Tuesday, February 26, 2013

Bimini Bull Run Video - Getting to Know The Locals

Meanwhile the hard working crew over at Bimini Bull Run are spending the next few weeks getting to know the locals or Bull Sharks at their all new marina based cage dive operation.

It's a tough job but someone has to do it.

Fortunately they have Martin and Carson on site every day. Martin is none other than Martin Graf who has, for the past decade, been head of diver operations for Shark Diver, today he runs the whole company, that's when he's not at Bimini Bull Run in the Bahamas enjoying the sun, sand, sharks and locals.

These big animals have come to call the Bimini Big Game Club home for the past 60 years, eating fish scraps from fishermen as they return each day from offshore adventures. The team at BBR have created a 'locked down site' in ten feet of water where divers and animals can interact safely allowing even those with no dive certification a first hand glimps into the wonderful world of sharks.

Today's visibility was not the best, in fact this is about as bad as it gets, but it was some quality time taken to introduce the animals to the shark cage and cameras getting everyone into a routine that will remain the same for years to come which is the basis of any lasting shark program.

Welcome to the sharks of Bimini Bull Run video here.

About Shark Diver. As a global leader in commercial shark diving and conservation initiatives Shark Diver has spent the past decade engaged for sharks around the world. Our blog highlights all aspects of both of these dynamic and shifting worlds. You can reach us directly at sharkcrew@gmail.com.

Two Sides To A Fin - KOP Productions - Good Stuff

Great little documentary about sharks and shark fin by KOP Productions

The issues are not as cut and dry as one might imagine (no pun intended...well yes, there's some pun, about 20%). It is very easy to stand on a Facebook soapbox and cry foul when it comes to sharks.

Lord knows there's millions of petition folks about, but like any complex animal trade issue involving cultures, countries, and economic scales balance and nuance must play into viable solutions.

Of course we just used about six words your average shark conservationist, who fervently believe that blonde swimsuit models or head gear challenged divers, the ones who egregiously molest sharks for their own Facebook "like' number count, have no idea of their meaning. For example the words "viable" and "solution,"...pressing on, there are a few who actually think about these things and write about them too.

Da Shark has some thoughts on this and we'll let him play the Judas Conservationist with this issue because he's waaay ahead of the curve with his solutions and we find ourselves agreeing with them because they contain balance and nuance. Two additional words sadly left out of the Big Book of Shark Conservation these days while folks run off on moronic tangents trying to shoe horn the concept of an upside down Tonic Tiger Shark into some kind of broader conservation meaning.

Without videos like these the conservation movement for sharks would devolve into crudely drawn images on bathroom stalls and shit smeared bumper stickers slogans, wait, that has already happened, thanks to a small group of absolute twits who happen to exhibit a modicum of media savvy - oh and you know who you are, unfortunately we all do.

Sharks these days are running a gauntlet, at sea it's hooks and we can all agree that's bad news, in shore it's idiots with Kardashian sized egos, cameras, and a compliant media who lionize stupid pet tricks with sharks.

Anyway, this is the mainline to good conservation messaging, enjoy:




About Shark Diver. As a global leader in commercial shark diving and conservation initiatives Shark Diver has spent the past decade engaged for sharks around the world. Our blog highlights all aspects of both of these dynamic and shifting worlds. You can reach us directly at sharkcrew@gmail.com.

Monday, February 18, 2013

Sharks, is it getting creative around here or what?

Edd Brooks over at the Cape Eleuthera Institute Shark Program has some very creative folks working at his lab, like for instance Brendan Talwar and Ian Rossiter who produced this very amusing look at sharks, shark conservation, and more in, The Story of Sharks:



Yeah we're also huge fans as well.

About Shark Diver. As a global leader in commercial shark diving and conservation initiatives Shark Diver has spent the past decade engaged for sharks around the world. Our blog highlights all aspects of both of these dynamic and shifting worlds. You can reach us directly at sharkcrew@gmail.com.

Tiger Shark Rescued...by Divers?

Vintage 1960's man vs shark images
"Divers Save Tiger Shark!," now that's a headline I'd like to see more often. It seems like all we hear about in the media is sharks doing something to humans and just how dangerous sharks are to us.


