Sharks on the mind

I'm beginning to prep for another trip to Bimini where we will be working quite extensively with the great hammerhead shark.  This unique predator is an endangered species and often difficult to find.  It took me five years of extensive searching, until I saw one and now i'm hooked.  I'm not necessarily sure if their unique morphology, their curious nature, or the ability of being able to share these encounters with friends is the intriguing part about the animals.  ...Or maybe it is the large amount of time spent chumming the waters until that first dark shadow appears on the horizon and begins approaching the boat.  That initial rush of excitment is one of the things I enjoy most about being a shark researcher and photographer.   

With that said, i've been thinking about the white sharks in South Africa quite frequently - I can't seem to get sharks off of my mind.  The white shark is an incredible predator, nearly perfect in its design and is a species I would like to spend substantially more time learning about.  However, although the white shark is protected in South African waters, this particular species is captured and killed quite frequently in beach nets.  Although protected, it seems as though the KwaZulu-Natal Sharks Board (organization responsible for deploying beach nets) ignores this mortality, because by killing the sharks, they  know they are inevitably creating safer beaches.  Safer beaches yields increased tourism which yields a boost to the local economy.  I understand tourism is an essential part of the local economy in KZN; however, I do not think economic health should come at the cost of marine organisms. 

On the other hand in South Africa, I believe people in other locations are beginning to learn that the value of a living shark is substantially greater than a dead one.  Through ecotourism practices, whether it be white shark cage diving, diving in search of tiger sharks at the Aliwal shoal, or diving in the kelp forests with bluntnose sixgill sharks, not only are dive companies profiting off of living sharks, but the local economy is receiving a boost.  It is through these practices that people begin to learn the value of a shark, its vital role within the marine ecosystem, and unfortunate misrepresentation within the public media.  I strongly urge people to step outside of their living room and experience some of this wildlife in their true habitats.  It is through these interactions that you will truely develop an appreciation for these animals and essentially create memories that will last a lifetime.

Here are a few more pictures from South Africa: