MAN & SEA
In recent years, debate on the subject
of baiting the water to attract sharks
has been on the rise. Many people
feel that this practice may be harmful
for both humans and sharks while
others insist that it is necessary to help
preserve the shark population.
A study published in July 2013
in Marine Policy reported that
approximately 100 million sharks
are killed by humans each year. This
number is unsustainable and the
consequences of the prolonging of this
practice could be substantial to our
marine ecosystems. It is reasonable to
assume that most of us should have a
vested interest in the preservation of
the ocean’s top predator, as our own
ecosystems are intertwined with the
health of the ocean. But how we go
about bringing awareness about the
need to preserve shark populations
remains a matter of controversy.
Arguments against baiting the
water for sharks include the belief
that sharks may become accustomed
to associating humans with food. This
could harm innocent swimmers or
divers because more sharks may be
in the area where food is frequently
dispensed. In fact, this belief does have
some truth in it. Ralph Collier, who
heads the “Global Shark Attack File”,
reported that in the short term,
there may be some correlation
between shark feeding and shark bites.
Indeed, some areas such as Hawaii,
Florida, and the Cayman Islands
outlaw shark feeding.Using chum to allow divers to get up close with sharks will always
be controversial, but do the benefits of the practice outweigh any
possible downsides?Shark Bait:
Yay or Nay?
By: Brook PetersonSome argue that baiting undermines
shark conservation efforts because
sharks that become habituated to
receiving food from humans are instead
caught by fishermen taking advantage
of easy prey. Others claim that
operations that use bait to attract
sharks for their customers are
exploiting the shark population for the
monetary value in tourism.
Tourism, however, may just be
the thing the shark population needs.
Some areas that were once fishing
grounds are now protected from fishing,
and the local population who once sold
their catches now make their living
as dive operators. It is estimated that
a shark’s value when sold for food is
about USD150–200. That same shark
has a value of nearly USD2 million
over its lifetime as a tourist attraction.
Considering the number of people
who now have an interest in sharks
because of programmes such as
Discovery Channel’s Shark Week,
shark tourism has become a definite
benefit for sharks.
Without images of sharks in their
natural environment, conservation
efforts would not be as effective.
Advocates argue that photographers
who take compelling images of
sharks to inspire change can’t get
close enough to their subjects without
feeding them. In addition, allowing
divers to participate in baited dives
helps dispel the myths that movies
have perpetuated. In truth, sharks are
intelligent, graceful and beautifullyRIGHT: A bull shark investigates a bait
container in Beqa Lagoon, Fiji
IMAGE: Brook Peterson