Shark Attack Mystery : "Why Are The Red Sea Sharks Stalking Humans?
What is causing the normally harmless sharks of the Red Sea to start mauling holidaymakers in Egypt?
Shark experts have this weekend converged on the popular resort to investigate a series of attacks that have killed one tourist and badly injured four others. But they have already reached consensus on a general truth—the attacks are almost certainly a result of humans disturbing the environmental balance in the area.
“It is safe to say that the situation where you have a clump distribution in attacks, occurring after another in a limited geographical distribution, is very rare indeed,” George Burgess, who heads the International Shark Attack File, told AFP, adding that the unusual behavior was probably the result of human action.
The mystery surrounds attacks by two species of shark: an oceanic whitetip and a mako. The jaw of a mako caught and killed by conservation officers matches the bite marks of a 70-year-old woman killed in a shark attack. Neither species are known for stalking and killing humans. Indeed, sharks are not normally aggressive to humans. As Michael Lemonick wrote for TIME in this 1997 cover story on shark attacks:
What most people don't realize is that shark attacks almost never happen. In a particularly bad year, as many as 100 people may be attacked by sharks. Of those attacks, a small minority--15% at most--prove fatal. Far more people are killed by bees, poisonous snakes and elephants, as well as bathtub falls and lightning strikes. It's much more dangerous to drive to the beach than to venture into the water once you get there.
So what changed in the past few weeks?
Mohammed Salem, director of South Sinai Conservation, told AFP that illegal feeding is the most probable cause. “We think someone accustomed the sharks to being fed and whoever did it has stopped,” Salem said. So the sharks started to look elsewhere for easy prey.
Salem added that the attacks occurred along a roughly five mile (8 km.) stretch of shore, including the busy Naama Bay, in the afternoons, suggesting the sharks had become used to being fed at around that time of day. Salem also said earlier this week that the attacks may stem from over-fishing in popular diving areas, which has forced sharks to become bolder in their hunt for prey. There have also been allegations that large cargoes of dead sheep have been dumped in the sea, after dying on route to Egypt.
Whatever the cause of the recent spate of shark attacks, they suggest a chilling lesson: if we abuse it, nature has a habit of biting back.
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Wednesday, December 8, 2010
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
Killer sharks 'planted by Israel'
Killer sharks 'planted by Israel':
10:00 AEST Wed Dec 8 2010
An Egyptian official has claimed sharks that killed one person and injured four others at a tourist beach in Egypt may have been planted by an Israeli spy agency to hurt the country's economy.
The regional governor for South Sinai, Abdel Fadil Shousha, said claims Israel planned the attacks were not 'out of the question', The Sun newspaper reports.
A German woman snorkeler was killed on Sunday after her leg was torn off and four others were mauled over the past week in waters near Sharm El Sheikh's Hyatt Regency.
'What is being said about the Mossad [Israel's spy agency] throwing the deadly shark in the sea to hit tourism in Egypt is not out of the question. But it needs time to confirm,' Mr Shousha was quoted as saying.
The theory was first heard by an expert diver from Sharm El Sheik who was interviewed on Egypt Today.
Diver Captain Mustafa Ismail said the sharks involved in the attack, two of which were caught by authorities last week, were oceanic whitetip sharks and do not live in the waters around Egypt.
When the interviewer asked Ismail how they entered the Red Sea, he said: 'No, it's who let them in?'
Ismail said a small shark had been found by an Israeli diver in Eilat — another resort area and busy port at the northern tip of the Red Sea — with a GPS device planted in its back.
'Why would these sharks travel 4000km and not have any accidents until they entered Sinai waters?' Ismail said.
But a local marine biologist said it was 'sad' Egyptian national TV had helped spread the theory.
Professor of marine biology at Suez Canal University Mahmoud Hanafy said the GPS device did not indicate a conspiracy because tracking devices were often used to study marine life.
'Here in Egypt we put these devices on turtles, in danger of becoming extinct, so that we can watch their behaviour, see where they live, feed and lay their eggs,' Egyptian newspaper Al Ahram quoted Hanafy as saying.
'It is sad that they made a person whose only knowledge of sharks comes from the movie Jaws go on national TV to propagate this mumbo-jumbo.'
Last week officials told locals and tourists it was safe to go back into the water after they captured two sharks they believed were behind the attacks.
Local divers filmed video of a shark swimming in the area just hours before the first mauling — but it is not clear whether that shark has attacked anybody.
The shark on the tape is missing a chunk out of its tail which experts say could cause it to act aggressively.
