For some, throwing fish guts into the ocean to attract sharks and then jumping into a cage to watch the animals swim by does not sound like an ideal vacation. Cold water, smelly fish, and really really deep open water with the world's most notorious predators...
Others, like myself, wouldn't think twice about it. A chance to see prehistoric and beautiful predators of the sea? This is going to be the best day ever!
Instead of dwelling on the cold water part, my head was filled with, "I really hope we get to see some!...Would it be safe to swim outside the cage with them?....I wonder how big they are going to be....or what species will show up?...What's my mom going to think?...Nahh, she knows me, she'll be excited for me."
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Off the coast of Rhode Island, there are a number of shark species that inhabit the deep ocean waters. Most commonly seen are blue and mako sharks, but there are also porbeagle, thresher, basking, hammerhead and the highly transient great white sharks. With over four-hundred and fifty species of sharks worldwide, there are also many others resident to the Northeastern United States. These seven species tend to get more attention simply due to their impressive stature.
Take a look!
http://dsc.discovery.com/tv-shows/shark-week/bios/blue-shark.htm
http://dsc.discovery.com/tv-shows/shark-week/bios/shortfin-mako-shark.htm\
http://dsc.discovery.com/tv-shows/shark-week/about-this-show/porbeagle-shark.htm
http://dsc.discovery.com/tv-shows/shark-week/bios/thresher-shark.htm
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After months of anticipation, it was finally the day of the big trip! A 4:00am wake-up proved not as difficult as one would expect, most likely because I was so excited :)
I arrived to the docks at 6:00am and was greeted by a bustling array of fishermen and tourists alike. Eagerly awaiting a day a sea, I took the time to soak in the marvelous sunrise that cast a sparkling pink glow on the marina.
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The others quickly arrived and at about 6:45am we were on our way out of the harbor headed for 35 miles offshore. A few brief introductions later, a group on the charter identified themselves as "seasoned Rhode Island shark divers." One of the guys on board mentioned that he had been coming out every summer to see blue and mako sharks since 1995. (Awesome!)
They spoke about how magical an experience shark diving truly was and encouraged me to venture from the cage to encounter the sharks without a barrier. "Yea, they will definitely approach you and may bump you or try to bite your camera, but for the most part they are just curious. Just be careful and never forget that you are dealing with wild animals. You'll learn how to 'read' each individual shark."
Excellent. This was EXACTLY what I was hoping for.
Once we reached 35 miles out, we began chumming. I suppose I have mixed reviews about using dead fish guts to attract sharks for our own amusement, but in this case, I definitely support the tourism aspect. Allowing people to observe the animals in the wild instills a sense of awe and appreciation for the creatures. The way I see it, organized shark diving indirectly spreads awareness of shark conservation and can dispel the menacing myths that plague many large pelagic species.
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And so the underwater snowstorm of bluefish chunks began...
Soon after, a few of the men helped the captain put the tethered shark cage and swim platform into the water. The swim platform allowed snorkelers and free divers to choose to lay on the styrofoam-floated aluminum if they wanted to get some time in the water with sharks without being directly exposed.
I scurried to suit up in my new SCUBAPRO wetsuit and snorkel gear (thanks SCUBAPRO!!!) and got ready to hop off the back of the boat. I had decided to take the other divers advice and go cage free...
No sharks had been sighted yet, but there was definitely a little apprehension in my entry. At this point there was no one else in the water and, to even the most vibrant ocean-lover like myself, the 300-ft deep blue abyss seemed a tad daunting.
Welcomed by the white chunks of fish floating about, I carefully finned away from the boat and out to the swim platform. Looking down, there was nothing in sight. It is always a humbling experience to swim in deep water, where outside of your visibility lies the rest of the ocean world...The undersea world that you have just willingly, adventurously, yet vulnerably entered.
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| My view looking down... |
Now, I know that this is not a guaranteed thing, and that sharks migrate in such a way that there may not have been any sharks in the immediate area. But with the bionic sensory organs with which these animals are equipped, I found it strange that not a single shark had come to investigate our offerings.
After nearly seven hours at sea, a lone hammerhead shark approached. Slowly cruising by the boat, it unfortunately did not come close enough for any photos. Though still an amazing experience, I felt at loss that I would be ending the day without the magical shark encounter experience that was raved about. Additionally, no other types of pelagic fish ever found our bait that day.
It left me wondering. Why?
Yes, there is no way to tell that there weren't sharks in the area that just did not come close enough for us to see. And yes, I am aware that sometimes 'the fish just aren't biting.' The Captain assured us that there had been plenty of curious sharks all summer and that we just happened to have an unlucky day, but I am still contemplating whether or not over-fishing has something to do with the scarcity of life that we had observed.
