Swelling j36: 2018

My Fiji Shark - Post by Tom!

Very nice as always!

Read this.

Tom is obviously a good pal and may be a tad biased - but this is really a good thing and if you haven't yet, please go over and explore the awesome website, courtesy of our indefatigable Head of Conservation and Program Coordinator Natasha.

And, please, Adopt Your Shark Now!

Vinaka!

PS - Martin here. Vinaka!

My Fiji Shark - Info!

Did you check out the website?

Like it? :)

So like promised: this is how our probably rather surprising cooperation with the UNDP's Pacific Office and the SPTO has come about.

We were contacted by the UNDP several months ago.

The backdrop were the UN's Sustainable Development Goals in general and SDG 14 = Life Below Water in particular.

They told us that they wanted to explore

My Fiji Shark!

Behold!

Beautiful huh!

So yes this would be our newest marine conservation initiative that is aimed at funding both Shark conservation and research but also coastal subsistence fisheries management in Fiji. After all, our Sharks will not survive if we continue to obliterate their prey, and fry and pollute their habitat - right?

For now, please go and check out the website.

It should

And You Can Get Cool Stuff, Too!

Click for detail!

Nearly There!

Coming Soon!

Click for detail!

Florida Land-Based Shark Fishing - Good Enough?

Yes this has happened, again - source.

Watch - story here.

Methinks this is not quite good enough.

But then again, conservation does not happen in a vacuum and will always be some compromise - so let's see how this plays out in detail.

What I'd personally like to see, is precise rules with no more loopholes stipulating that all protected species must be released at once = zero leeway

SHARKNADO SHARKDIVING in Japan!

Source - click for detail!

Just saw this today.

Very cool.
Those are Banded Houndsharks - story here.
Enjoy!

NZ Cage Diving - the End?

Source - very much worth reading!

Well well well.

Read this.

So the infamous saga of those haphazard cage dives off Stewart Island appears to have come to its very much expected and I may say, very much deserved! ignominious end.

Like I said way back here, there was a need for a social license (yes Austin and Charlie!), and for outreach by the researchers - and both have been

From the Battlefield!

For you who have been wondering.

So, I'm back - and yes it has been hard.

Anyway, it was most likely worth it, I'm on the mend and if everything goes well -which it will- I'll be diving again by December - and since in the meantime I'll be certainly bored to death, expect a flurry of new cockamamie Shark conservation projects!

Oh and thanks for all the wishes.

Much appreciated!

To

Pesky GWS - Video!

Great stuff!

Methinks this was both intentional and agonistic (as opposed to predatory) - but that's obviously merely my opinion and we'll never know for sure.

Anyway, enjoy - story here.

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Emerging Challenges - Really?

Mentioned in the paper: Guadalupe cage breach.

Hmmmm.

Take a look at this.

Austin and Charlie are certainly good guys and good researchers, and quite knowledgeable about the Shark diving industry, too; and with that in mind, I can most certainly refrain from delving in the nether regions of stuff like the infamous Kardashian Index (and here - anybody come to mind? Hint: "cites me") let

Hammerhead vs Eagle Ray!

Source.

Probably a GHH, probably Guam.
Source - enjoy!

H/T: MarineCSI!

Florida Land-Based Shark Fishing - Workshops and Comments!

This has happened yesterday.
Once again, this total waste has likely been perpetrated by a land-based fisherman.

Should you want to be part of the solution,

a) either please attend and speak up at the following workshops - background info and talking points here. This time, the land-based fishermen are mobilizing, so your presence, support and voice will be absolutely crucial!

Fear Me not!

Very nice - watch.

And here's a little piece by Beacons Films principal, Shawn.

I say, Vinaka Vakalevu - much appreciated, and glad that you've enjoyed the experience!

PS - Shawn on the PADI blog right here!
Enjoy!

Florida Land-Based Shark Fishing - Action Alert!

Yet another majestic GHH killed by a land-based Shark fisherman - source.

Read this and especially the links.

Yes it is crunch time.

As a reminder, this is about those poor Sharks that will die even if they are released, but it is also about public safety = very much case in point.

Please visit those meetings and please, do speak up.

