Track Great White Sharks in False Bay

A new website now allows you to monitor tagged Great White Sharks in False Bay! It is amazing technology and shows the recent activity in False Bay and World Wide!

http://sharks-ocearch.verite.com/

Shark Cage Diving and Revenue

Shark Conservation and protection

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South Africa was the first country to protect the great white shark in 1991.
The result of the protection is that of the cage diving industry.
In 1998, the Bill to re-open Great White Sharks to commercial fishing was tabled, and the government decided to dismiss the application and collect revenue from cage diving.
At the moment there are 12 licensed cage diving operators in South Africa.  To date there are only 2 ways to save these apex predators from human slaughter. One is to make these legendary creatures a living resource (worth more alive than dead). Gansbaai’s cage diving industry is the biggest success story for white shark conservation worldwide, resulting in numerous other shark diving businesses arising from the success story of Gansbaai.
The South African Government is now looking into marketing the big seven (Lion, Elephant, Buffalo, Leopard, Rhino, Sharks, and Whales) in a bid to try and save these animals from extinction, proving that eco-tourism can and do work.
The second is education. People have a tendency and natural inclination to fear the unknown. The word shark comes from a German word for which the direct English translation is “villain”.  In 1778 an artist painted a work depicting a boy being bitten by a shark as people in a rowing boat try to save him.  These images of that time were the equivalent of CNN today, as paintings were taken from town to town and the tale told again and again.
Peter Benchly with his book “Jaws” triggered a fundamental and ingrained fear in humans that led to a worldwide persecution of the Great White Shark. The other result of this movie was a new awareness that made the Great White Shark a household name.
One of the best ways to combat ignorance and fear of the unknown is by education and conservation-minded shark documentaries and movies. (Great White Shark – A Living Legend, Sharkman, Beyond Fear and Shark Nights)
Even in this day and age, in South Africa, the first country to protect the great white shark, Marine and Coastal Management still issues permits to the Natal Sharks Board and allow them to use Gill nets / Shark nets to actively target predatory sharks, especially the Great White Shark. The Shark Board’s protection through eradication policy has led to huge, irrevocable and untold destruction of the animal life along the Southern African coastline.
This practice is economically motivated as towns where shark nets are present are more popular and profitable as tourist destinations than towns without nets. The best way to combat this practice and aid in conservation is to avoid and not to spend money in towns where shark nets are present.
Through research done by Marine and Coastal Management (MCM) and Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) in 2004 the Great White Shark got a C.I.T.E.S appendix 2 listing, listing these animals as vulnerable and emphasizing the need for White Shark products to be monitored and declared.  The Great White Shark is the first predatory fish to get a C.I.T.E.S appendix 2 status.

Threats to the Great White Sharks in order of severity of impact are:

1. Shark Nets
2. Teeth Trade, illegal harvesting and catching of sharks to sell their teeth, unfortunately this is an industry that is fuelled by so-called shark enthusiasts, who do not consider or understand that an animal must die in order for its teeth to be for sale. The biggest jaw ever sold in was in South Africa, and was bought by Michael Flately, an intern that apparently donated 30 000 Pounds to the Fisherman's Retirement Fund. This led to other fishermen actively pursuing sharks in the event that another ignorant and uninformed person happened along. Help the sharks, do not buy any shark products!
3. Trophy fishing or fishing competitions, sharks are very vulnerable to lactic acid and when caught, will in most cases die, even when released due to the fact that they cannot rid themselves of the lactic acid and become too tired to swim, and in most cases they go and lie on the bottom of the ocean to die.
4. Shark-fin soup. Sharks are being harvested solely for their fins in order to make shark-fin soup.

What we do:

• We do not support towns with shark nets.
• We educate people, so that they are more informed and hopefully lose their fear of these incredible animals, by way of documentaries, worldwide educational talks, conferences and Shark Cage Diving.
• We are making them worth more alive than dead.
• We support all legitimate research done by MCM free of charge.

What you can do:

• Don’t buy shark products
• Don’t support towns with shark nets
• Report suspicious activities and document them with photos – MCM, newspapers, Shark Diving Unlimited
• Dive with them, experience them and increase your knowledge so that you in turn can educate and teach others about sharks.

