
Tiger Sharks targeted in Aliwal Shoal M.P.A
#1
Posted 18 February 2008 - 06:50 AM
Cheers,
Mark.
The Sharks of the Forgotten Islands
- A Natural History Documentary -
#2
Posted 18 February 2008 - 06:59 AM
Here's the article:
http://www.capeargus...13413154C312071
Cheers,
Mark.
The Sharks of the Forgotten Islands
- A Natural History Documentary -
#3
Posted 18 February 2008 - 07:04 AM
Alex
Alexander Mustard - www.amustard.com - www.magic-filters.com
Nikon D5 (Subal housing). Nikon D7200 (Subal housing). Olympus EPL-5 (Nauticam housing).
#4
Posted 18 February 2008 - 07:59 AM



This is just so sad.... what is it going to take...I'm all for poachers being shot and they do it in certain areas around the world...Would it send home the message to others trying the same thing...Maybe better than putting up signs. Don't come back at me with the goodie goodie liberal rubbish anyone, its as bad as the arseholes who do this sort of thing....Education or bullets....
Rant over

Dive safe
DeanB
#5
Posted 18 February 2008 - 10:22 AM
I'm with you, but then I think that people who litter my yard ought to be shot too! <_<
![]()
![]()
![]()
This is just so sad.... what is it going to take...I'm all for poachers being shot and they do it in certain areas around the world...Would it send home the message to others trying the same thing...Maybe better than putting up signs. Don't come back at me with the goodie goodie liberal rubbish anyone, its as bad as the arseholes who do this sort of thing....Education or bullets....
Rant over![]()
Dive safe
DeanB
#6
Posted 18 February 2008 - 11:36 AM
And if we don't tell people about it nobody will. The international press (e.g. Telegraph in UK today) pick up on these stories from time to time - but it is up to us to keep this issue constantly on the agenda.
Alex
Alexander Mustard - www.amustard.com - www.magic-filters.com
Nikon D5 (Subal housing). Nikon D7200 (Subal housing). Olympus EPL-5 (Nauticam housing).
#7
Posted 18 February 2008 - 12:02 PM
Excuse my rant earlier although I stick by it...It just frustrates the hell out of me as we seem to be taking steps backwards all the time...
This is our mission to bring the beauty we see to the masses before its really too late...
Dive safe
DeanB
#8
Posted 18 February 2008 - 12:53 PM
This story just underlines how even large predatory sharks (potentially) dangerous to humans have so much more to worry about from man, than we do from them. I feel sick knowing that I was probably only diving with those sharks two weeks ago

Cheers, Simon
#9
Posted 18 February 2008 - 11:22 PM
Cheers,
Mark.
The Sharks of the Forgotten Islands
- A Natural History Documentary -
#10
Posted 19 February 2008 - 12:57 AM
Looking at on a global scale, everytime somebody comes back with super shark photos from some area that isn't protected, the same fin traders can also read the internet. It doesn't pay to advertise about sharks nowadays. Examples like the Eastern Fields, Mozambique and even PNG, all once brimming with sharks now are struggling keep alive.
The shark trade in Southern Africa is triad supported. So it's not unlikely that there'll be more of this sort of thing happening. If they caught 3 tigers in one go, it's probably because those tigers are accustomed to being chummed and fed and thus get close enough to get power headed. I doubt they'd have that sort of shark response anywhere that is not fed.
Drew
Moderator
"Journalism is what someone else does not want printed, everything else is public relations."
"I was born not knowing, and have only had a little time to change that here and there.
#11
Posted 19 February 2008 - 08:23 AM
I completely agree that word will eventually 'get out' though and could result in those sharks being targeted. We saw it last year in the UK with the Porbeagles. We managed to film them for the first time, tag them and then somehow word leaked out and the next week a long liner came along and cleaned them all out.
Like I said it just makes you want to S C R E A M !!
Cheers, Simon
#12
Posted 19 February 2008 - 10:34 AM
I don't blame the operators necessarily. Just the situation of chumming in the same area over and over again brings about. You've been there. The Limbatus are all ready to rumble just by the sound of the boat. They have become accustomed to gathering for chum. In the old days, there use to periods the tigers wouldn't come because they go about hunting around the shoal etc. Kinda hard to go about normal biz when food bell is ringing in the same place with great frequency.
Longlining ,however is a different matter altogether, especially in migration routes for sharks like the blues and bronzies. These guys chummed and powerheaded the fish. They took advantage of the modified habits of the sharks.
Drew
Moderator
"Journalism is what someone else does not want printed, everything else is public relations."
"I was born not knowing, and have only had a little time to change that here and there.
#13
Posted 19 February 2008 - 10:47 AM
Whether fed or not Tiger Sharks are a protected species in south Africa and to knowingly take them out of a marine protected area is not just a huge kick in the plums for the shark populations but also a big middle finger to the dive operators who earn a crust by taking divers out to interact with them.
Sadly the count has now risen to 8 Tiger Sharks fished over two days.......sad news indeed.
Simon, most of the sharks you saw are now in a freezer being held as evidence against the fisherman in question.
Mark.
The Sharks of the Forgotten Islands
- A Natural History Documentary -
#14
Posted 19 February 2008 - 11:03 AM
Dive safe
Dean(losing faith in humanity)B
#15
Posted 19 February 2008 - 11:54 AM
LOL Mark,sometimes you do take things too literally. If you are saying the chumming has no effect on the shark's feeding patterns at all, then I guess we have nothing to discuss.Have to disagree with you there Drew. The Blacktips are not waiting under the boat as soon as you turn off the engine. Sometimes it takes 5 minutes for the first sharks to arrive at the feast, other times it takes upwards and beyond an hour.
Drew
Moderator
"Journalism is what someone else does not want printed, everything else is public relations."
"I was born not knowing, and have only had a little time to change that here and there.
#16
Posted 19 February 2008 - 12:53 PM
Drew, did I say anything about the behavior of sharks after continued feeding? You're on the wrong thread mate. I was merely informing of the sad news regarding this incident.
Cheers,
Mark.
The Sharks of the Forgotten Islands
- A Natural History Documentary -
#17
Posted 19 February 2008 - 02:37 PM
Have to disagree with you there Drew. The Blacktips are not waiting under the boat as soon as you turn off the engine. Sometimes it takes 5 minutes for the first sharks to arrive at the feast, other times it takes upwards and beyond an hour.
LOL Mark,sometimes you do take things too literally. If you are saying the chumming has no effect on the shark's feeding patterns at all, then I guess we have nothing to discuss.
Drew, did I say anything about the behavior of sharks after continued feeding? You're on the wrong thread mate. I was merely informing of the sad news regarding this incident.
I think it was due to the timing of the sharks coming in to get killed (sometimes an hour or more) that Drew was referring to which sort of looks like saying the feeding does not affect behavior but I think you were referring more to the timing before the sharks get screwed, that it is not always instant on the feeding...
#18
Posted 19 February 2008 - 08:56 PM
HUH?I think it was due to the timing of the sharks coming in to get killed (sometimes an hour or more) that Drew was referring to which sort of looks like saying the feeding does not affect behavior but I think you were referring more to the timing before the sharks get screwed, that it is not always instant on the feeding...

