shark tales Great white shark during a cage dive in South Africa Text and photos by Brandi Mueller It was seven in the morning and my coffee hadn’t kicked in yet. The dive guide was giving me a slightly more thorough dive briefing than normal. I wasn’t supposed to wear anything col- orful or shiny and black gloves and a hood were required. Also covered in black neoprene, he was putting on chainmail gloves and told me he’d have a pole with him. He said it was more for the potato cods though, not the sharks. Taking a giant stride off the back on the boat, the chill of the water snapped me out of my early-morning haze. Below me, the sharks were already there; at least ten were circling below the boat. The food wasn’t even in the water yet, but To Shark Dive or Not to Shark Dive the sharks knew the drill: The boat shows up, divers jump in, and eventually, they — The Controversy Around Shark Feeds get a snack. Settling into a rocky area where I could shark snacks was placed, the sharks port a positive image of sharks instead eventually lead to accidents. experiences and find out more about stabilize myself to photograph without seemed to emerge from everywhere. of the aggressive, man-eating image There is no doubt that observing wild- what they observed. damaging coral, I looked around and created by movies and television. On the life in their natural habitat usually leads This is where conservation starts. People noticed the sun shining through the Controversy other side, those against wonder about to people to take an interest in that ani- are less likely to make an effort to protect water, casting a soft yellow glow on the Debates about shark feeding are end- the effects these practices have on mal. We care about what we know and something they have never seen. reef. Ten or so sharks had been hanging less, with passionate people on both sharks' natural behavior. They also point what we have seen. Those lucky enough Reversing the fearful public opinion of around, but as soon as the small metal sides. Those for feeding talk about how out that having divers and sharks in such to see sharks in the ocean connect with sharks begins with education, and some container with the delightfully smelly diver interaction with sharks will help sup- close proximity with food is bound to them and are more likely to share their of the best education comes from pho- 61 X-RAY MAG : 74 : 2016 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS WRECKS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY TECH EDUCATION PROFILES PHOTO & VIDEO PORTFOLIO shark tales Shark Feeds business. Shark feeds (and scuba important questions concern follow spear fisherman underwa- diving) promote tourism, and in whether or not we are chang- ter, to try and steal a meal some- many areas, create an important ing shark behavior with shark one else caught. source of income for poor coun- feeds. I personally feel that they There is some question of tries. Research has been done must have some effect on shark whether or not sharks become showing that a shark is worth behavior. Sharks at dive sites, dependent on the feeds for sur- far more in the ocean than it is which frequently have feeds, vival, but during most shark feeds being served up in shark fin soup. arrive like Pavlov’s dogs, just there are many sharks present But shark feeds are still creating from hearing the sound of boats and only a small quantity of an unnatural experience, and showing up. They are exhibiting a food, so there is no way that all whenever something becomes a learned behavior, but I don’t nec- those sharks are using it as their business and money is involved, essarily think it is detrimental to only food source. In some plac- standards of safety for the sharks the sharks. Sharks are quite smart es, shark feeds only occur a few and for the environment may and appear to learn quickly. times a week, with as many as fall to the wayside when money Sharks have been using humans 50 sharks showing up for one fish becomes the driving force. to get free meals (of fish) when- head. That one small bucket of ever they can. Fisherman, for cen- food is not enough to satisfy even Changing shark behavior? turies, have seen sharks following one shark, so it is unlikely sharks Some of the biggest and most fishing boats, and sharks learn to are losing their predatory instincts tographs and real- Some argue that the stories life stories of expe- brought back are still of fear and riences with sharks. negative images of sharks. When When a group of a bait bucket is opened, there divers see sharks is nothing sweet or cute about in the ocean, they the way the sharks go after the will go back home food, nor will photos of tiger and with their photos great white sharks probably ever and videos (and be depicted as “friendly” or “lov- all their limbs) and able.” tell their friends Not to mention, friends love a and family that good thrill story about how you the sharks did not weren't devoured by 50 sharks in even notice they a feeding frenzy: “We dove with were there; the tiger sharks and lived to tell the sharks were only tale”—these stories are still laced after the shark with fear and elude to survival of food. This informa- a scary event, when in reality, it is tion then spreads wasn't scary at all. Sunsets and smiles included dive vacations! to others, by those We hope that our photos of people relaying these apex predators will help stories to more show other people that sharks are people about not predators of humans—but Roatan, Bay Islands, Honduras sharks not being they don’t often do that. So are Phone: +504 9885-0840, +617 391-8338 email: [email protected] deadly human we really changing perspectives? www.turquoisebayresort.com predators. Shark conservation is good THIS PAGE: Scenes from shark dive at Osprey Reef, Great Barrier Reef, Australia 62 X-RAY MAG : 74 : 2016 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS WRECKS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY TECH EDUCATION PROFILES PHOTO & VIDEO PORTFOLIO A diver takes photos of a great white shark during a cage dive in South Africa (right); Shark dive in shark tales Turks and Caicos (below) or ability to hunt on their own. The shark The right way reefs. Putting mooring buoys in place so feed is really more of a snack. Just like any activity, there’s a right way boats do not have to anchor and mini- Other issues include the potential for and a wrong way to do it. Dive oper- mizing the number of feeding sites and shark feedings to lead to an increase in ators, scientists and shark divers have how often they occur, helps minimize any aggressiveness towards humans, or that come up with some recommended destructive effects shark dives may have. sharks may become too comfortable guidelines to keep both divers and sharks Dive operations that offer shark feeds around humans and boats, associating safe. Some of these recommendations are in a unique position to have access the two with being fed. It may be dan- include not chumming on the surface to many people who care about sharks gerous to humans to encourage these or around boats; not feeding by hand; and can use that access to promote apex predators to associate people and not handling the sharks; and not taking shark awareness. This puts them in a food. But so far, this has not been docu- fish for the feeds from the reef or inshore unique position to help with shark conser- mented. areas. In some places, invasive lionfish vation, both by raising awareness among Shark attacks rarely happen on scuba are being used for shark feeds, which their customers and by being able to divers, because sharks can fully see both helps to rid the reef of lionfish and spread shark and ocean education to what they are (i.e. not their prey). Shark does not deplete the reef of other fish for the community living around the shark attacks on humans are almost always the activity. feeding areas. due to misconception. Sometime when Other recommendations address the Divers who want to partake in shark you are underwater, look up at the sur- best locations to do shark feeds. The area feeds should do their homework first. face on a sunny day; a snorkeler or a should be coral rubble, or sandy, and be Research tour operators and find out surfer is easily mistaken for a seal flailing able to handle a large amount of div- how long they have been in business; around in the glare. ers, without being destructive to healthy how long have they been doing shark Shark dive at Osprey Reef, Great Barrier Reef, Australia 63 X-RAY MAG : 74 : 2016 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS WRECKS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY TECH EDUCATION PROFILES PHOTO & VIDEO PORTFOLIO shark tales Shark Feeds Shark dive in Turks and Caicos (left); Shark dive at Osprey Reef, Great Barrier Reef, Australia (above) As responsible divers, I leave it to dives; how the dives are done; and if possible, had no interest in us whatsoever. They only you to dive with operators who care about read reviews from former customers. Support cared about the food, and once that was the sharks, the divers and the marine environ- companies that believe in shark education gone, so were they.