There is speculation the sharks were drawn to the area after cattle and sheep brought in for last month's Islamic feast of Eid al-Adha died at sea.
- Sent using Google Toolbar"
10:00 AEST Wed Dec 8 2010
An Egyptian official has claimed sharks that killed one person and injured four others at a tourist beach in Egypt may have been planted by an Israeli spy agency to hurt the country's economy.
The regional governor for South Sinai, Abdel Fadil Shousha, said claims Israel planned the attacks were not 'out of the question', The Sun newspaper reports.
A German woman snorkeler was killed on Sunday after her leg was torn off and four others were mauled over the past week in waters near Sharm El Sheikh's Hyatt Regency.
'What is being said about the Mossad [Israel's spy agency] throwing the deadly shark in the sea to hit tourism in Egypt is not out of the question. But it needs time to confirm,' Mr Shousha was quoted as saying.
The theory was first heard by an expert diver from Sharm El Sheik who was interviewed on Egypt Today.
Diver Captain Mustafa Ismail said the sharks involved in the attack, two of which were caught by authorities last week, were oceanic whitetip sharks and do not live in the waters around Egypt.
When the interviewer asked Ismail how they entered the Red Sea, he said: 'No, it's who let them in?'
Ismail said a small shark had been found by an Israeli diver in Eilat — another resort area and busy port at the northern tip of the Red Sea — with a GPS device planted in its back.
'Why would these sharks travel 4000km and not have any accidents until they entered Sinai waters?' Ismail said.
But a local marine biologist said it was 'sad' Egyptian national TV had helped spread the theory.
Professor of marine biology at Suez Canal University Mahmoud Hanafy said the GPS device did not indicate a conspiracy because tracking devices were often used to study marine life.
'Here in Egypt we put these devices on turtles, in danger of becoming extinct, so that we can watch their behaviour, see where they live, feed and lay their eggs,' Egyptian newspaper Al Ahram quoted Hanafy as saying.
'It is sad that they made a person whose only knowledge of sharks comes from the movie Jaws go on national TV to propagate this mumbo-jumbo.'
Last week officials told locals and tourists it was safe to go back into the water after they captured two sharks they believed were behind the attacks.
Local divers filmed video of a shark swimming in the area just hours before the first mauling — but it is not clear whether that shark has attacked anybody.
The shark on the tape is missing a chunk out of its tail which experts say could cause it to act aggressively.
There is speculation the sharks were drawn to the area after cattle and sheep brought in for last month's Islamic feast of Eid al-Adha died at sea.
- Sent using Google Toolbar"
More than one killer shark in the waters
Egypt facing 'worst case scenario': more than one killer shark in the waters - Telegraph:
7:18PM GMT 07 Dec 2010
Scientists scouring the waters off Egypt's premier Red Sea resort have admitted that they are facing a 'worst case scenario' after concluding that a spate of attacks on swimmers in the area was the work of at least two sharks.
A shortfin mako shark similar to the one captured last week that has been forensically identified as the culprit behind last Wednesday's attack on two swimmers from Russia and Ukraine
Conservationists and marine biologists had hoped that a lone rogue shark was responsible for the death of a German woman and the mauling of four other tourists in Sharm el-Sheikh over the past week.
But Egyptian officials in the Sinai peninsula yesterday disclosed that a shortfin mako shark captured last week had been forensically identified as the culprit behind last Wednesday's attack on two swimmers from Russia and Ukraine.
'The bite on one of the victims has been matched with the teeth of the Mako,' said Ahmed el-Edkawy, the deputy secretary general of South Sinai governorate.
'We are confident that this shark was responsible for the second incident.'
That one of the culprits responsible for the mysterious terror visited on Sharm el-Sheikh's beaches may have seemed like good news.
But with witnesses saying that the latest attack, was carried out by a whitetip, scientists are being forced to confront the likelihood that sharks from two different species have suddenly developed man-killing tendencies.
More worryingly, scientists now have no idea how many sharks may have developed a taste for human flesh – making both the hunt for the killers and a search for the explanation of their bizarre behaviour far more complicated.
'Our best case scenario was of a single shark that would move out of the area, solving the problem' said Elke Bojanowski, a German expert on Red Sea sharks involved in the international hunt for rogue predators.
'But if there was more than one then we have to look for a trigger that is influencing the sharks' behaviour and it may be impossible to find.
'If we don't have a clue what the trigger is then what are we to do?' Three international shark experts from the United States flew into Sharm el-Sheikh yesterday to join the investigation.