And if you cannot attend or live elsewhere, please

BAD Bull Sharks!

Very nice!

Thank you Olivia.

It is always a great pleasure hosting the Rolex Scholars and their lovely and indefatigable mer-mom Jayne, and this has certainly been no exception.

You can read Olivia's blog post right here.

Enjoy!

GWS vs Seal!

Not a good day to be a Seal!
Story here.

This is one of the wildest things I’ve ever filmed!!! White shark eats a seal 500 feet off the coast of Nauset Beach in Orleans, Massachusetts. Watch to the end to see the blood and the seal cut clean in half. #nationalsharkawarenessday #natgeowild — PRESS INQUIRIES/LICENSING please email chris@cpalermo.com.

A post shared by Chris Palermo (@

Rats and Coral Reefs - Paper!

Click for detail!

Very nice!

Remember the Mantas vs Coconut trees paper?

There, introduced Coconut trees were shown to reduce seabird abundance by being unsuitable as roosting and nesting trees; here, this new paper examines the effects of invasive rats killing off seabird colonies in Chagos and shows that as a consequence, the biomass of Coral Reef communities adjacent to rat-infested

Florida Land-Based Shark Fishing - Management Recommendations!

Behold!

I must really say that I'm pleasantly surprised.

Contrary to my expectations, the staff of the FWC have put together quite a good list of recommendations - but then again, I am not there so should you need guidance, please feel free to address yourselves the good folks at the ASC.

Also, please do read David's paper.

Again, please do attend the meetings and speak up.

The dates

Jess - testing Shark Sanctuaries!

Good one!

Read this.

So Jess is back in the Cooks in order to test what she helped achieve, and I really do applaud her for it.

Really looking forward to her findings.

Contrary to some scathing commentaries by their detractors, the jury is still very much out on whether those Shark Sanctuaries work, or not. Until proven wrong, I continue to believe that they largely do (read the

Florida Land-Based Shark Fishing Workshops - the Venues!

Click for detail!

So here you go.

Like I said, please attend and make a difference.
Thank you!

Broadreach - Trip Reports!

Source.

Wow.

Time sure flies!

Broadreach are once again in town with their incomparable sharky High Scool and College summer programs - and having checked, it very much looks like this may well be year 11 in a row!

Just amazing - and still as rewarding!

And like always, there are trip reports!

College here - and here are the High School reports inclusive of the awesome news that

Five-Meter GWS?

Mako vs GWS - awesome pic by Ozzie Sam. Notice how wide the caudal keel is!
Source - click for detail

Watch.

Hmmmmm.

For what it is worth, methinks that that Shark does not move with the gravitas of a 5-meter animal but rather, like a much smaller individual; and the very pointy snout and very wide caudal keel appear more indicative of a Shortfin Mako, at least to me.

But who am I

700 Requins dans la Nuit - awesome!

Source - click for detail!

Behold!

Yeah that would once again be Laurent in Tetamanu.

All I can say is, epic - and there is also this ridiculously awesome photo essay and also, this book with his best pictures that I can only highly recommend.

Enjoy!

Bull Shark vs hooked Shark!

Yes Bull Sharks got big sharp teeth - great pic by Sasha! Click for detail!

Behold!

Story here.

Not at all sure about the first Shark - but the big one is unmistakably a Bull = a species that will most definitely prey on other Sharks.

Enjoy!

Sharks in the Ba Estuary - Paper!

Love love love this pic - source!

Behold!

Nice job by Tom et al.

From what I gather, whereas the field research has been challenging, the paper has been a rather traumatic experience - and no, no need to elaborate, the more as the good news is that this finally completes Tom's master thesis and that consequently, he can now fully concentrate on his already impressive career as a

Sharkbanz - yes it's a total Scam!

Source.

Bingo.

Remember this post?

What followed were a Shark bite and then a devastating impromptu test - and yet the Garrisons and even more problematically, Craig O'Connell of questionable Shark Week fame have continued to defend the indefensible and conned the public (scroll down) into believing that the gizmos had been tested scientifically and proven to be effective, which they

Florida Land-Based Shark Fishing - Meetings!

This needs to stop: completely exhausted and moribund GHH - source.