Paul Watson in Jail, Germany

SOS – Save Our Skipper Call to Action!

Online Visual Petition Begins July 9; Day of Action To Be Held July 20 Sea Shepherds around the world, unite! We need your help! It is now Day 58 of Captain Watson’s detainment in Germany. To protest Captain Watson’s pending extradition and urge his release, Sea Shepherd is calling upon its supporters the world over to participate in an Online Visual Petition and Day of Action. We want you to visually answer one of the following questions: “Why is Captain Paul Watson important to our planet?” or “Why does Sea Shepherd matter to you?” Please submit a photo, illustration, artwork or any other image in response to one of these questions. You may include a caption on your image, if you like. You may upload your images to Sea Shepherd’s Flickr account group starting on July 9. Or you can send them to media@seashepherd.org with the subject line: “Free Captain Watson Image” and we will upload them for you. One entry per person. Deadline for receipt of all entries is July 20. All images will become the property of Sea Shepherd Conservation Society. First and second place winners will be chosen by Captain Paul Watson and two celebrity judges. Winners will be announced July 27th. Winners will receive a T-shirt and hat featuring the insignia for Sea Shepherd’s new shark protection campaign, “Operation Requiem.” In connection with this Online Visual Petition, supporters will be encouraged to gather in a Day of Action on Friday, July 20th to share their images at German consulates and embassies around the world as well as other gathering places such as parks and private homes while holding a vigil or rally for Captain Watson’s release. Captain Watson needs our help! Please help us fight these extradition proceedings and bring him home. In the meantime, please continue to call, write and fax the German Ministry of Justice and politely demand Captain Watson’s release. Show your support for Captain Watson by contacting Sabine Leutheusser-Schnarrenberger, the Federal Minister of Justice in Berlin, Germany. She has the power to set him free! Tell her the warrant for Captain Watson's arrest is politically motivated and should be dismissed. With continued international pressure, we can free Captain Watson and keep him from the possibility of facing an unfair trial — or worse — in Costa Rica. Please contact: (Please be respectful in your communications) Sabine Leutheusser-Schnarrenberger Federal Minister of Justice Deutscher Bundestag Platz der Republik 11011 Berlin Telephone 030 - 227 751 62 Fax 030 - 227 764 02 E-Mail: sabine.leutheusser-schnarrenberger@bundestag.de

High shark alert for Cape Town

High shark alert for Cape Town

Outrage is growing amongst the coastal communities of South Africa as it becomes more apparant that human interaction off shore is attracting sharks to popular swimming and surfing beaches.

Research needs to be done on shark- human interaction in South African waters.

Jeffreys Bay and St Francis Bay experienced numerous sightings of Great White Sharks close to shore that led to the unprecedented closing of Main Beach in December, and Fish Hoek has all but become a no go zone in recent times.

One of the common demoninators is chumming/baiting close to shore. And the problem may even get worse.

According to Dr. Dirk Schmidt, National Geographic is filming its reality show “Shark-Men” between the 10th – 30th April 2012 in False Bay. A permit to operate in the bay has been provided by Dr. Alan Boyd, Director of Biodiversity and Coastal Research – Environmental Affairs, without consultation of the local community.

5 000 kg of Tuna has been loaded, which is to be used for baiting and chumming. The use of possible whale meat or blubber has not been denied. This is in stark contrast to the local shark cage diving operators, which are limited to a maximum of 25 Kg of fish products per day.

The operating procedure for the capture of Great Whites includes actively attracting sharks to the ship and its support vessels, for scientists to select an appropriate “research” shark, which is then hooked, tired and exhausted to present less danger to the fishing crew and researchers, loaded on a submersible platform and raised out of the water.

The shark remains on the platform for up to 20 minutes during which a number of tests are performed, including body cavity implants, blood sampling and a satellite tagging. After the various procedures are completed it is floated back into the water.

Whilst this is done under the ambit of “television research” with the blessing of Environmental Affairs and local researchers, serious concern arises from a number of issues.