George Burgess, the Florida-based director of the International Shark Attack File, said the team was examining whether changes in underwater ecology or the illegal practice of baiting the sharks with meat could be responsible for the crisis.
Scientists on the team said they had heard reports of tour guides throwing chickens overboard to attract the sharks.
The attacks have been confined to a three-mile stretch of shore and at similar times indicating that the sharks may be gathering at an area where they are used to being fed.
Egyptian authorities, already facing criticism for reopening beaches prematurely over the weekend, yesterday allowed swimming and snorkelling to go ahead outside the danger zone.
Gen el-Edkawy of the South Sinai governorate yesterday insisted that no tourists had cancelled their trips to Sharm el-Sheikh.
In an apparent attempt to prove the waters safe, he donned a wet suit and jumped into the water just yards from the spot where the German woman was killed.
Emerging 20 minutes later, he pulled his mask to one side and proclaimed: 'I saw a lot of beautiful marine life. It was wonderful. Everything is wonderful. This city is a gift from God and I'm sure everything is safe.'
- Sent using Google Toolbar"
7:18PM GMT 07 Dec 2010
Scientists scouring the waters off Egypt's premier Red Sea resort have admitted that they are facing a 'worst case scenario' after concluding that a spate of attacks on swimmers in the area was the work of at least two sharks.
A shortfin mako shark similar to the one captured last week that has been forensically identified as the culprit behind last Wednesday's attack on two swimmers from Russia and Ukraine
Conservationists and marine biologists had hoped that a lone rogue shark was responsible for the death of a German woman and the mauling of four other tourists in Sharm el-Sheikh over the past week.
But Egyptian officials in the Sinai peninsula yesterday disclosed that a shortfin mako shark captured last week had been forensically identified as the culprit behind last Wednesday's attack on two swimmers from Russia and Ukraine.
'The bite on one of the victims has been matched with the teeth of the Mako,' said Ahmed el-Edkawy, the deputy secretary general of South Sinai governorate.
'We are confident that this shark was responsible for the second incident.'
That one of the culprits responsible for the mysterious terror visited on Sharm el-Sheikh's beaches may have seemed like good news.
But with witnesses saying that the latest attack, was carried out by a whitetip, scientists are being forced to confront the likelihood that sharks from two different species have suddenly developed man-killing tendencies.
More worryingly, scientists now have no idea how many sharks may have developed a taste for human flesh – making both the hunt for the killers and a search for the explanation of their bizarre behaviour far more complicated.
'Our best case scenario was of a single shark that would move out of the area, solving the problem' said Elke Bojanowski, a German expert on Red Sea sharks involved in the international hunt for rogue predators.
'But if there was more than one then we have to look for a trigger that is influencing the sharks' behaviour and it may be impossible to find.
'If we don't have a clue what the trigger is then what are we to do?' Three international shark experts from the United States flew into Sharm el-Sheikh yesterday to join the investigation.
George Burgess, the Florida-based director of the International Shark Attack File, said the team was examining whether changes in underwater ecology or the illegal practice of baiting the sharks with meat could be responsible for the crisis.
Scientists on the team said they had heard reports of tour guides throwing chickens overboard to attract the sharks.
The attacks have been confined to a three-mile stretch of shore and at similar times indicating that the sharks may be gathering at an area where they are used to being fed.
Egyptian authorities, already facing criticism for reopening beaches prematurely over the weekend, yesterday allowed swimming and snorkelling to go ahead outside the danger zone.
Gen el-Edkawy of the South Sinai governorate yesterday insisted that no tourists had cancelled their trips to Sharm el-Sheikh.
In an apparent attempt to prove the waters safe, he donned a wet suit and jumped into the water just yards from the spot where the German woman was killed.
Emerging 20 minutes later, he pulled his mask to one side and proclaimed: 'I saw a lot of beautiful marine life. It was wonderful. Everything is wonderful. This city is a gift from God and I'm sure everything is safe.'
- Sent using Google Toolbar"
Top 10 most infamous shark attacks
Top ten most infamous shark attacks
After a shark killed one tourist and injured several more in a spate of five attacks at Sharm el Sheikh, the Red Sea resort, here is a list of ten of the most infamous shark attacks in history.
#1 Jersey shore, 1916 (The mighty Bull Shark)
Arguably the most famous shark attacks in history resulted in four dead and one injured, probably at the hands of a great white or bull shark, over a ten-day period. Why the notoriety? The spate of attacks is thought to have inspired the film Jaws.