The infamous saga continues.

Please note down the following dates and locations.

The FWC is scheduling public workshops for land based shark fishing
regulation in Florida. But contrary to the commissioners, the FWC staff are most certainly not eager to issue regulations and will try and defer, delay, stonewall and

You Are What You Eat - Paper!

Our Whitetip Reefies - happy, well fed and healthy!

And talking of Shark feeding.

And I cite,

The suite of studies available for this site is likely the most comprehensive
body of work to date comparing the impacts of tourism on a
predator species' behaviour and fitness with conservation and economic

benefits.
The various studies address a range of potential issues (e.g.
residency,

The Impact of GWS Cage Diving - Paper!

Source.

Bingo, and I cite,

"Best practice" among cage diving operations apparently consists in just
teasing, but never actually handing any bait to the Sharks.
Were I a Shark hugger, I would immediately object that letting the
Sharks waste precious energy on fruitless "hunts" is to be rejected as
it is likely harmful to the animals.

Yup that would be yours truly a whopping ten years

Guadalupe - more Shenanigans?

Indeed, a picture is worth a thousand words - click for detail! Source.

Watch.

Sigh.

Forget all that idiotic clap trap - and no, no amount of soul searching and overcoming of personal phobias, or whatever, can detract from the simple fact that this is reckless and 100% illegal pure and simple.

And this shit?

That would be this dude, clearly a repeat offender along with his

SOFA - quod erat demonstrandum!

The SOFA: a humongous area in the NE Pacific where GWS disperse to forage.

Behold - and yes it is long!

Synopsis here - and yes this is impressive as hell.

And here's a nice, and short video about the technology - again, very impressive in terms of scope but also cost!

And now, re-read this.

See what I mean?

The GWS are by no means "aggregating" but instead, they are actually

Thanks for all the Fish!

Behold!

I must say, this is really nice.

Firstly, because it doesn't do the usual touchy-feely treehugging thing but is instead very personal albeit a tad overly dramatic - the more as Juliette has been diving with us before and was by no means frozen in fear but did instead thoroughly enjoy the experience; and secondly, because this is the very first article about us that mentions the

Bull Shark Smiles!

This is just awesome - click for detail!

What can I say but, Vinaka Christian!

No more Shark Sanctuary in the Marshall Islands?

I was wrong.

The Marshalls are not among the "best" - read the above (= click for detail).

Yes this is not good.

In brief, the Shark protection in the Marshall Islands is quietly being rolled back, and nobody appears to give a rat's ass.
Once again, it's all about the money: the huge earnings, the jobs and the according political clout of the fishing industry versus the money needed for

Not a Shark Cage?

Right - click for detail!

Read this.

Those are Western Australia's Rules for Shark interactions by Aquatic Eco Tours. “Aquatic eco-tourism” is defined as tourism relating to fish in their natural environment and includes the viewing or feeding of fish but does include the taking of fish.

And these are the rules pertaining to fishing.

And now watch, and read about this fucking fiasco

Science Week!

What an amazing group of researchers, conservationists and industry professionals!
From L2R, back row: Peni, Gauthier, Wase, Richard, Ian, Charlie and Re; front row Chris, Christian, Manoa and Adam - click for detail!

Remember?

Now we're at it.

We're finally analyzing our impact on the Whitetip Reefies - and with the original authors having graciously flown in to supervise but also

Philippe!

It's a wrap.

We've just hosted a small shoot.

It's for an educational travel series called Awesome Planet that focuses on earth science topics, is geared towards the 13-19 year old audience, and is hosted by Philippe Cousteau. The show is in production for the 5th season and averages around 700,000 viewers a week nationwide (with an additional 20,000 / month on Amazon Prime).

And

Chunky!

Gates nerds and BAD boyz in action - click for detail. Source.

This is a great capture.

Bravo Pete.

Last week, he was here teaching DaVinci Resolve to a gaggle of Gates and Red Digital shooters at the Gates STO Fiji 2018, and now this is his and Kylie's well-deserved holiday - which they obviously choose to spend diving on the Fiji Shark Dive in Fiji's first National Marine Park!

The

Rolex Scholarship - good bye Melinda hello Olivia!

