Dr. David Delaney scuba.about/od/ConservationandDiving/p/Are-Shark-Feeding-Dives-Acceptable.htm Q: Under What Circumstances Would You Recommend Baited Shark Dives to Divers?: Dr. Delaney: In my opinion, baited shark dives serve a similar purpose to aquariums and zoos. Shark feeding dives allow humans the opportunity to view and interact with a species that they might never encounter. If conducted in a respectful manner, baited shark dives may actually benefit sharks as a species by increasing human interest in shark conservation, as well as facilitating and funding education, research, and conservation. When considering whether sharks dives are okay or not, realize that other types of tourism that take advantage of human interest in a species have long been acceptable. Aquariums, for example, make use of productive, educational tourism to further conservation goals. As most visitors to the aquarium do not scuba dive, the opportunity for them to view living sharks and other aquatic life is a rare educational experience. The New England Aquarium (where I once worked), the Monterey Bay Aquarium in California, and Two Oceans in Cape Town, South Africa (to name a few) all raise awareness of the issues threatening the survival of sharks and other marine species, conduct research, and undertake various conservation efforts. In a similar way, baited shark dives can give an educational (as well as thrilling) experience, and can be used to conduct or fund research. Baited shark dives help researchers gather data on shark presence and abundance, and help scientists gain a better understanding of current shark ecology and threats. This information can be used to increase sharks chances of survival. The goals of providing an exciting experience for recreational divers and furthering researchers understanding of shark species need not be at odds.
Posted on: Fri, 08 Aug 2014 09:32:24 +0000
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