This video shows a couple of divers, coming across a shark that had been caught, stabbed and thrown back into the water.

The divers then proceed to help the shark. I've seen the remarkable ability to heal that these beautiful animals posses and hope that the shark swam off and is ok.

This story illustrates the stark difference in attitude towards sharks that exists today. On one hand you have someone callously stabbing a shark and throwing it back into the water and then someone else actively trying to help that same animal.

Regardless of the outcome of this rescue attempt, it's nice to see that divers react to a shark not with fear, but compassion and that a media outlet reports something other than sharks attacking or threatening people.

Kind of like what we do around here on a daily basis;)

Cheers,
Martin Graf
Managing Director
Shark Diver

About Shark Diver. As a global leader in commercial shark diving and conservation initiatives Shark Diver has spent the past decade engaged for sharks around the world. Our blog highlights all aspects of both of these dynamic and shifting worlds. You can reach us directly at sharkcrew@gmail.com.

Sunday, February 17, 2013

Shark Free Marinas Video - Oceanic Allstars

Like peanut butter and jelly on some sort of yummy media based steroid, the combination of two extremely dedicated shark media folk and the Shark Free Marinas Initiative in Fiji has lead to the following PSA which, when you get right down to the nuts and bolts of it, is pretty great stuff.

Kudos to Duncan and Jillian for the fantastic work:

  Shark Free Marinas - Fiji from Oceanicallstars: Duncan Brake on Vimeo.

About Shark Diver. As a global leader in commercial shark diving and conservation initiatives Shark Diver has spent the past decade engaged for sharks around the world. Our blog highlights all aspects of both of these dynamic and shifting worlds. You can reach us directly at sharkcrew@gmail.com.

Bimini Hammerheads, Shark Protocols, Common Sense

 Greetings from Bimini,

With the enormous amount of interest that the Great Hammerheads are generating around Bimini this year, I wanted to attempt to to set the record straight regarding this incredible situation happening around the island.  I don’t mean this message to be confrontational or self-righteous, rather I’m hoping it can be informative and maybe even helpful.

As anyone familiar with Bimini has probably already assumed,  the researchers at the Bimini Biological Field Station (SharkLab) are responsible for discovering and determining the regularity and reliability of diving with these big hammerheads.  The SharkLab staff began diving with these sharks on a regular basis back in 2003, and since then have utilized various ‘hammerhead sites’ around the island for numerous research projects and related expeditions.  Obviously the hammerheads were around long before that, and can be found in more than one location around Bimini, but all of the visiting “shark diving” boats are utilizing sites and situations developed by local SharkLab researchers.

Due to the rarity of interacting with these sharks, and the incredible potential for research opportunities on an IUCN Redlisted species, local guides and tour operators have resisted the exploitation of this yearly “Hammerhead Season” around Bimini.  It was decided that research should be the priority surrounding this event, rather than commercialization. 

For better or for worse, that all changed in 2012.  An off-island SCUBA operator caught wind of the situation around Bimini and convinced a former-SharkLabber to show him the basics of how-and-when-and-where to attract these incredible sharks.  A year later, after the wide publicization of that proclaimed “one time only” expedition, we now have at least 10 off-island dive operations converging on Bimini to experience this event.

Anyone coming to dive with these sharks around Bimini needs to accept that there is considerable amount of responsibility that comes with your expedition.  You have the ability to do an enormous amount of damage to the reputation of this island and to this endangered species of shark, and hopefully you do not take this lightly.  I’m a firm believer that under the right circumstances and with the proper insight, any species of shark can be safely encountered in the wild.  That being said, I would imagine there is little to no agreement on exactly what those circumstances and insights are.  But simply stated, if you think its acceptable to put yourself, or your guests, or the sharks, at any elevated risk for the sake of photos, videos, or bragging-rights, you are wrong.  If you or your guests get hurt around Bimini because of your own recklessness, the tourism industry on this island could face irreparable damage, as could the public perception of these sharks, and we want people to take that very, very seriously.

