Good news about our bull shark population...

Alot of you probably read about the slaughter of numerous bull sharks around the Playa del Carmen area of Mexico a couple weeks ago. Well I have made a few dives with them and we are seeing no less than 10 sharks, and that's with me not feeding or baiting them in. And when you see how close these guys come to us ...you can imagine what could happen if we did take some food down there! These sharks will remain in our area until about March so long as the fisherman remain not fishing for them. So as long as they are here, I will be making these dives every week getting face to face with them!

Alot of you probably read about the slaughter of numerous bull sharks around the Playa del Carmen area of Mexico a couple weeks ago. Well I have made a few dives with them and we are seeing no less than 10 sharks, and that's with me not feeding or baiting them in. And when you see how close these guys come to us ...you can imagine what could happen if we did take some food down there! These sharks will remain in our area until about March so long as the fisherman remain not fishing for them. So as long as they are here, I will be making these dives every week getting face to face with them!

So you've got your tourist attraction back everything's all good?

What has been put in place to prevent another culling similar to the last one?

Are the dive centres that were chumming still doing so?

The fact still remains that while you (dive shops in Playa) are creating a hotspot for these sharks, the fishermen that are unrestricted by law can come and pull them out at anytime. Until there exists in place any form of legal protection for the bulls, the threat is still there.

Sorry I don't see any good news here.

So you've got your tourist attraction back everything's all good?

 

What has been put in place to prevent another culling similar to the last one?

 

Are the dive centres that were chumming still doing so?

 

 

 

The fact still remains that while you (dive shops in Playa) are creating a hotspot for these sharks, the fishermen that are unrestricted by law can come and pull them out at anytime. Until there exists in place any form of legal protection for the bulls, the threat is still there.

 

Sorry I don't see any good news here.

I am just one of the 20something dive shops here and I DO NOT chum or feed or disrupt any natural behaviors of the animals here. I know most the others are doing the same. I also know that 2 weeks ago all the owners of all the shops met at city hall. We are working on a resolution that would protest the area from shark fishing and compensate the fishermen. This is ALL local (dive shops owners) effort. We are the ones paying lawyers here to draft this and make it legal. And how do you think we pay for these expenses...by offering all types of dives and the bull shark dive one that we can sell, but it is also a great dive for those who have dreamt of photographing a large predator in the wild. Doesn't matter if its in the Serengeti filming lions or on the bottom of the sea floor shooting bull sharks. Without the money that comes in from these shark dives, trying to cover lawyer fees, court cost, etc. would put a huge financial strain on alot of shops here. Since the swine flu hit, this area never really has bounced back. I have lived here eight years and can tell you what weeks are high and low and for the last 24 months numbers are down in every month. I am friends with owners of alot of the other shops and we all say the same thing. It's been down. Alot of shops aren't even doing these shark dives but once a week, like mine. And I am only taking 2-4 divers max so it's not like I am bombarding the bulls with a big group, forcing them to find other hunting grounds. Part of this agreement with the fishermen will include regulations for dive shops regarding things like queing up on the surface to make the dive rather than boats dropping a bunch of divers ontop of each other. Also if you will feed, how that must happen. Maybe even having each guest to pay a park entry fee, thus making it a protect marine park area. These are all things that take time and money and full time attention by people who are here full time. We are doing what we can. If you have any suggestions please let me/us know. Also you can read about what we are doing and even sign a petition here: http://www.blueheartsociety.org/

That's all good and well done for mobilising everyone for this great cause.

Your post was 'Good News on the shark bull population' coupled with a video and an almost Jaws'esque warning about them getting too close!

First, the population hasn't suddenly multiplied overnight or come in from other unknown destinations, you know as well as I that they've always been there. They exist off the coast, these bulls have just come up shallower after the last lot were pulled out the water, probably because there's food being dumped into the water. So no good news there, unless you're a dive op.

You're still chumming! Not you, but other ops are still feeding them, I thought everyone had learnt their lesson here, you've managed to get a verbal agreement from the fishermen (for now) but the practice of chumming is still happening, again no good news here either.

Come back and post that you've got a legal zoning protection and nobody is feeding them. Now that's good news.