#2 Matawan Creek, New Jersey, 1916
Just a week after the Jersey shore attacks a 12-year-old boy was killed by a great white in Matawan Creek, prompting a shark hunt by local men. It claimed another victim and wounded a third before being caught, and when cut open the shark was found to contain 15lb (7kg) of human flesh and bone.
#3 U.S.S. Indianapolis, 1945
Oceanic whitetip sharks are held to be responsible for the deaths of hundreds of sailors stranded at sea after the U.S.S. Indianapolis was torpedoed. Between 600 and 800 sailors lost their lives but it is not known how many died from exposure and how many from shark attacks.
#4 Brook Watson, 1749
The first known survivor of a shark attack was 14-year-old Brook Watson, a crew member of a trading ship who was twice attacked while swimming in the harbour of Havana, Cuba. His shipmates saved his life, but the shark took his foot and he later had his leg amputated.
Watson went on to become an MP, the Lord Mayor of London, and to be featured in one of the most enduring images of a shark attack, Watson and the Shark by John Singleton Copley, who witnessed the event.
#5 Rodney Fox, 1953
Fox, an Australian spearfishing champion, was defending his title when he was attacked by a great white which took him around his waist in its jaws. After an epic struggle he was released. He is the best-known survivor of a shark attack simply because of the extent of his injuries, which required four hours of surgery and 360 stitches, and his miraculous survival.
#6 Bethany Hamilton, 2003
One of America’s highest-ranked surfers, 13-year-old Bethany Hamilton, lost her arm in an attack by a tiger shark in Hawaii in 2003. She was undeterred by her injury and defied the effect it had on her balance to win a national surfing title in 2005.
#7 Barry Wilson, 1952
Another case that surely influenced the makers of Jaws, 17-year-old Barry Wilson was killed as he swam with a friend off the shore of Pacific Grove, California, in front of scores of witnesses. One saw him jerk suddenly before being pulled from side to side. The shark then lifted him completely out of the water before dragging him under.
#8 Lloyd Skinner, 2010
A shark described as “dinosaur huge” and “longer than a minibus” killed tourist Lloyd Skinner as he swam neck-deep just yards from the shore of a beach in Cape Town, South Africa. The shark, thought to be a great white, twice pulled him under water, leaving behind no trace of the victim except a pool of blood and his swimming goggles.
#9 Henri Bource, 1964
In one of the first attacks captured on film, Henri Bource was swimming with two other divers off the coast of Australia when a great white pounced and bit off his leg. His colleagues saved his life by dragging him to safety and giving first aid. Bource later claimed he tried to free himself by gouging the shark’s eyes and ramming his arm down its throat.
#10 Sharm el Sheikh, 2010 (To be continued....)
A spate of attacks at the Red Sea resort was thought to have ended when two sharks were captured, and the beaches were reopened. The following day a 70-year-old German woman was killed as she snorkelled close to the shore. The attacks were thought to have been prompted by the dumping of a dead sheep from a ship.
- Sent using Google Toolbar"
After a shark killed one tourist and injured several more in a spate of five attacks at Sharm el Sheikh, the Red Sea resort, here is a list of ten of the most infamous shark attacks in history.
#1 Jersey shore, 1916 (The mighty Bull Shark)
Arguably the most famous shark attacks in history resulted in four dead and one injured, probably at the hands of a great white or bull shark, over a ten-day period. Why the notoriety? The spate of attacks is thought to have inspired the film Jaws.
#2 Matawan Creek, New Jersey, 1916
Just a week after the Jersey shore attacks a 12-year-old boy was killed by a great white in Matawan Creek, prompting a shark hunt by local men. It claimed another victim and wounded a third before being caught, and when cut open the shark was found to contain 15lb (7kg) of human flesh and bone.
#3 U.S.S. Indianapolis, 1945
Oceanic whitetip sharks are held to be responsible for the deaths of hundreds of sailors stranded at sea after the U.S.S. Indianapolis was torpedoed. Between 600 and 800 sailors lost their lives but it is not known how many died from exposure and how many from shark attacks.
#4 Brook Watson, 1749
The first known survivor of a shark attack was 14-year-old Brook Watson, a crew member of a trading ship who was twice attacked while swimming in the harbour of Havana, Cuba. His shipmates saved his life, but the shark took his foot and he later had his leg amputated.
Watson went on to become an MP, the Lord Mayor of London, and to be featured in one of the most enduring images of a shark attack, Watson and the Shark by John Singleton Copley, who witnessed the event.
