hooked on a line, instead. Was this just a freak accident, or could this have been predicted?

Back in November of 2013, Pete Thomas wrote a piece for Grind TV about swimmers and fishermen harassing juvenile great white sharks at the exact location where this swimmer got bit. The article says:

“White sharks are a candidate species under the California Endangered Species Act and therefore fully protected,” Traci Larinto and Michelle Horeczko, part of the state Department of Fish and Wildlife’s White Shark Status Review Team, explained in a statement. “They cannot be taken or pursued. The public should take steps to avoid white sharks while fishing or being out on the water.”

As to the legality of trying to catch great white sharks, it has this statement:

“Right now, every surfer/thrill seeker with a GoPro is going out to Manhattan Beach and trying to film them, ride them, and catch them on hook and line,” said Christopher Lowe, a Cal State Long Beach professor and white shark expert. “Most people do not understand CESA regulations and that even incidental catch [or] being caught swimming after a shark with a GoPro camera can be considered take or harassment and is a citable, even jailable offense.”

 

So it comes as hardly a surprise that there are juvenile great white sharks in the area and unfortunately, it seems that, despite the law protecting them, some fishermen are still purposely trying to catch them. 

“One rumor is that a couple of fishermen have caught and killed some sharks off El Porto and supposedly found squid in the stomachs. I just don’t think the public understands the ramifications of the law here.”

We have known for quite a while, that juvenile great white sharks are in the vicinity of Manhattan Beach and that fishermen, along with thrill seekers are harassing and trying to catch them. So it comes hardly as a surprise that something finally happened. Predictably though, the headlines don’t say that illegal shark fishing was to blame, but instead scream “Shark attack!”

It looks like the authorities have also realized that the fishing was the cause of this shark bite and reacted by banning all fishing from the pier, for the next 60 days.

This situation reminds me of all the idiots going outside the cages at Isla Guadalupe, where sooner or later, something might happen as well.
 
If you want to legally and safely swim with tiger sharks, dive with great white shark, or come face to face bull sharks, give us a call at 619.987.4275 or send us an email at staff@sharkdiver.com.

We specialize in “Safe and Sane” shark diving, always using cages when diving with great white sharks and only diving with sharks, where it is safe and legal to do so. 

When done responsibly, swimming with these awesome creatures is truly an experience of a lifetime. After 14 years of diving with all kinds of sharks, I’ve come to love and respect them for what they are, highly efficient predators, that are neither mindless killers, nor harmless pets.

Cheers,
Martin Graf
CEO
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 staff@sharkdiver.com.

09
Jul 2014
By Shark Diverillegal shark fishing, swimming with shark, UncategorizedComments Off on Could the Manhattan Beach shark bite have been predicted?

Illegal shark fishing causes injury to swimmer.

A swimmer in Manhattan Beach, CA was bitten this morning by a juvenile great white shark! Predictably, the headlines are screaming “Shark Attack Injures Swimmer!” and “Swimmer Attacked by Shark!”

Here is what actually happened. A man, fishing from the pier, caught a juvenile great white shark and was fighting it for 40 minutes. Trying to get away, the shark started biting at the line and in doing so, bit a swimmer. It is illegal to fish for great white sharks in California. Here is an excerpt from the California Fish and Game regulations.

“As defined in state law, “take” means “hunt, pursue, catch, capture, or kill or attempt to hunt, pursue, catch, capture, or kill.” Anyone who takes a white shark without a permit may be cited for violations of CESA and subject to criminal prosecution”

As usual, when something happens with a white shark, the shark gets the blame, not the fisherman who was endangering the public, by fighting a great white shark in waters crowded with swimmers on a holiday weekend! The headlines should read something like this “Illegal shark fishing causing serious harm to swimmer!”

Luckily the swimmer has non life-threatening injuries and we hope he’ll have a speedy recovery. 

Cheers,
Martin Graf
CEO
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 staff@sharkdiver.com.

05
Jul 2014
By Shark Diverillegal shark fishing, swimming with sharks, UncategorizedComments Off on Illegal shark fishing causes injury to swimmer.

Western Australian Shark Cull. Make a difference!

The Australian EPA is doing a Public Environmental Review (PER) and is soliciting comments from the public. This is our chance to be heard, but please consider a few things, before you write your response.

As usual, “DaShark” has beat me to it and written an excellent blog on the subject. Here are a couple of things he mentions.

During the first period of public review, here is what happened.

The 14 week trial attracted intense media and community interest. 
The trial generated: 

  • 765 separate articles on sharks in local, state and national newspapers 
  • 1,100 radio news bulletins on sharks (Western Australia) 
  • 850 radio talk back comments on sharks (Western Australia) 
  • 290 television news items on sharks (Western Australia) 
  • 286,000 emails and letters to the Department of the Premier and Cabinet (DPC) – a significant number of which were pro forma emails
  • and a significant number of postings on Twitter and Facebook, some of which were offensive and contained personal attacks on members of the Government and staff involved with the program.
And the net result of that onslaught of unsolicited appeals, petitions (= pro forma emails), opinions and abuse?


A big fat zero.
So why did all that media attention, written petitions and postings on social media have no effect on their decision? Well, it did have an effect. Probably not the effect you were hoping for, but an effect nonetheless. 

The government is stating: 

The 14-week trial generated “offensive and contained personal attacks on members of the Government and staff involved with the program” on Twitter and Facebook.
Supporters said they had “no choice but to stay quiet due to the level of abuse and vilification received”, describing the level of personal attack and social media postings as “unacceptable”.
“The Government is now more acutely aware of the level of abuse that was directed towards supporters of the program and the reasons for so many staying silent,” 

So basically, they blame us for why, what they claim is the silent majority, has stayed quiet on the subject. They are not kidding, that’s what they believe. If we want them to listen to us, we have to mind what we say and how we say it.

Here is DaShark’s advice.

Both the postulated silent majority and the anti-cull faction have an equal opportunity to have their voices heard – and I sure hope that the latter is not only composed of social media slacktivists and agitators but that instead, it will make a vigorous attempt at turning things around by fielding rational arguments.
Not really convinced that the WA government will listen – but along with the federal assessment, it’s the best opportunity we got.

Recommendations here.
Please make your submission – the clock is ticking!
I could not have said it any better myself. Here is the link with all the information on how to submit your comments. Let’s make our voices heard! 
Cheers,
Martin Graf
CEO

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 staff@sharkdiver.com.

21
Jun 2014
By Shark DiverEPA shark cull review, PER, petition shark cull, UncategorizedComments Off on Western Australian Shark Cull. Make a difference!