From L2R, with medals: Melinda, Jayne and Olivia, with big Fiji Bull in the background - click for detail!

Behold!

This is the parting vlog of our pal Melinda.

The new OWUSS Australasia Rolex Scholar is Olivia Johnson, and we all very much look forward to hosting her very soon indeed, together with her indefatigable mer-mom and dear friend Jayne!

And there is this.

The changing of

Florida Land-Based Shark Fishing - Progress!

From a presentation to the FWC - those Hammers are obviously moribund, or they could not be handled that way. Click for detail.

Behold!

Finally at their last meeting, the FWC has taken note.

So far, the staff have continued to derelict their duties and failed to adequately protect their vulnerable prohibited Sharks by cozying up to the shore-based fishermen, by never enforcing their very

«Einstein» unter Haien - Teil 2!

And here is part two!

Again, fucking excellent job.
Vinaka Vakalevu - enjoy!

FIRST TIME SHARK DIVING IN FIJI!

Love love love this!

And the FOOTAGE IS 100% REAL! :)

Enjoy!

Fiji Shark Diving 2018!

Behold!

Very nice!

And here is Tom's latest blog post, with plenty of stellar pictures as always - and yes, as long as it doesn't become a gimmicky fad, the new fisheye lens is certainly very impressive!

So far so great!

Enjoy!

Valerie's Books!

Behold!

I love her - always have always will.

Mind you, merely in a strictly platonic way - but she will always be my closest friend and my hero and my inspiration in so many ways.

Anyway, this is about her other side.

She has always been an outstanding artist, and I've seen her produce exquisite animal art on several of our numerous expeditions, and am in fact the proud owner of a

«Einstein» unter Haien - Teil 1!

Behold!

Bravo - I must really say that I like it!

Kudos to producer François Loriol and presenter Tobias Müller for a job very well done!

Enjoy!

Einstein - Blut und BRAT!

And talking about Einstein.
Today is the day - enjoy the teasers!

Bull Shark on Steroids!

Wow.

Never seen such a fast Bull Shark!

Apparently somebody was bottling, and apparently this is from the far South of the Maldives where there is zero evacuation in case of an accident.
H/T Daniel!

Anyway, enjoy!

Für unsere Freunde in der Schweiz: Einstein!

Morgen ist die erste Folge!

Sofern Ihr wirklich nix Besseres zu tun habt. :)

Die zwei Sendungen sind hauptsächlich über die SRMR und die Forschung von Jürg und Kerstin - und obwohl ich noch nichts gesehen habe meinte ich, dass das Fernsehteam da wie üblich super Arbeit geleistet hat.

Viel Spass beim schauen!

Florida Land-Based Shark Fishing - FWC Meeting!

Source.

Remember those last posts?

The slaughter has obviously continued unabated.

But now there is an, albeit tiny, chance for improvement as the FWC is slated to discuss the matter at its next meeting in Ft. Lauderdale on April 25 and 26.

So you Shark loving folks, here's your chance.

First, inform yourselves because just attending to make the usual breathy noise will most

Shark feeding in Bora Bora - Paper!

Oh well.

Eric keeps cranking therm out, and I am irritated.

This time it's about those Lemon Shark feeds in Bora Bora, and several Shark bites that ensued, which is incidentally much like what happened with those Lemons in Moorea.

The description of the events is probably correct and like I said back here, much if not all is a direct consequence of those being multi-user sites with poor

One of the Greatest Experiences You Could have!

Great stuff.

Remember?

Looks like those dives have left an indelible memory, and we are proud, and also thankful for this small endorsement. And before you get all riled up etc etc: the movie is a fictional story about an extinct Shark and has as much bearing on conservation as, say, Jurassic Park - and no we certainly don't want to discuss it!

Thank you Jason!

PS - And how about

Keni - incoming!

And here it comes.

Wish us luck.

Fiji: you know what to do!

Tiger Sharks in Hawaii - Paper!

Click for detail!

And I cite.

Although tiger sharks clearly utilize open-ocean habitats in both Atlantic and Pacific oceans, the majority (78.7%) of satellite location estimates for tiger sharks captured around Maui and Oahu during the present
study were in coastal waters over insular shelf habitat. Tiger shark affinity for coastal waters and shelf habitats
has been documented in previous

Determined!