#5 Rodney Fox, 1953
Fox, an Australian spearfishing champion, was defending his title when he was attacked by a great white which took him around his waist in its jaws. After an epic struggle he was released. He is the best-known survivor of a shark attack simply because of the extent of his injuries, which required four hours of surgery and 360 stitches, and his miraculous survival.
#6 Bethany Hamilton, 2003
One of America’s highest-ranked surfers, 13-year-old Bethany Hamilton, lost her arm in an attack by a tiger shark in Hawaii in 2003. She was undeterred by her injury and defied the effect it had on her balance to win a national surfing title in 2005.
#7 Barry Wilson, 1952
Another case that surely influenced the makers of Jaws, 17-year-old Barry Wilson was killed as he swam with a friend off the shore of Pacific Grove, California, in front of scores of witnesses. One saw him jerk suddenly before being pulled from side to side. The shark then lifted him completely out of the water before dragging him under.
#8 Lloyd Skinner, 2010
A shark described as “dinosaur huge” and “longer than a minibus” killed tourist Lloyd Skinner as he swam neck-deep just yards from the shore of a beach in Cape Town, South Africa. The shark, thought to be a great white, twice pulled him under water, leaving behind no trace of the victim except a pool of blood and his swimming goggles.
#9 Henri Bource, 1964
In one of the first attacks captured on film, Henri Bource was swimming with two other divers off the coast of Australia when a great white pounced and bit off his leg. His colleagues saved his life by dragging him to safety and giving first aid. Bource later claimed he tried to free himself by gouging the shark’s eyes and ramming his arm down its throat.
#10 Sharm el Sheikh, 2010 (To be continued....)
A spate of attacks at the Red Sea resort was thought to have ended when two sharks were captured, and the beaches were reopened. The following day a 70-year-old German woman was killed as she snorkelled close to the shore. The attacks were thought to have been prompted by the dumping of a dead sheep from a ship.
- Sent using Google Toolbar"
Illegal shark bait
Lamb, chicken used to lure sharks | Adelaide Now:
TROUBLE LURKING: Henley Surf Life Saving Club secretary Kevin Fitzgerald at Henley jetty, South Australia. He says some fishermen are illegally baiting sharks.
ROGUE fishermen are using chicken carcasses and cuts of lamb to lure sharks closer to shore, surf lifesavers warn.
Henley Surf Life Saving Club president Neville Fielder said recreational fishers doing 'the wrong thing' off the jetty, the beach and boats would attract sharks from farther afield.
'It's when people are using what's been declared as illegal bait - so that might be fat, chickens, lamb and things like that. That's what the issue is,' he said.
'It's been banned for a reason and it is being done. I speak to people who have witnessed these things happening.'
He was told Fisheries officers were monitoring the situation, looking out for large hooks, wire trace and animal products, but remained concerned illegal activity was going on undetected.
On Saturday, club secretary Kevin Fitzgerald watched nippers train surrounded by shark bait. 'They're paddling their boards out and the sharkies are up there with their balloons with meat hanging off it, right where we're training,' he said. 'It's not a good image to portray to the parents, for a start.'
The warning comes as two large sharks were caught off Henley Beach within a fortnight. They may have been attracted closer to shore as a result of illegal activity by other fisherman.
Peter Dietman, fisheries and aquaculture manager regional operations for the Department of Primary Industries and Resources of South Australia, said that in the past a number of people had been fined for using animal or meat products, but shark fishing was not illegal.
'The oceans are there for everyone to use within the rules, but we ask fishers to be conscious of the fact that there are other people using the sea and similarly it goes the other way,' he said.
'No one has sole rights over it. We just ask people to recognise that other people are entitled to have access to the areas as well and to be as fair and reasonable as they can.'
He said the penalty for unlawful berleying using animal or bird products would depend on the circumstances. Fisheries officers can issue a $210 on-the-spot fine or, if the offence is serious enough or involves repetitive behaviour, they can opt to prosecute with fines up to $2500.
Lifesaving patrols started on Saturday.
Report any illegal activity to FISHWATCH on 1800 065 522.
From The Advertiser: Illegal Shark Bait Fears
Aerial photographs reveal the shark swam around crab pots slung from the jetty before it was driven away by air and sea lifesaver patrols. The Sunday Mail also discovered chicken carcasses strewn on the jetty yesterday afternoon.
Grange Surf Life Saving Club president Robert Thompson blamed fishermen illegally baiting crab pots with chicken carcasses for attracting the sharks closer to shore – and putting swimmers in danger. He said both his lifesavers and beachgoers had witnessed the practice, which was banned in 2007. "We certainly think this is a contributing factor," he said of the shark presence.
