Tuesday, October 18, 2016

Baiting and feeding Sharks - good or bad?


Oh for crying out loud!

After those two incidents, the shit has hit the fan.
Out of many, read this defense by Martin, and then this and this by some ultracrepidarian chick at Nat Geo, and this misleading piece (the Nautilus did not break, but did certainly bend the rules correction: the video evidence now shows otherwise; and the Solmar has a history like many others) by some other ultracrepidarian chick on Earth Touch News.

Nah don't worry.
I'm not going there - but if you really care, feel free to consult my 50-odd posts on the subject. Or if you cannot stomach that, simply do re-read this one from 4 years ago.

Just this.
Burgess needs to comb the data he has been hoarding for decades and come up with evidence about a causal connection between Shark provisioning and unprovoked, let alone predatory Shark strikes. There is none - but until then, he really needs to shut the fuck up. Pavlov my ass - or did those dogs bite and devour unsuspecting bystanders?

Yes the Shark diving industry needs to always improve.
Provisioning has effects, albeit overwhelmingly (!) only locally and temporarily, and those effects need to be identified, investigated, understood and then mitigated and managed. Our best players know that and have started to associate in order to promote a more long-term sustainable product; and the others need to reform and failing that, they need to be exposed - and now there is a public tool for that.
So don't whine - rate!

And finally.
We are not the problem. 
Commercial and recreational overfishing, climate change, ocean acidification, pollution and habitat destruction are. But we are certainly part of the solution - even the worst ones among us!
So go barking there, not here!

End of rant!

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