SF-pages issue 23.indd - The Shark Trust

9th EEA Conference23 rd -26 th November 2005The ConferenceThis year, the 9 th EEA annual conference is being held in thePrincipality of Monaco at its famous Oceanographic Museum.In a favourable position on the shores of the Mediterraneansea, Monaco has a long and traditional oceanographic history.Among the Museum’s directors was the famous CommanderJacques-Yves Cousteau, who assumed the position from1957 until 1988, after a successful career as a naval officer.His legacy is carried on by the Cousteau Society, founded in1973. Our present Director, Professor Jean Jaubert, servesalso as the Society’s Scientific Director.The focus of the 9 th Conference of the EuropeanElasmobranch Association is on biodiversity, fisheries andconservation of Mediterranean sharks, rays and chimaeras.The Mediterranean ichthyological fauna is composed of 86species (48 sharks, 37 rays and 1 chimaera) with endemicspecies, some of Atlantic origin and some lessepsianmigrants (originating from the Red Sea).The main topic of the 9 th Conference of the EuropeanElasmobranch Association is: “Biodiversity, fishery andconservation of Chondrichthyans in the Mediterranean sea.“The ProgrammeThe Meeting will last for 4 days (23-26 th November 2005). The attendees will be welcomed with cocktails on the evening of the first dayand the two following days will be dedicated exclusively to the scientific conference and to the plenary assembly of the EEA Board.To open the meeting, an inaugural lecture will be given by a shark specialist of international fame.An open photo competition will be scheduled on the topic of “sharks”. The best photo will be awarded the EEA 2005 prize.On the final day, there will be an optional visit to some of Monaco’s museums.The oceanographic Museum seen from the sea.© Musée océanographique de Monaco – Michel DagninoSharkFocusIssue 23 July 2005THE MAGAZINE OF THE SHARK TRUSTJAWSThirty years onThis Trade mustFinishWhale Sharkstwo first experiencesNew Patronplusall your Shark Trustand EEA newsand Basil’s latest adventuresInformation:9 th EEA Meeting’s Organizing CommitteeMusée océanographique de MonacoAvenue Saint-MartinMC 98000 – MonacoTel : +377.93.15.36.00 - Fax : +377.97.70.62.59Website : www.oceano.mcE-mail : m.bruni@oceano.mcBlacktip Reef Shark in the MOM aquarium’s big tank.© Musée océanographique de Monaco – Frédéric PacorelWIN ALIMITED EDITIONJAWS DVDSupporting the

JAWS 30by Al ReeveWHERE JAWS WENT NEXT…This summer marks the 30 th anniversary since the release of Jaws. Inthe summer of 1975 Jaws became the first film to take more than $100million in box office receipts and has arguably been responsible forinspiring countless numbers of people to develop an interest in sharkswhile paradoxically creating an unbalanced prejudice against them.The film spawned three sequels, endless “terror in the water” flicks,books, theme park rides, music and imagery synonymous with fear,danger and suspense and a couple of generations of budding marinebiologists. The lasting impact that Jaws has had on films, marine biologyand sharks is truly amazing.THE NOVELIt all started with a book, a first novel in fact, written by Peter Benchleya former speechwriter for one time US President Lyndon Johnson.When Jaws, the novel, was released it spent the best part of a year onthe New York Times bestsellers list and was to drag Peter Benchley,Steven Spielberg and Great White Sharks into the limelight. The bookitself was loosely based on the series of shark attacks that killed fourpeople off the New Jersey coast in 1916 and a news article Benchleyhad read 10 years earlier about a man who had caught a two ton WhiteShark off Long Island, New York.In the early 70’s there was very little written or even known aboutWhite Sharks. Aside from the 1971 documentary film Blue Water,White Death and its accompanying book Blue Meridian, there wereno other research sources and Benchley admits that the story has littlegrounding in scientific fact.THE FILMFilming began in Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts and thecombination of filming at sea and a trio of malfunctioning animatronicsharks meant that the shoot went considerably over budget. As aresult of the unreliability of the sharks (collectively nicknamed Bruceafter Spielberg’s lawyer), Spielberg was forced to shoot much of thefilm either through the eyes of the shark or by hinting at the sharkspresence. This, combined with John Williams’ suspense filled powerfulsoundtrack, often leaves viewers on the edge