Additionally, I’d like to suggest that if you are benefiting in anyway from your expedition to Bimini, that you should make a point to patronize some of the local businesses while you’re here so that the island benefits from your trip as well.  Go to the local bars at night, take some meals at local restaurants, take a tour of the SharkLab, or whatever else you think is fitting.  If you’re looking for a marina to tie up in, please consider Bimini Sands Resort & Marina, the Bimini Big Game Club, Seacrest Hotel & Marina, Bimini Blue Water Resort, Weech’s Bimini Docks, or Brown’s Marina.  All of these marinas have supported local conservation measures and should be rewarded for doing so.

If, for some reason, you’re not willing to spend money on the island, then contribute in some other way.  Help maintain the moorings at the local dive sites, do a beach clean-up with your crew and guests, join and help publicize the Bimini Marine Protected Area Campaign, or something else worthwhile.

We don’t need, or want, this amazing event around Bimini to turn into a circus of competing egos.  There is no need to further misrepresent the history of this situation, nor is there any reason that the operators involved can’t coordinate and cooperate in a professional manner, all without interfering with ongoing research. 

If you are seeing this message, I’d ask that you help distribute it to anyone else you know that is participating in these Great Hammerhead expeditions .  We expect your cooperation in ensuring the safety of every person and animal involved in these excursions, and also expect your help in maintaining a professional atmosphere around the island with proper diving etiquette employed.  The Bimini Tourism Advisory Board is currently discussing this issue, and will soon put forth a set of guidelines to help ensure that Bimini’s ‘Hammerhead Season’ is managed appropriately, helping to assure that people have fun during their visit while being solicitous towards the animals and the people on this island.

As Bimini emerges as the regional “Hammerhead Headquarters,” we all need to do what is necessary to make sure your excursion not only benefits you and your guests, but also the sharks and the island of Bimini.

Thank you for your time, and please feel free to contact me if you have any further questions or comments.

Regards,

Grant Johnson
Vice-Chairman, Bimini Tourism Advisory Board (BTAB)
Activities Director, Bimini Sands Resort & Marina (2007 – Present)
Manager, Bimini Biological Field Station –SharkLab (2001-2007)
South Bimini, Bahamas

More info:
Bimini Marine Protected Area Campaign - facebook.com/Bimini.Marine.Protected.Area
Bimini Blue Coalition - facebook.com/BiminiBlueCoalition


Note: We happen to agree with this statement and will support any and all efforts to help promote 'sustainable shark tourism' on this unique and fragile island.

About Shark Diver. As a global leader in commercial shark diving and conservation initiatives Shark Diver has spent the past decade engaged for sharks around the world. Our blog highlights all aspects of both of these dynamic and shifting worlds. You can reach us directly at sharkcrew@gmail.com.

Sharksploitation or Conservationsploitation or Both?

Free-diving with a Great White Shark, being one with it is a great idea if you're a self proclaimed shark conservationist, right? You're showing just how non aggressive, nice and cuddly those sharks really are.

They love humans and are just misunderstood.

This is the message Ocean Ramsey is trying to get out in this video. Or is she?

Great White Shark at Isla Guadalupe after interacting with another Shark
I've been observing and diving with Great White Sharks at Isla Guadalupe for 11 years and have literally spent thousands of hours watching them, observing their behavior and interactions. I can honestly say that I love those sharks and the one thing I can absolutely state is, that that feeling is  NOT mutual. While the sharks are definitely interested in us, seem to recognize individual people and swim by just to check us out, looking each diver straight into the eyes, they do not have warm fuzzy feelings towards humans.

Let's put this in perspective. Everything in the Great White Sharks society is, by human standards, extremely violent. Their interactions range from giving each other space and and respecting the others size, to violently biting each other. I have never seen two sharks touch each other, without any violent response. They do not form human like bonds and get touchy feely with each other. Even their mating involves biting each other in order to hold on.

So back to Ocean Ramsey and her video. Not only do I not agree with the portrayal of the Great White Shark as a harmless creature, I think that diving down and holding on to the sharks can actually make them more dangerous to humans. If they don't like being held onto, they might start to associate humans with being a nuisance and treating them accordingly.