"The fact that the majority of sharks around this year have been hanging around jetties has got to speak for itself. "Whatever people are doing off the jetty, it is creating food for sharks. "We've got juniors and our own members in the water all the time and it is a major concern that it is happening." Mr Thompson said the number of sightings had forced Grange to restrict the club's junior training session yesterday to the shallows at the beach. Evening training had been shifted to West Lakes, he said.
The shark sighting at Grange was one of three bronze whalers – all ranging from two to three metres in size – spotted in just two hours close to swimmers yesterday. The first was spotted 50m off Henley Beach at 11.50am, and the last at 1.40pm, just 20m off-shore at Grange, 500m north of the jetty. There have been 18 confirmed shark sightings since summer patrols started. A lifesaver, who did not want to be named, told the Sunday Mail the record number of sightings was frightening swimmers out of the water. "People are scared so they stay away," he said. "We're seeing less and less people in the water."
Father of two John Kontoutsikos, who was on Grange Beach with his family yesterday, said he was keeping his children close to the shore. "It's hard to go here with the kids and swim because it's scary," he said.
"They're (sharks) coming close to the shore and something could happen."
Jade Tornquist, 31, of Plympton, was keeping a close watch on her son Jacob, 12, and daughter Gabrielle, 10, as they went into the sea with the Grange Nippers. But she was reassured by the presence of surf lifesavers on patrol. "I suppose you can get hit by a bus too, but you do worry when you're out in the water," she said. "There's always a chance that things could happen and they (children) can't be saved."
Surf Life Saving SA state manager Shane Daw said his members had reported a "small number" of people "allegedly" throwing chicken carcasses into the water. Mr Daw said it was not uncommon for sharks to hang around a particular area for a number of weeks. "We hope in the next couple of days they will move on," he said.
In December, 2007, fisheries regulations were tightened making it illegal to use meat products as berley because of concerns it would attract sharks.
Mr Thompson said the heightened publicity around the shark sightings also had attracted more people to the jetty to try to catch gummy sharks. "As far as we're concerned, we believe it (gummy shark fishing) should be illegal," he said.
Primary Industries and Resources SA acting executive director of fisheries Kelly Crosthwaite said the department had received increasing reports of people using chicken carcasses and meat products.
"If people are using small bits of chicken in their crab pots, it wouldn't be a major factor in attracting sharks," she said.
People face a maximum $2500 fine if caught using animal products in the pots.
- Sent using Google Toolbar"
TROUBLE LURKING: Henley Surf Life Saving Club secretary Kevin Fitzgerald at Henley jetty, South Australia. He says some fishermen are illegally baiting sharks.
ROGUE fishermen are using chicken carcasses and cuts of lamb to lure sharks closer to shore, surf lifesavers warn.
Henley Surf Life Saving Club president Neville Fielder said recreational fishers doing 'the wrong thing' off the jetty, the beach and boats would attract sharks from farther afield.
'It's when people are using what's been declared as illegal bait - so that might be fat, chickens, lamb and things like that. That's what the issue is,' he said.
'It's been banned for a reason and it is being done. I speak to people who have witnessed these things happening.'
He was told Fisheries officers were monitoring the situation, looking out for large hooks, wire trace and animal products, but remained concerned illegal activity was going on undetected.
On Saturday, club secretary Kevin Fitzgerald watched nippers train surrounded by shark bait. 'They're paddling their boards out and the sharkies are up there with their balloons with meat hanging off it, right where we're training,' he said. 'It's not a good image to portray to the parents, for a start.'
The warning comes as two large sharks were caught off Henley Beach within a fortnight. They may have been attracted closer to shore as a result of illegal activity by other fisherman.
Peter Dietman, fisheries and aquaculture manager regional operations for the Department of Primary Industries and Resources of South Australia, said that in the past a number of people had been fined for using animal or meat products, but shark fishing was not illegal.
'The oceans are there for everyone to use within the rules, but we ask fishers to be conscious of the fact that there are other people using the sea and similarly it goes the other way,' he said.
'No one has sole rights over it. We just ask people to recognise that other people are entitled to have access to the areas as well and to be as fair and reasonable as they can.'
He said the penalty for unlawful berleying using animal or bird products would depend on the circumstances. Fisheries officers can issue a $210 on-the-spot fine or, if the offence is serious enough or involves repetitive behaviour, they can opt to prosecute with fines up to $2500.
Lifesaving patrols started on Saturday.
Report any illegal activity to FISHWATCH on 1800 065 522.