of their seats sometimescovering their eyes.years on- the real legacybestA mature large female White Shark from Collins’ ‘Sharks of the World’.The release of Jaws was groundbreaking in many ways. Not only did itscare the majority of people that saw it (I remember running petrifiedfrom my room after seeing little Alex Kinter taken from his inflatableraft in an explosion of bloody water) but it was also the prototype‘summer blockbuster’. Jaws was the first film to be supported by largescale media advertising combined with a nationwide release – hard tobelieve now that movies were released in any other way. Evidently thiswas a very successful ploy as the film raked in over $250 million fromaudiences in the USA alone and the much hyped ‘must - see film ofthe year’ owes its creation to the success of Jaws. Furthermore, Jaws iscredited by some movie buffs as being responsible for the prevalenceof high budget films of a genre that was previously considered to besecond rate or unscrupulous. Certainly, Jaws can be blamed (and Idon’t use that word lightly) for the following spate of ‘creature features’that descended on our cinemas following its release; Mako: the Jaws ofDeath (1976), Orca (1977), Tentacles (1977), Piranha (1978), Killer Fish(1979) and Crocodile (1979). Not to mention the three sequels spawnedby Jaws all of which descend from mediocrity with Jaws “just when youthought it was safe to go back in the water” II (1978) through Jaws 3-D(1983) and ending in 1987 with the lamentable Jaws: The Revenge (theone with the telepathic shark that roared when it breached the water).Jaws itself had many plaudits and won Academy Awards for Best FilmEditing, Best Music (Original Score) and Best Sound and gained anomination for Best Picture. Also, in 2001, the United States Library ofCongress considered Jaws to be “culturally, historically or aestheticallysignificant” enough to be included in the National Film Registry.White Shark at surface.Photo: Alex BarronFACT FILEWith a maximum total length of over 6 metres and amaximum weight of 3.5 tonnes, only the Killer Whale isa larger superpredator.White Sharks have one of the largest geographic andhabitat ranges of any fish. They are highly migratory,satellite tracking has shown individuals travel betweenHawaii and Mexico.They are warm-blooded and can maintain warm bodytemperatures even in cold temperate waters.THE LEGACYJaws has officially become an institution and there will be very few of youwho have not seen the film or read the book. The music of the film hasbeen used in spoofs (most memorably at the start of Airplane! in 1980)and variations on it have been used as a tension - mounter seriously andotherwise on the large and small screen. Most importantly, especiallyfor us shark fans, the most striking, long-lasting impact of Jaws is thereputation sharks or should I say “man eating killing machines” gainedas a result. Upon Jaws’ release sharks immediately became victimisedand their depiction in the movie became the excuse for murderingand culling sharks both professionally and recreationally. Their publicimage, the one used in newspapers and adverts for TV shows, was setin stone too. Rather than the beautiful image of a perfectly evolvedanimal gliding effortlessly through its home we get to see big teethand bleeding gums under often hysterical headlines. During the 80’sand 90’s when the seas and everything in them seemed invincible,people were actually rewarded for killing sharks and the image ofman eating sharks was a great selling point for whatever book/film/elaborate candle holder you wanted to sell.One person who feels, understandably, a little upset with the wholesituation is Jaws author Peter Benchley (www.peterbenchley.com).Admitting that if he knew what he knows today about sharks “[he]couldn’t possibly write the same story”, Benchley has spent a largepart of his life post-Jaws standing up for sharks, the oceans and naturein general. Post-Jaws, Benchley has worked tirelessly on books andtelevision shows always with the same underlying themes, and in aninterview with Time.com Benchley maintains that from his works hehopes readers become more aware of the issues affecting the marineenvironment and that “man has a responsibility to co-exist with hisenvironment, not to try to dominate it”. Consequently, two of his mostrecent books, Shark! True Stories and Lessons from the Deep and SharkTrouble (both 2002), combine information on threats to the marineenvironment with details on how to enjoy the oceans safely and werewritten