Where do these stunts lead to? What is the next person that wants to get their 15 minutes of fame going to do? Open the sharks mouth and brush it's teeth? Her video is not about shark conservation but simply an attempt at self promotion. If we really are concerned with shark conservation, we need to accurately show what these magnificent creatures are like. They are neither mindless killers, nor are they pets.

Cheers,
Martin Graf
Managing Director

About Shark Diver. As a global leader in commercial shark diving and conservation initiatives Shark Diver has spent the past decade engaged for sharks around the world. Our blog highlights all aspects of both of these dynamic and shifting worlds. You can reach us directly at sharkcrew@gmail.com.

Tuesday, February 12, 2013

Creating Shark Week Anchor Commercials - Big Productions, Big Fun

Volkswagen 2012 Shark Week
For the past three years the crew over here at Shark Diver have been the creative force behind some of Discovery Channels most memorable Shark Week anchor commercials.

The idea of off brands getting into the shark space is nothing new, Snickers did it in 2010 and the commercial world became a much more interesting world for it.

Our full time entrance into this unique and growing space was to bring the, 'live shark element' to commercials.

In 2012 we were asked to create the entire underwater world for Gillette and Shark Week.

This was one very challenging shoot as there's a saying in the production world, 'never work with children or live sharks.' That being said we managed to attract and hold six full time Tigers and over 50 Lemon sharks to a locked down offshore shark site in the Bahamas delivering a completely unique first person commercial that quickly went viral.

In 2012 we were asked again to put our collective talents into an underwater production for Volkswagen. The lead on this one was What.We.Do.Media, and you'll recognize the talent behind this company as none other than Luke Tipple.

Creating a submersible iconic car brand replica and taking into the world of sharks? - Inspired.

That's what we do here at Shark Diver, with a tight team, we deliver extraordinary commercial visions that go viral featuring iconic brands...underwater with sharks.

Looking forward to 2013 - let's go shark diving.


About Shark Diver. As a global leader in commercial shark diving and conservation initiatives Shark Diver has spent the past decade engaged for sharks around the world. Our blog highlights all aspects of both of these dynamic and shifting worlds. You can reach us directly at sharkcrew@gmail.com.

Monday, February 11, 2013

Bimini Bull Run Operational, Bull Shark Diving!

Bimini Bull Run is now operational:

1. Shark Cage - Check

2. Safety Systems - Check

3. Sunset Bar at Sharky's - Check

4. Website - Coming Soon

5. Playboy Playmate and Wahoo Tournament - Check

In all we're excited about the new shark diving operation at Bimini Big Game Club, but is it for hardcore shark divers?

No, fortunately for them and just 30 minutes from the docks at Bimini Bull Run are more big sharks than you can shake a stick at - Tigers, Lemons, Reefs, "others."

This site is for non cert day divers who have never had a wild shark encounter, this will be their first, and just up the dock will be their first shark beer as well, it's nothing short of shark diving paradise.

See you in a few weeks!

About Shark Diver. As a global leader in commercial shark diving and conservation initiatives Shark Diver has spent the past decade engaged for sharks around the world. Our blog highlights all aspects of both of these dynamic and shifting worlds. You can reach us directly at sharkcrew@gmail.com.

Bull Shark Caught Goa, India - That's a Biggun'

 Local fishermen in Goa, India catch a simply massive Bull Shark:




About Shark Diver. As a global leader in commercial shark diving and conservation initiatives Shark Diver has spent the past decade engaged for sharks around the world. Our blog highlights all aspects of both of these dynamic and shifting worlds. You can reach us directly at sharkcrew@gmail.com.

Saturday, February 9, 2013

S.A Shark Nets - Wagging The Conservation Dog - And Wrong Sounding Muppets

Pizza box tops and lipstick...now THAT'S conservation!
Word on the street is that Shark Angels, those rough riding take-no-prissiness step children of Sea Shepherd, have managed to get the shark nets in  Aliwal Shoal Marine Protected Area taken down.