Juvenile Lemon Shark: super cute - source.

I just love this clip of that little juvenile Lemon.
Source - Enjoy!

Mrs. Jaws - Cameo!

I was wrong - thankfully!

Check this out.

Contrary to my dire prediction, Mrs. Jaws is alive and kicking - and judging from her girth and body shape, she is very capable of feeding herself which is real good news indeed!

To be continued - keep watching this space!

What What What?

Oh FFS!

Looks like we may be in for another one!

We're presently reeling under TC Josie that has been dumping tons of rain and flooding much of the Western Division - and the forecasts are now showing a bigger and badder one for the next weekend!

Anyway - Happy Easter.

And you know what to do!

Caribbean Reefies are not Apex Predators - Paper!

Source.

Bingo.

Check this out.

It confirms previous findings, e.g. here and here that those Reef Sharks are not (!) apex predators but rather, upper-level mesopredators and that as a consequence, it is highly unlikely that their removal would precipitate any trophic cascades.

Just as a reminder mind you.

Back to bloody TC Josie!

Social Interactions of Sicklefin Lemon Sharks - Paper!

Click for detail!

Very nice!

Check this out.

It describes the behavior of Sicklefin Lemons at two provisioning sites in French Polynesia.

And assuming I understand the paper correctly, the observations coincide to a large degree with what we observe here with our Bulls, i.e. that these largely solitary animals develop a rudimentary etiquette when they aggregate at a provisioning site (

Bull Shark vs Boat!

Cool.

The behavior is certainly unusual - and no, I'm not gonna try and interpret it. :)

Story here - enjoy!

Big Sharks scavenging on a Whale!

Another Whale another GWS - source!

Enjoy - story here!

Recovery of Sharks within a well enforced MPA - Paper!

Very nice - watch!

Paper here, synopsis here.

I must say that contrary to other papers looking at different aspects of those reefs off Western Australia where I am weary of some of the conclusions, I am quite impressed by this one as the evidence for the rapid recovery of those Sharks appears to be rock solid as e.g. evidenced by the video below.

This is good news indeed.

Provided

Gallivanting Tiger Sharks - new Paper!

Remember this post?

Sure you do! :)

Now, check this out.

Once again, this is evidence for the massive influence of environmental factors whereby both the coastal abundance and swimming performance of those migrating Tiger Sharks are being shown to be highest at ~22°C. Consequently, they track their optimal temperature and are thus more likely to be found in coastal areas in winter in

Bull Shark Tagging in Fiji!

Very nice!

Check this out.

Pascal was here to assist Kerstin in catching and tagging neonate Bulls. And whilst she has been concentrating on the Rewa River where she has managed to bag more than 100 pups, he and Gauthier of Projects Abroad did fish in the Sigatoka - not as productive as the Rewa but in exchange the results have been very interesting indeed!

And whereas I'm not at liberty

Ian - well spoken !

Indefatigable - here at the CMS COP11 in Quito. Source.

And this is why we like him!
Enjoy!

Escape to Shark Reef!

Very nice!

Check this out.

Juerg has been the scientific supervisor of our research and conservation for 15 years, and we simply could not be happier with the friendship, the level of cooperation and the many stellar papers our symbiotic relationship has spawned.
Contrary to what some self-appointed literal saviors of Fijian Sharks may want you believe, this is by far
the most

Cyclone Gita - incoming!

So here it comes.

Read this.

In brief, it is very likely to pass to the south - but that's one big girl and as we all know, those tracks can change in the blink of an eye.

You know what to do!

And here comes the first Cyclone!

Check this out.

Yes the convergence zone will likely spawn a cyclone.

Luckily for us, its birth is going to be so close to Fiji that it will not have picked up much strength before wandering off - and here's to it not circling back like bloody Winston, see at top! And, it is going to be weak but it is still a cyclone, and the North can expect the usual torrential rain and likely flooding

Cormorant vs Remoras!

Source.

This is just amazing!

Source here - and a big H/T to Daniel of Shark Business for finding it!

Enjoy!