From The Advertiser: Illegal Shark Bait Fears
High-speed chase ...
Surf lifesavers chase the 3m shark from Grange Jetty.
A MENACING shark lurked near crab pots off Grange Jetty yesterday, amid claims fishermen were baiting the predators closer to shore.
Yesterday's drama began when the three-metre bronze whaler was spotted near the jetty just after 1pm. Aerial photographs reveal the shark swam around crab pots slung from the jetty before it was driven away by air and sea lifesaver patrols. The Sunday Mail also discovered chicken carcasses strewn on the jetty yesterday afternoon.
Grange Surf Life Saving Club president Robert Thompson blamed fishermen illegally baiting crab pots with chicken carcasses for attracting the sharks closer to shore – and putting swimmers in danger. He said both his lifesavers and beachgoers had witnessed the practice, which was banned in 2007. "We certainly think this is a contributing factor," he said of the shark presence.
"The fact that the majority of sharks around this year have been hanging around jetties has got to speak for itself. "Whatever people are doing off the jetty, it is creating food for sharks. "We've got juniors and our own members in the water all the time and it is a major concern that it is happening." Mr Thompson said the number of sightings had forced Grange to restrict the club's junior training session yesterday to the shallows at the beach. Evening training had been shifted to West Lakes, he said.
The shark sighting at Grange was one of three bronze whalers – all ranging from two to three metres in size – spotted in just two hours close to swimmers yesterday. The first was spotted 50m off Henley Beach at 11.50am, and the last at 1.40pm, just 20m off-shore at Grange, 500m north of the jetty. There have been 18 confirmed shark sightings since summer patrols started. A lifesaver, who did not want to be named, told the Sunday Mail the record number of sightings was frightening swimmers out of the water. "People are scared so they stay away," he said. "We're seeing less and less people in the water."
Father of two John Kontoutsikos, who was on Grange Beach with his family yesterday, said he was keeping his children close to the shore. "It's hard to go here with the kids and swim because it's scary," he said.
"They're (sharks) coming close to the shore and something could happen."
Jade Tornquist, 31, of Plympton, was keeping a close watch on her son Jacob, 12, and daughter Gabrielle, 10, as they went into the sea with the Grange Nippers. But she was reassured by the presence of surf lifesavers on patrol. "I suppose you can get hit by a bus too, but you do worry when you're out in the water," she said. "There's always a chance that things could happen and they (children) can't be saved."
Surf Life Saving SA state manager Shane Daw said his members had reported a "small number" of people "allegedly" throwing chicken carcasses into the water. Mr Daw said it was not uncommon for sharks to hang around a particular area for a number of weeks. "We hope in the next couple of days they will move on," he said.
In December, 2007, fisheries regulations were tightened making it illegal to use meat products as berley because of concerns it would attract sharks.
Mr Thompson said the heightened publicity around the shark sightings also had attracted more people to the jetty to try to catch gummy sharks. "As far as we're concerned, we believe it (gummy shark fishing) should be illegal," he said.
Primary Industries and Resources SA acting executive director of fisheries Kelly Crosthwaite said the department had received increasing reports of people using chicken carcasses and meat products.
"If people are using small bits of chicken in their crab pots, it wouldn't be a major factor in attracting sharks," she said.
People face a maximum $2500 fine if caught using animal products in the pots.
- Sent using Google Toolbar"
Monday, December 6, 2010
A safe place for a swim!!!
Most people wouldn't think twice before jumping in here!
Residents of Boca Ciega Drive say they're less tempted to swim from their backyards after Wednesday's shark attack. The briny water in the little cove nestled into the corner of Boca Ciega Drive and Bay Street was glass calm today, a day after a swirl of teeth and fins left a frantic teenager screaming and bleeding.
For residents along this quiet waterfront neighborhood, the shark bite was somewhat unsettling, but it would do little to change their habits. Jenna James, a graduate of Admiral Farragut Academy who now attends New York University, was lounging on an inflatable raft just a few yards from her dock around 3 p.m. Wednesday, July 23. The 19-year-old was spotted by her neighbor, Frank McMillan, just before it happened.
He and a friend were working in the backyard of McMillan's mother's home and saw James on the raft, he said. 'I had just talked to her,' McMillan said. He walked inside to get something to drink and in the span of about five minutes, he heard a commotion and walked out to see James' sister attending to the teen on the dock. 'It looked pretty bad,' McMillan said.