Or at least they will come down sometime in the future, and when they do you can thank the Shark Angels for it:

"Thanks in part to the hard work from several shark angels for almost four years, KZN Sharks Board has buckled under the pressure and has recommended the removal of four gill nets in the Aliwal Shoal Marine Protected Area within the next year. This includes nets at both Scottburgh and Park Rynie and is a monumental step towards the abandonment of shark nets throughout the country – and hopefully at some point, the globe. The announcement, which came at the quarterly meeting of the Aliwal Shoal Forum in KwaZulu Natal, was made quietly and without fanfare - because it signals the weakening of the Sharks Board and constitutes an incredible triumph for those working hard to protect sharks, who have been struggling to achieve the removal of the nets since 2008." 

Like many out there in the conservation space this news seems a bit odd to us...like wrong sounding Muppets.

But in fairness, let's all celebrate this news. Four nets, a victory, and Julie Anderson's redemption in the shark conservation space for years of mismanaged stage craft masquerading as an attempt to sell a Reality TV show...wait a minute...now we see it.

Could be the coffee kicking in but, stay with us here, if one wanted for the sake of argument to sell a Reality TV show about an org that saved sharks, and one happened to be peddling said show to various networks (we know because we walked into said networks weeks after), wouldn't one also want to post victory notices on websites even though said victories were:

"made quietly" and "without fanfare" and "recommended" and "within the next year"

Yup. Check that box. It's known as Wagging The Conservation Dog a distinct media specialty of Sea Shepherd and it's media clones. You take an issue, front run it to assume some sort of conservation victory, spread the story far and wide and sit back and collect donor dollars...or eye balls from networks.

Kinda of like wrong sounding Muppets and ENRON. In the conservation space the rules say you post actual victories, you celebrate actual change, you give thanks to folks who work hard for animals.

The rest is just media nonsense and for the sharks in Aliwal Shoal Marine Protected Area who will be killed in nets this week, next week, and the week after, the Shark Angels "victory" is as short lived as the animals that keep dying in them.

Mike's Blog - The Issue Ongoing.

Now for some amusement:



About Shark Diver. As a global leader in commercial shark diving and conservation initiatives Shark Diver has spent the past decade engaged for sharks around the world. Our blog highlights all aspects of both of these dynamic and shifting worlds. You can reach us directly at sharkcrew@gmail.com.

Wednesday, February 6, 2013

Shark Conservation Wins - T'Was a Good Month

Image Ocean Research
Naturally when word and images of some guy in S.A who had caught a protected white shark appeared on the Internet in 2011 - we had some choice words of our own to say about it:

"Simian, Rock Squatting, Douchebaggery with Sharks"

Note: It was the fine assemblage of words like these to describe events of the day that made us one of the most read shark blogs out there.

But wait, there's even better news, because said "Simian" was arrested and fined, yes fined!

Just when you thought that S.A was little more than an overheated battleground for competing commercial operations, a few disparate conservation types, and a mess of shark regulations, something was done for sharks..

Actually, S.A is a fine place for sharks and for the commercial interests as well who rallied around this one dead shark to see justice for protected species done.

Now, if we could only get New Zealand on board with the legal shark fin quota they have and the few commercial miscreants who still harvest sharks for fins, and you know who you are - Lady Anna still killing sharks or have you given that up for Lent?

Oh and yes there was this, the bust of some fishermen in Honduras in a no take zone. Is this the end of shark fining in sanctuaries?

If Mikes breathy post is any indication we can all call it "Victory" and go home, as for us we'll take a more nuanced approach and wait and see. After six years of shark blogging we know better.

BTW if you happen to be into the nuanced approach Mike also wrote this, and it's about as good as it gets. Read his post before you go off on your next racist Facebook Rant about how, "brown and yellow people and raping the oceans"...they are not for the most part, what they are doing is surviving, and not in the twice-a-day Skinny Latte manner of Julie from Sea Shepherd, (oh how she suffers for sharks) but in the classic, "don't have two dimes to rub together and my folks need to eat," sense.

Good blogging.

About Shark Diver. As a global leader in commercial shark diving and conservation initiatives Shark Diver has spent the past decade engaged for sharks around the world. Our blog highlights all aspects of both of these dynamic and shifting worlds. You can reach us directly at sharkcrew@gmail.com.

Tuesday, February 5, 2013

New Film and TV Production Hub with Sharks for Filmmakers

Miami, FLORIDA - Sharks are some of nature’s most sought after animals in the production world. 