with the hope of dismissing some of the untruths about sharksperpetuated, to a certain extent, by Jaws. Despite the bad reputationthat Jaws has earned sharks, the number of people who have fosteredan interest in marine biology and sharks since seeing the film is enoughthat Benchley still receives over a 1000 letters a year from peoplewanting to know more about sharks and how they can help them.So 30 years on, Jaws is still having as big an effect as it did whenit first appeared and is still pulling in the crowds and money. Thisyear’s JawsFest (www.mvy.com/jaws) boasts over 25 members ofthe original cast and crew returning to Martha’s Vineyard to celebrateJaws’ 30 th birthday with guest appearances from Peter Benchley,health permitting, and top shark scientists Greg Skomal and R. AidenMartin. There are book signings, sightseeing tours, boat cruises andeven a prize, donated by the Heath Hen Yarn & Quilt Shop for theentry using a “JAWS” theme (Knit, crochet, felt or quilt categories)not to mention the launch of the 30th anniversary Jaws DVD. If youare after some original Jaws merchandise try checking out onlinemarketplaces such as ebay. Recently a first edition hardback copy ofJaws was sold for over $120 and an original 1978 movie poster for Jaws2 went for over $100. And, if you really want to do away with your cash,go to www.jawsmovie.com and discover a number of ways to partwith up to $700 on a set of reproduction teeth and a signed photo.But what about the future? Well we had Deep Blue Sea (1999) and OpenWater in (2003) and more recently Finding Nemo (2003) and Shark Tale(2004) where the sharks even had quite an ingratiating portrayal. Sois this an indication of things to come for sharks as a whole? It is truethat public opinion is changing and sharks are beginning to be a littlemore understood. However there is still some way to go before thenegative effects of Jaws are counterbalanced by the world learningand accepting the truth about sharks and rejecting the “man eatingkilling machine” image.Spectacular lunge by a White Shark.Photo: Alex BarronCOMPETITIONWin one of three new30th Anniversary Jaws DVDs.Just answer this simple question:Which Shark Trust patron was a scientificadvisor on the original Jaws movie?Answers to: enquiries@sharktrust.org(starting your e-mail with Jaws DVD)or send to our normal address.4 SharkFocus 23 SharkFocus 23 5

NEWSPhoto supplied by Ade Ponchaud,Skipper of Lady BettyALSF OverviewAs featured in the last edition of Shark Focus, The Shark Trustis working in association with anglers to assess the impact ofaggregate extraction on the local skate and ray populationsin the Solent between Durlston Head and Littlehampton. Sofar we are having a fantastic response and arereceiving both historical reports of skate and raycatches and new data regularly. Anglers alsosend through details of the bait they use, andphotos of themselves and their catches. Theyare always particularly keen to tell us theyreturned the fish to the water alive. We’d like to extend our thanks tothe angling community for their support and co-operation to date.In a typical season there is huge demand for Shark Trust outreach materials. Displays, bags ofpuppets, and the ever-popular shark-o-meter are just some of the resources speeded by courierthe length and breadth of the country. These are eagerly unpacked at aquaria, Wildlife Trusts,local action groups and many more, to enthuse and educate people about the fascinatingworld of sharks and their relations. The Shark Trust is pleased to report permanent displays arenow in place at the Scottish Sealife centre, Oban, and Exploris Aquarium in Northern Ireland.Both aquaria have shown us a great deal of support, and for this we extend our thanks. Contactthe office for more details on the resources we have available for loan.Exploris Aquariumwww.exploris.org.ukSHARK SUPPLEMENTSUNDER SCRUTINYUntil now, there has never been any unbiased scientificstudy into the effects of shark cartilage on human health.All evidence has been strongly anecdotal.Scientists at the Mayo clinic have been investigatingthe effects of shark cartilage supplements on cancersufferers. They find no improvement in survival ratesor quality of life in those subjects given shark cartilagealongside their normal treatment. In fact, thesesubjects reported worse side effects than those taking a placebo. Researchers concluded that inthese conditions, shark cartilage had a detrimental affect on human health.The Shark Trust is pleased that finally, the topic of shark cartilage supplements is underserious scrutiny. Further research is needed however, on the use of shark products in other formsand illnesses, both to protect the sharks these products are coming from, and the humans whoare taking them to unknown effect.SHARK TRUSTOutreachThe Scottish Sealife Sanctuarywww.sealsanctuary.co.uk/oban1.htmlMARCHWORLDSHARKNEWSNews since last focusCoastguards in Britain alerted to the possibility thata Shortfin Mako was killing porpoises off the northeastcoast. Scientists said the bites were caused byscavenging seabirds and fish. The cold north-eastwaters are outside the normal range for this speciesbut the media have a field day nonetheless.Pat Gallagher, Marine minister for Ireland, launchedan appeal to end “wholesale slaughter” of sharksby discarded gill nets. Report suggests 1.5 millionsharks killed by ghost fishing around Britain andIreland over the last ten years.A young female White Shark released fromMonterey Bay aquarium was fitted with a tag whichwould record her movements. Later reports showshe travelled 200 miles in 48 hours.Tourist Mark Currie claimed he was attacked by aWhite whilst cage diving in South Africa. He saidthe 20ft shark tried to bite through the cage bars.Other witnesses say claims were exaggerated. MrCurrie now faces the possibility of being sued by thecharter boat owners after they suffered substantialloss of business.6 SharkFocus 23APRILAustralian customs officials torch an illegalIndonesian fishing boat with 6 shark fins drying onits roof.70 Smooth Hammerheads congregate in the watersoff Southern Israel. People were delighted at seeingso many. Despite posing no threat to humans all thesharks were later slaughtered by fishermen.A Scottish newspaper claimed that the same “killerMako” blamed for porpoise “attacks” off north-eastEngland was spotted from a boat before attackinga dog. Claims were unsubstantiated. Scientists saidthe shark was more likely a Tope and tourists werelucky to see it.Pictures of Mark “The Shark” Quartino, a charterfishermanfrom Florida posing lying across piles ofdead sharks disgust conservationists who call thepictures gratuitous.MAYAustralian scientists have been growing Grey NurseShark embryos in test tubes to increase viability.They say this will aid population recovery, but othershave argued that without halting environmentaldegradation these populations are doomed.Poachers in India caught with 50 live sharks. Officialsseized the haul, but forgot to return the sharks to thewater. Newspapers say the sharks were loaded intothe back of a truck where they died. “The raidingparty made a mistake. In the chaos that followedthe seizure and the arrests, they forgot to preservethe sharks” wildlife official M. Rehman said.WildAid Scientists said high levels of heavy metalsin shark fin soup could have adverse heath effects,including sterility. This is contrary to the commononly held belief of shark fin improving male potency.Hong Kong citizens questioned said they’d be lesslikely to eat the soup in the future, knowing this.Projects pageThe Great Eggcase HuntNEWSPupils of Evie Primary School, Orkney.Our network of dedicated Eggcase hunters is spreading rapidlyacross the British Isles. People are scouring the beaches for eggcasesfrom Shetland to the Scilly Isles, helping us find out more aboutskate and ray populations.Orkney shines as sporting this editions’ most dedicated hunters.Pupils from Evie Primary School and individuals such as RichardLand have been sending us enormous Common Skate eggcasesthey have been finding on their shores. Dive clubs and field centreson the Islands are also out eagerly hunting.Initially there was some confusion about the identification ofthese giant eggcases (22cms when wet!), because they appeareddistinctly different to pictures of how Common Skate eggcases wereconventionally thought to look. However, by matching these witha Common Skate egg laid in captivity, we have positively identifiedthem as Common Skate and challenged its historical identification.Evie primary school is commended by the Shark Trust for theircommitment and dedication to this project. We’ve even called ourlife-size Common Skate Evie in their honour!So far this year the biggest organised eggcase hunt took placeon the shores of Strangford Lough, Northern Ireland. Over a week,500 people were out combining eggcase hunting with beachcleaning. They’ve truly caught the eggcase bug!It’s not just the British Isles getting involved. Eggcase fever hasgone international. APECS, the French shark