Man Bitten By Shark In Bahamas Taken To W. Palm Beach Hospital

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Is it fair to say some of the sharks that are trained that people = food will show up off our coast? It is not allowed here for a reason so he moved his dives to the islands.
I do hope the best for him but do not agree with shark feeding for a show!

[flamencoguru]

Originally Posted by jfjf

Who says sharks want nothing to do with you?. Not too long ago a boy swimming at the beach in Vero was eaten by a Tiger shark. They found a portion of his torso and a femur or two. Sharks can and do target humans, even if they are not actively being fed.

Jim,

I think you are talking about extremely isolated events. I think when you use the term "target", I think there has to be a larger than 0.01% chance. I don't think the tiger shark said, "Hey, I'm going to have some Vero-boy for lunch today".....

It's definitely know that humans are not on the shark menu.... If we were, you know they would be picking us off the beaches left and right.

It's like saying the man died in a car accident because the seatbelt crushed his organs, so therefore we should not wear seatbelts because of the .00001% chance of the event happening. Well, as we all know, the seatbelt is not designed to crush organs but it is designed to save lives.... and definitely has...

[jfjf]

Originally Posted by flamencoguru

Jim,

I think you are talking about extremely isolated events. I think when you use the term "target", I think there has to be a larger than 0.01% chance. I don't think the tiger shark said, "Hey, I'm going to have some Vero-boy for lunch today".....

It's definitely know that humans are not on the shark menu.... If we were, you know they would be picking us off the beaches left and right.

It's like saying the man died in a car accident because the seatbelt crushed his organs, so therefore we should not wear seatbelts because of the .00001% chance of the event happening. Well, as we all know, the seatbelt is not designed to crush organs but it is designed to save lives.... and definitely has...

I've had a few "extremely isolated" incidents that have scared the hell out of me with sharks.

Enough to convince me that thinking that they want nothing to do with people, is not necessarily the best policy for myself.

I heard rumor that Abernathy got hit by a Lemon Shark, for some reason they don't seem to scare me as much as some other species. Last weekend I found myself chasing a large lemon with a video camera, while I had a bleeding fish located inside a mesh bag clipped to my waist and my 12-yr old right with me.

[flamencoguru]

Originally Posted by jfjf

I've had a few "extremely isolated" incidents that have scared the hell out of me with sharks.

Enough to convince me that thinking that they want nothing to do with people, is not necessarily the best policy for myself.

Jim, what you've fail to understand is that you definitely look like food.....

[FredT]

Tigers have been trained that people are food for decades. Just what do you think happened to all the folks who left Haiti and Cuba that didn't get picked up or land any where else? Tigers are generally cautious enough not to target moving humans, but a lunch buffet is a lunch buffet.

The resident tigers and lemons I've seen on the reefs around Tiger Beach have not been inquisitive since they've seen divers for years and know the food comes out when the divers leave the water, but a migrating one is always an issue. The real rub is which one is the migrating one? Decades ago a fellow who spent large amounts of time in oceans all over the world told me that the only thing predictable about sharks is that they are totally unpredictable. After diving for over 40 years I still believe he was correct.

I wish Jim a speedy recovery, and that he learned something.

[Capt.Gene]

That's gotta be bad for the shark -feeding -for -tourista business
Which is,of course, entirerly safe unless someone gets tasted.

[B Lang]

Originally Posted by FredT

I wish Jim a speedy recovery, and that he learned something.

I'm sure he will be right back at it as soon as the Doc gives him a clean bill of health. The guy that got bit on the calf on Walkers Cay has been back at it training the sharks to harrass anyone who spears near walkers. They rev the engines and then drop a big frozen block of food in the water. I am sure the sharks are there before even that happens. I talk to the guys on the dock over there and they all talk about how great the fish #'s are but you can't stay away from the packs of carribeans. I stay away from Walkers for that reason.

[SaltyDawg08]

I just heard that it was in fact not a lemon shark as jim thought but someone else witnessed it and said it was a reef shark. he is doing good its not that bad and I hear he will be out of the hospital today or tomorrow. he has full function of his arm from what I hear.

[pirate_diver]

Originally Posted by flamencoguru

P.S. Here's the second reason why the general public fears sharks... The first was the movie JAWS...

He was not attacked, he was bitten.....

AGREED! But sadly the word attack sells a lot more than mistakenly bitten.

Originally Posted by jfjf

Who says sharks want nothing to do with you?. Not too long ago a boy swimming at the beach in Vero was eaten by a Tiger shark. They found a portion of his torso and a femur or two. Sharks can and do target humans, even if they are not actively being fed.

Both the comment you are questioning and your opinion are not accurate. Large sharks can be quite inquisitive and at times they will come close to see what you are. So, yes, saying sharks want nothing to do with you is slightly inaccurate. However, it is much more inaccurate to say that sharks can and do TARGET humans. It is a proven fact that humans do not make up even a remotely negligible portion of the their diet. Think about it, they evolved long before humans, and their dietary preferences were formed well before humans entered the mix. That does not mean they don't often get curious. I hate to dwell on this unfortunate accident, but the young boy from Vero was probably "targeted" because he was spalshing or acting in a manner than seemed like an injured fish or other prey item. A small child could easily look like an injured turtle or ray, which ARE a part of a tiger sharks diet, and being oceanic by nature, they will feed opportunistically whenever they can on easy prey.

Originally Posted by flamencoguru

Of course I wish the man a speedy recovery but I too completely disapprove of this type of tourism and animal interaction. I think it is foolish and unethical. Thank God that this is no longer permitted in the US. I hope the Bahamas ban it soon.........

As far as I know it is only illegal in STATE waters. In the keys there is a dive operator that does a "critter feed" dive. They run out past the 3 mile to do so.

Originally Posted by IslandFever

To his credit, Jim is very passionate about shark preserverance and believes education is the key. I tend to agree with him on this aspect since the average person still associates all sharks with "Jaws" and thinks they should be wiped off the planet.

I have met Jim myself and he is very passionate about sharks and educating people about the need to conserve and protect them. Sometimes he might be a little extreme, and these dives are definitely causing sharks to associate people with food.

Shark feeding tourism is always a risky case of does the good outweigh the bad.

[hammerhead786]

While Jim knows his business feeding sharks is stupid no matter who does it. It's endangering sharks, divers and humans who take to the sea. My money says he'll be right back at asap.
You can be passionate about protecting sharks without feeding them. It's just a lot easier to make money operating a shark rodeo.

[rtdean]

When we spear fish and sometimes give them up, are we not also training sharks to relate food to humans???

Actually, even just spearing fish in a sharky area whether we give them up or not does it too.

Just sayin'. . . . .

As they say. . . "People who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones" (at least not TOO hard. . . LOL!)

Rick

[diverlen]

Originally Posted by hammerhead786

While Jim knows his business feeding sharks is stupid no matter who does it. It's endangering sharks, divers and humans who take to the sea. My money says he'll be right back at asap.
You can be passionate about protecting sharks without feeding them. It's just a lot easier to make money operating a shark rodeo.

I am all about conservation. Hammerhead makes a very valid point here. Feeding sharks definitely endangers them and the divers and sooner or later, someone is going to have to pay the price. For the safety of all, bottom line, shark feeding should be banned wherever it is practiced.

[wilz]

Originally Posted by diverlen

I am all about conservation. Hammerhead makes a very valid point here. Feeding sharks definitely endangers them and the divers and sooner or later, someone is going to have to pay the price. For the safety of all, bottom line, shark feeding should be banned wherever it is practiced.

I concur with these opinions. We should stop harrassing these magnificent creatures. I understand the passion that many of us have for sharks, but when divers get injured or die because of recklessness, we put fear and anger into the minds of the masses. As a dive charter operator, it is also bad for our image and business.

[rtdean]

Having been on multiple shark feeds and the like, here's what I've seen and my thoughts along with some generally accepted facts. . .

The sharks are never educated to attack humans. In fact, if anything, they learn by close interaction with the divers that people are NOT food.

Untold millions are killed each year for SF soup.

The sharks that are at the feeds are in a small geographic area, usually and even those who may wander off would probably only relate people to something that possibly OFFERS them food. . .not AS food.. .

What I've seen at Stuart Cove's, for example is that on the first of the two shark dives, the sharks are waiting for the bait box and aren't particularly interested in people, until the box arrives. On the second dive, the feeder has to bring the box down for the sharks to come anywhere near the divers. EVEN THEN, the sharks are not the least bit interested in the divers, but ONLY the feeder with the box!

What better way to get the word out that sharks aren't mindless killers and need our protection, than to give people a first hand experience with them.

I think the "sacrifice" if you can even call it that, is extremely small, compared to the value of education of some very influential people on these feeds that will go back and spread the word about how sharks can be. For example, on my first GWS expedition, we had the producer of one of the most popular TV shows with us on the trip who was very impressed with the serene nature of Great Whites.

I don't think Sea World and such is enough, as people don't get interaction time with the animals. They would still walk away with the "Jaws" mentality that if they accidently fell into one of the tanks with sharks that they would be immediately eaten.

I feel strongly about this, that we need to start SOMEWHERE on an effective education program.

Otherwise, the "Jaws" mentality continues and the feeling that the only good shark is a dead one.

Rick

PS On the flip side, we all know it is possible to get bitten or worse. . . all I'm advocating is a "Shark 101" thing for newbies that are terrified of being in the water with a shark.

[jfjf]

Originally Posted by rtdean

Having been on multiple shark feeds and the like, here's what I've seen and my thoughts along with some generally accepted facts. . .

The sharks are never educated to attack humans. In fact, if anything, they learn by close interaction with the divers that people are NOT food.

Untold millions are killed each year for SF soup.

The sharks that are at the feeds are in a small geographic area, usually and even those who may wander off would probably only relate people to something that possibly OFFERS them food. . .not AS food.. .

What I've seen at Stuart Cove's, for example is that on the first of the two shark dives, the sharks are waiting for the bait box and aren't particularly interested in people, until the box arrives. On the second dive, the feeder has to bring the box down for the sharks to come anywhere near the divers. EVEN THEN, the sharks are not the least bit interested in the divers, but ONLY the feeder with the box!

What better way to get the word out that sharks aren't mindless killers and need our protection, than to give people a first hand experience with them.

I think the "sacrifice" if you can even call it that, is extremely small, compared to the value of education of some very influential people on these feeds that will go back and spread the word about how sharks can be. For example, on my first GWS expedition, we had the producer of one of the most popular TV shows with us on the trip who was very impressed with the serene nature of Great Whites.

I don't think Sea World and such is enough, as people don't get interaction time with the animals. They would still walk away with the "Jaws" mentality that if they accidently fell into one of the tanks with sharks that they would be immediately eaten.

I feel strongly about this, that we need to start SOMEWHERE on an effective education program.Otherwise, the "Jaws" mentality continues and the feeling that the only good shark is a dead one.

Rick

PS On the flip side, we all know it is possible to get bitten or worse. . . all I'm advocating is a "Shark 101" thing for newbies that are terrified of being in the water with a shark.

If I encounter one of those "fed" sharks coming in hot and heavy on me when I am spearfishing, it will get shot.

I have no problem running my own "education program", especially if I feel that the shark has been trained to lose it's natural apprehension toward something as large as a diver.

Deliberatly attracting and feeding sharks (for profit) is a bad idea, for both sharks and divers.