The Bull Shark (Carcharhinus leucas) has long been considered as one of the oceans top predators. Perhaps that is why divers and non-divers the world over get such an exciting adrenaline packed thrill from encountering them. 
 
Film productions seeking these unique sharks have long had difficulties finding and successfully producing these large predators – until now.

Bimini Bull Run is a new shark production location on the pristine and white sand island of Bimini, Bahamas a 30 minute flight from the USA.   Purpose built for film the television productions at the marina of the Bimini Big Game Club Resort seeking guaranteed shark encounters with large Bull Sharks. This unique site will also be used as a regional film and TV training center for Bahamians seeking to learn more about productions in the Bahamas.


It is a well known industry secret that successful productions with sharks, from commercials to reality tv/hosted shows, enjoy what has been called, “ the shark bump,’ the rise in ratings when sharks are an integral part of productions.


Bimni Bull Run was conceived and built by industry experts who have designed cage systems and a unique platform that is land based to guarantee shark encounters in as short a time as possible, enabling a host of productions the flexibility to film Bull Sharks safely and efficiently.

Bimini Bull Run is a commercial concept endorsed and supported by the Shark-Free Marinas Initiative and the Bahamas Film Commission. Bimini Bull Runs specially designed cage systems are attached to purpose built docks that allow divers, non divers, filmmakers, and underwater photographers access this unique and thrilling underwater world. 


Bimini Bull Run is strategically located just 40 minutes from additional offshore shark species such as Tiger Sharks ( Galeocerdo cuvier) and Reef Sharks (Carcharhinus perezi).

A spokesperson for the site said: “We’re very excited to be able to offer one day guaranteed shark encounters with this completely unique under filmed shark species. Sharks are under siege around the world and we have found that positive encounters with sharks change attitudes and mind sets allowing for the continued preservation of these animals in ways that negative encounters cannot accomplish. At the end of the day these magnificent animals have called Bimini Big Game Club home since the 1930’s when folks like Ernest Hemmingway called this resort and marina home. It’s a completely new opportunity that allows divers, non divers, and productions a safe place to encounter them in their natural habitat.”

Since 2002 we have been doing productions with sharks in the Bahamas. In the film and TV world The Bahamas is known for the ease in which you can film sharks and for your outstanding Film TV Commission and staff who go to great lengths to make productions happen here.

Unfortunately there are no sites where you can film sharks successfully, or guaranteed, in one day. Most production sites for sharks in the Bahamas require a boat trip or diver certification and a minimum of two or three days of film time which sends a lot of productions to other sites around the world.

It's a shark production need that has gone unfilled - until now.

Additionally this new shark site, when in production use, will allow local school children to watch and be part of select productions hopefully opening the world to film and television to them on the ground level. 

About Bimini Bull Run


Biminibullrun.com is the preeminent one day guaranteed shark encounter site in the Bahamas. Along with cage diving instruction and optional pool courses our specially designed cages allow non certified divers a rare glimpse into the world of the sharks face to face. Our goal is to educate, inspire, and share the world of the sharks with generations of divers and non divers the world over to help preserve this precious resource for future generations.

For more information on Bimini Bull Run please visit www.Biminibullrun.com


About Shark Diver. As a global leader in commercial shark diving and conservation initiatives Shark Diver has spent the past decade engaged for sharks around the world. Our blog highlights all aspects of both of these dynamic and shifting worlds. You can reach us directly at sharkcrew@gmail.com.

Friday, February 1, 2013

From the Office to the Ocean Part I - Of Shark and Man

First official teaser for the film "From the Office to the Ocean Part I - Of Shark and Man"
Filmed on location in Pinewood Studios UK, Manchester UK and Shark Reef, Fiji
Produced and Directed by David Diley.

What's not to like about this?

  "Of Shark and Man" - Teaser Trailer 1 from Scarlet View Media on Vimeo.

About Shark Diver. As a global leader in commercial shark diving and conservation initiatives Shark Diver has spent the past decade engaged for sharks around the world. Our blog highlights all aspects of both of these dynamic and shifting worlds. You can reach us directly at sharkcrew@gmail.com.