Upon pulling into the harbor later that evening, there was a group crowded around a couple of young fisherman. They were carrying the head of a 400lb. mako shark and parading it around like a trophy. Divvying up the meat to everyone who had been on the deep-sea fishing charter that day, I could not block the thought that they had killed the shark I was supposed to see. It was a selfish thought indeed, but I couldn't shake it.
I know that it is only one shark, and that there is nothing inherently wrong with killing and eating it. People do it all the time. In fact, I've actually unknowingly eaten shark before and thought it was quite tasty. But my mind drifted back to the recent news articles about the Martha's Vineyard shark fishing tournament less than two weeks prior. One of the few Northeast tournaments that are not 'catch-and-release.'
http://sharkyear.com/2013/oak-bluffs-monster-shark-tournament-2013.html
http://www.mvtimes.com/2013/07/21/beginners-luck-harwich-boat-monster-shark-tournament-16553/
Look at those 2013 results. Those twelve 'monster' sharks are no longer in the Massachusetts/ Rhode Island waters. Instead, they were strung up by their tails as a crowd of thousands gawked at the ferocious and bloody mess spilled on the docks. On this list were five porbeagle sharks!
http://www.pewenvironment.org/news-room/fact-sheets/cites-2013-porbeagle-shark-85899426386
If you recall, I had previously blogged about CITES (the Convention on the International Trade of Endangered Species). Porbeagle sharks had been added to the restricted trade list just months before! They are considered globally Threatened and locally Endangered in the Northwestern Atlantic Ocean.
I'm going to repeat..."Endangered in the Northwestern Atlantic Ocean!" (aka in New England waters)...
Then why is it legal for porbeagle sharks to be slaughtered for sport in Massachusetts?
....Because a fishing tournament does not intend to 'trade' this fish. But still, the North East Atlantic Fisheries Commission is supposed to have banned the targeting and retention of this species. According to the National Marine Fisheries Service, the porbeagle was deemed a "Species of Concern" back in the year 2006.
http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/pdfs/species/porbeagleshark_detailed.pdf
If anyone can find even a hint of sense in a shark tournament specifically 'targeting' and killing porbeagles in Massachusetts waters, please let me know because I sit here dumbfounded.
Sponsors of the event, the Boston Big Game Fishing Club states on their website that, "Those of us who are directly involved in shark fishing are the ones that are truly concerned about maintaining and rebuilding the shark fishery stocks!"
How can this be true given the rules and scoring of the Martha's Vineyard tournament? Wouldn't it be in the club's best interested to support a catch and release tournament instead?
While it is true that the impact of recreational sport fishing has a severely lessened impact on global shark populations that that of the commercial trade, there is still an impact. If any species population has been pushed to the brink of extinction, then why should people continue to tip it over the edge?
For clarification, I am by no means accusing sport fishing as the cause of dwindling shark populations. I actually enjoy fishing. Catching your own seafood is one of the most environmentally friendly ways to live because you are not supporting the massive industry responsible for depleting worldwide fish stocks. We all should know that it is commercial fishing and non-selective longlining that is really the problem here. BUT nevertheless, I am merely using the Martha's Vineyard tournament as an example. It is an easy change to switch to catch and release tournaments, and it is one that would make a huge difference for extremely vulnerable shark populations.
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To go back to my day, face in the water, looking for sharks...I wonder if I might have had the chance to see any of these animals that were killed by either sport or commercial fishermen over the past month. Where would they have been now? Maybe next time out I'll actually get the chance to see one, but for now, I am absolutely certain that these pelagic 'monsters' are in peril. Worldwide. When is the shift in mindset going to occur? When will people actually start to appreciate the beauty of nature and only take what they need to survive? Contrary to popular belief, the world is not ours. Sharks are here; we are here. Diminishing unnecessary by-catch and sustainable fishing practices may keep it that way, but only when people realize that preservation is not about protecting our oceans. It is about protecting the ocean, so that we may continue to utilize its resources to sustain our own population.
E.O. Wilson famously wrote, "We're not just afraid of predators. We're transfixed by them, prone to weave stories and fable and chatter endlessly about them, because fascination creates preparedness, and preparedness, survival. In a deeply tribal sense, we love our monsters."
Yes, I do love sharks. And yes, I do fear them sometimes. But overall, I have respect for them, and a strong desire to keep them here on Earth. Come on guys, we do love our monsters...It's time for some changes.