James was bitten in the lower right leg. She was taken to Bayfront Medical Center where she was treated and held overnight. Emergency medical officials said the injuries were not life threatening. A hospital spokeswoman this morning said the family did not wish to talk to the media and asked that the hospital not release condition updates.
McMillan said he occasionally jumps into the bay behind his mother's home. 'I was swimming out there on Mother's Day,' he said. James and her sister go swimming out there all the time, he said. 'They have a ladder on the dock for that.' He said his mother, Loretta, has lived in the home for about 10 years and he has fished from the dock behind the home more than he has jumped in. 'All I've ever caught is pinfish and catfish,' he said. No sharks.
Nine years ago, on a dock not far from here, 69-year-old Thadeus Kubinski jumped into the water, right in front of a large bull shark that took one bite and killed the man.
Bob Hueter, director of the center for shark research at Mote Marine in Sarasota, said it's not unusual for sharks to be in that area this time of year. The most dangerous may be bull sharks, he said. 'They grow to be fairly large and they do come up into the brackish areas and will go after large prey.'
It would only be speculation about the type of shark that attacked James, he said. 'It could have been one of several different species,' Hueter said. 'It could even be a juvenile bull. 'Little sharks still have sharp teeth and if they come up, grab and twist, they can do some damage. No shark bite is trivial.'
He recalled the attack in the same area nine years ago. 'Two attacks is not exactly a trend,' he said. 'I wouldn't start worrying about that area.' Concern would rise when more than one bite is recorded during a single season, he said. Two shark bites in the same area nine years apart are not beyond the norm. 'Over the past nine years,' he said, 'probably thousands of people have been swimming in there.'
Serial Killer on the loose?
Five people attacked in under one week in the same place!
A British mother was 'thrown around in blood' after rushing into the ocean to help a woman being mauled to death by a shark.
Ellen Barnes said she heard the victim screaming for help after the shark struck at Egypt's Red Sea resort Sharm el-Sheikh yesterday.
The German woman, who died after losing a leg, is the fifth person to be attacked in the same area in under a week. Her death comes just 24 hours after authorities declared the area 'safe'.
Ms Barnes said she ran into the water but could not see the victim because the shark's thrashing made it impossible to see.
'The water was churning like I was in a washing-machine ... the shark was thrashing and tearing at this poor woman and I could barely keep my head above the water it was so choppy,' she told The Sun newspaper.
The 31-year-old, who was holidaying with her two young children, said lifeguards watched and waited for the victim's body to drift to shore before doing anything
Last Tuesday two women — including a 70-year-old — were attacked, with one suffering back injuries and the other losing a leg and hand.
The next day, two other tourists had their legs bitten off.
Officials told locals and tourists it was safe to go back into the water after they captured two sharks they believed were behind the attacks.
Local divers filmed video of a shark swimming in the area just hours before the first mauling — but it is not clear whether that shark has attacked anybody.
The shark on the tape is missing a chunk out of its tail which experts say could cause it to act aggressively.
There is speculation the sharks were drawn to the area after cattle and sheep brought in for last month's Islamic feast of Eid al-Adha died at sea.
- Sent using Google Toolbar"
A British mother was 'thrown around in blood' after rushing into the ocean to help a woman being mauled to death by a shark.
One of the sharks believed to be involved in the attacks at the Egypt resort.
Ellen Barnes said she heard the victim screaming for help after the shark struck at Egypt's Red Sea resort Sharm el-Sheikh yesterday.
The German woman, who died after losing a leg, is the fifth person to be attacked in the same area in under a week. Her death comes just 24 hours after authorities declared the area 'safe'.
Ms Barnes said she ran into the water but could not see the victim because the shark's thrashing made it impossible to see.
'The water was churning like I was in a washing-machine ... the shark was thrashing and tearing at this poor woman and I could barely keep my head above the water it was so choppy,' she told The Sun newspaper.
The 31-year-old, who was holidaying with her two young children, said lifeguards watched and waited for the victim's body to drift to shore before doing anything
Last Tuesday two women — including a 70-year-old — were attacked, with one suffering back injuries and the other losing a leg and hand.
The next day, two other tourists had their legs bitten off.
Officials told locals and tourists it was safe to go back into the water after they captured two sharks they believed were behind the attacks.
Local divers filmed video of a shark swimming in the area just hours before the first mauling — but it is not clear whether that shark has attacked anybody.
The shark on the tape is missing a chunk out of its tail which experts say could cause it to act aggressively.
There is speculation the sharks were drawn to the area after cattle and sheep brought in for last month's Islamic feast of Eid al-Adha died at sea.
- Sent using Google Toolbar"
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