PS - and here's the long version - that's one helluva persistent bird lemme tell 'ya!

Especially for You Tumbiau!

Yes she has been naughty again - click for detail!

In the Lion's Den!

Yes it is true.

Here she is in all her splendor.

She glided in nonchalantly in the middle of the shallow feed, and took up residence right next to the bait crate until some lumbering brute with a camera had her move away again.

Talk about a contender for the Darwin Awards!

Click for detail!

Herwarth and Vreni - simply epic!

Source.

Remember this post - sure you do! :)

Well here they are in all their glory.

This was just the beginning as the gals were then coerced to mouth feed whilst topless - and of course the whole thing then ended in tears. And yes talk about Déjà vu huh = nihil novum, especially not the bikini bimbettes!

Huge H/T to the Saffron Pimpernel for having unearthed this gem!

GHH in Beqa Lagoon!

This is a biggie from Ovalau - source!

Behold!

Yes they are definitely here!
This one is from Project Abroad's BRUV research - and for the moment, the specific location will need to remain a secret lest some eager Shark killer be tempted to go catch himself a set of valuable fins. But it is excellent GHH habitat and we will certainly start looking a bit more closely as this is not the

Bull Shark vs Hippos!

Source - apparently this is not too rare!

Feisty feisty!
Enjoy - story here!

A Global Perspective on the Trophic Geography of Sharks - Paper!

Click for detail!

Awesome!

Read this.

Yes that's a whole lot of authors, among which some people I like a lot = for once cooperation has been absolutely stellar and one has to congratulate Chris for having been able to pull this off, and for having laid the foundations for a global collective of researchers investigating Sharks by means of stable isotope analysis.

Press release here,

What Rebecca said!

Still one of the very best feeding pics from the SRMR!

You really must read this.

Bravo Re - this is exhaustive, balanced, insightful and truthful.

Could not have said it better myself - and you are so much more objective, and also charming (!) than I will ever be - to wit you did not use the f word even one single time! :)

Kudos!

Investigatory Bite?

And I cite,

It [the shark] opened its massive mouth and as it's closed its mouth it kind of ripped down as it went to swim away," she said. "There was one metre [missing] off Callum's body.
I was horrified, then I realised it was just the fin. We're just lucky that it was an investigatory bite and didn't involve any missing limbs. Once we got back on the boat I was pretty upset and a

Breaching OWTs - Paper!

GSD member Epic Diving - best operator to dive with OWTs. Source.

Very nice!

Read this!

It is obviously not only about breaching OWTs, but the breach it describes is totally spectacular - story here.

Yannis and Yuuki are quickly establishing themselves as the gurus of small multi-use electronic packages that can be temporarily affixed to the Sharks in varying configurations, and are

Feeding Swordfish - just amazing!

Baby Swordfish - cute as hell. Source.

Source - enjoy!

GWS and Diver!

Watch.

Scary scary shit - and probably legit!

This is apparently South Africa where Death by GWS is most definitely a reality!

Enjoy!

Inverted Trophic Pyramids - Paper!

Watch.

And now, read this = very interesting!

And with all that evidence, it appears pretty conclusive that those infamous counter-intuitive inverted trophic pyramids do indeed exist.

And the examples at top?

Still not at all convinced, see this post - and I cite from the paper,

However, instances in which energy is exogenously sourced to create top-heaviness (e.g. from another

Fiji's Shark Feeders!

Nice!

Thank you Sophie - much appreciated!
And thank you Jayne! :)

Enjoy!

Okinawa - bigass GWS!

Behold!

That's one big beautiful Shark - and some seriously krazy kamikaze divers!

This is the last population of GWS everybody knows about but nobody can properly study as there are no known hotspots like mating or feeding aggregations, or nurseries, and the sightings are rare and extremely widely spread geographically.

Story here - enjoy!

Ministry of Fisheries - awesome!

White Teatfish - remember? Source.

Love it!

Fiji's Ministry of Fisheries is showing some teeth - finally!

First they did effectively shut down the illegal trade in bêche-de-mer that has been driving the widespread poaching, and maiming and killing numerous young Fijians. And now they have banned the harvesting and trade in live rock and live coral that has equally been a scourge to our