In short, I'm saying because of the constant almost daily chumming (now almost year round) and feeding by 5 operators, the sharks are much more concentrated in the area and thus more vulnerable to illegal fishermen. Those poachers didn't randomly choose Aliwal because of the view from Rocky Bay.
Unfortunately, the 'commercial' fishermen in Natal are many. Many of them go out, shoot something big to sell in the market and sit on their butts for a few days surfing. Obviously these guys are smarter if they could hit 8 tigers during peak sharking viewing season.
Drew
Moderator
"Journalism is what someone else does not want printed, everything else is public relations."
"I was born not knowing, and have only had a little time to change that here and there.
#19
Posted 19 February 2008 - 11:02 PM
You are painting an image that there is a constant chum slick over Aliwal which is just not the case. Again we come down to nit picking having lost the initial focus of the thread which was to highlight this sad series of events.
Cheers all, I'm of too Namibia to look at a possible deal on Cheetahs. Back to SA for the Sardines later this year.
Best,
Mark.
The Sharks of the Forgotten Islands
- A Natural History Documentary -
#20
Posted 20 February 2008 - 12:02 AM
I personally know 3 other ops who also go out. That's why the established ops want a licensing rule to maintain exclusivity of market. At peak, you see 5 boats out there with drums. The present knowledge studied over the last 13 years shows the sharks hang around after consistent feeding (consistent meaning more than once a week from 1 or 2 operators) for up to 6 weeks, then they have to start the cycle again. All you need is a consistent feed.
This discussion is about the tiger sharks being hunted illegally and the reasons why it happens. If the sharks congregate in one area for whatever reason, human related or otherwise, then it's pertinent to the discussion about what can be done. Lamenting and ranting is one thing but as Le Moutarde says, focus on cause and measures to prevent it from happening again is the more important element. We know why the sharks congregate there and obviously the industry is a big part of the community. But it also brought to attention the whereabouts of the sharks for unscrupulous fishermen. Would they have been as successful if the industry WAS NOT there? Would they even know about the sharks if the industry didn't advertise it? These are also question that need to be examined to install preventative measures against illegal poaching. Is the industry beneficial to shark protection? Would there be a free for all hunting should the shark dives stop? Is it economically feasible to install rangers at every legal launch point to inspect boats, given how much(or little) the industry contributes to the local coffers?
Getting the news out is one thing... finding manageable preventative measures is something else. The Sharks Board, local government and the operators need to sit together to act. The KZN tourism board also play a role.
Drew
Moderator
"Journalism is what someone else does not want printed, everything else is public relations."
"I was born not knowing, and have only had a little time to change that here and there.