The close proximity to Muizenberg, winds and currents may take the chum slick inshore. An increased number of White sharks may be attracted from outside the bay to the Seal Island area due to the active chumming operation over an extended period of time.

Captured sharks are exhausted, stressed and disorientated after their ordeal, some initial tracking data released of other areas, suggests that “post-surgery” sharks leave the immediate area. Due to Seal Island lying in a horseshoe shaped bay, sharks may end up near Muizenberg and other popular beaches.

This may lead to possible increased shark-human interactions. A sharp increase in the number of White Sharks may be noted during and after the filming has been completed, as these sharks, initially attracted by volumes of chum to the Seal Island area, find their way around the bay. The dispersal of a massive chum slick, given on-shore winds, may further increase the number of inshore sharks which cruise the chum slick in search of food.

Dr. Dirk Schmidt believes it to be prudent, and as a preventative measure, that a high shark alert is issued and maintained during, and for several days after, the filming activity. Unusual White Shark behavior and an increased presence and possible shark-human interaction or even attacks – cannot be excluded.

In the event of a shark attack, we need to question, who will be held accountable, Dr. Boyd for issuing the permit, National Geographic and Fisher productions for baiting and chumming, the researchers for supporting the project?

Concerns may be directed to the Director of Biodiversity and Coastal Research – Dr. Alan Boyd at email: ajboyd@environment.gov.za , or National Geographic tkelly@ngs.org, or dedelson@ngs.org

Reefs of False Bay

Whittle Rock, False Bay http://www.uv.ikraal.co.za/blog/

Crayfish Season 2009, Cape Town South Africa

South African, West Coast Rock Lobster

Crayfishing Season 2009/10 Around the Corner:

Time to get the boats and gear ready to go cray fishing this summer,crayfish season opens on the 15 November 2009 and closes on the 30th April 2010. Crayfish are only allowed to be captured on weekends and public holidays during daylight hours. Permits allow 4 crayfish to be caught by each permit holder per day.

Shark Attack Prevention in False Bay

False Bay over the last few years experienced an increase in the number of Great White Sharks and attacks occurring within the surf zone.

In response to these shark attacks last year, a Shark Spotting Programme was started by a few concerned local community members in Muizenberg.

Shark spotting now provides bathers increased safety at our beaches, so look out for the flags this summer.

Whales arrive in Gordon's Bay

Southern Right Whale, Gordon's Bay, Cape Town South Africa

Gordon's Bay is one of the best land based whale viewing spots in the world. Whales arrive every year from early September, this photo was taken by Gianni Smith from Gordon's Bay. Thanks Gianni for your contribution to The Official Helderberg Basin Blog!

The species of whale visiting our shores is the Southern Right Whale. The whale was named this by Whalers that used to hunt these creatures off our shores as the Right Whale because they float once killed, thus making it the "right" whale to slaughter.

Thank God, those days are over and their numbers are starting to return as they were hunted almost to extinction. However it is disturbing to know that even though Whaling is banned worldwide Japan is still actively hunting whales.

The Sea Shepherd is trying to protect our whales from Japan Whaling Fleets and needs our support please visit their website and get involved in saving our whales.

Great White Sharks, False Bay South Africa

This year 2009 is the International Year of The Shark

False Bay is the home of many sharks including the Great White Shark which feed off the cape fur seals at Seal Island situated in the middle of False Bay. False Bay is also famous for the Bronze Whaler Shark, Thrasher Shark and many other shark species. Sharks are an important part of False Bay which is world famous for the breaching Great White Sharks. However world wide fishing is threatening sharks across the globe.

The year of the Shark was inspired by the finding that at the current rate, common shark species will be extinct in 10 to 15 years. In large regions, species that were once numerous have fallen to 1% of their original numbers. Studies of open ocean sharks estimate 80 to 90% of heavily fished species are gone.

Yet these intelligent animals, also called the “Wolves of the Sea” are still fished intensively, and finned for “shark fin soup.” The oceans have evolved over hundreds of millions of years with sharks as apex predators, so their loss will destroy oceanic health. It is up to every one to create an awareness and protect these creatures of our oceans.