conservation group areencouraging children across France to join the “grande chasse auxoeufs” and help us find out more about skate and ray populationsfurther afield. If you are going on holiday why not help us add morecountries to our list!We were also delighted to receive eggcase and ray picturesfrom South Georgia, nearly 8000 miles away! If you have relativesor friends living abroad, why not help us go global and encouragethem to send us pictures and records of the eggcases they find.We now have a new updated leaflet to reflect all this excitingnews as well as the change in Common Skate eggcase identification.Contact the office for copies. The Great Eggcase Hunt website willalso be undergoing an overhaul in the near future with interestingnew sections and a gallery so we can display all your eggcasehunting photos.Photo: Jeremy Stafford-Deitsch.Safe passagefor Baskers?Following its successful listing under appendix II of CITES(Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of WildFlora and Fauna) the Shark Trust is working towards listing theBasking Shark on the Convention of Migratory Species, helping toreduce differing pressures as the sharks move through differentjurisdictions. Basking Sharks migrate regularly between NorthEast Atlantic states and possibly beyond, and although they havefull protection in the UK and territories they can be legally landedin France and Ireland. In February 2005 the Shark Trust reportedon a six meter Basker on sale in a hypermarket outside Bordeaux.The primary aim of the Convention on the Conservationof Migratory Species of Wild Animals (also known as CMS orBonn Convention) is to conserve migratory animals throughouttheir range. It was created to fulfill the need for countries tocooperate in the conservation of animals which migrate acrossnational boundaries or different areas of jurisdiction. Since theConvention’s entry into force in 1983, its membership has grownsteadily to include 90 parties to date.The CMS is an international treaty supported under the UNEPand provides a flexible framework where parties may adopt arange of legislatory tools from strict protection measures formigratory species and legally binding agreements, to less formalinstruments such as Memoranda of Understanding, which can beadapted to fit regional needs.As well as being listed under CITES in 2002, the Basking Sharkis also included on the OSPAR (Convention for protection of NEAtlantic seas) list of threatened or declining species in 2004. TheShark Trust would welcome any extra protection measures thatcan ensure the continued survival of this magnificent animal.Watch the website for reports on Basking Shark sightings thisSummer.SharkFocus 23 7

THIS TRADE MUSTFINISHEnding shark finning remains high on the agenda of manyconservation organisations worldwide. By its very nature,finning elicits an emotional response due to its inherentcruelty and the waste of life that it represents. This year, theEU finning legislation is under review and the Shark Trustwill be supporting a tightening of the existing regulations.Shark finning threatens the future of many shark species; tens of millionsof sharks are killed annually by this widely unregulated practice. Sharkfinning is defined as the removal and retention of a shark’s fins and thediscarding at sea of the remainder of the shark. The animal is sometimesalive during this process. The impacts of shark finning extend beyondcruelty and threats to shark populations, causing other ecologicalimpacts and economic effects. Removing just the fins and discardingthe body utilises only 2% of the shark and is highly wasteful. Thiswastage prevents coastal communities from benefiting from the valueof shark meat and other products that would otherwise be processedon shore. Distant water fleets that deplete shark stocks by finning in thewaters of developing countries are also a threat to local food security.Because sharks have a keystone role in the marineenvironment, removing large numbers of these apexpredators may threaten the stability of marine ecosystemsand affect the yields of other fisheries species, as well as thefuture of shark populations.Shark finning is widespread because of increasing internationaldemand for shark fin, as an ingredient for soup. It has become such athreat to shark stocks that the UN Food and Agriculture Organization(FAO) recommended ending shark finning when, in 1999, it encouragedMember States and Regional Fisheries Organisations to implementNational Shark Management Plans. These plans, however, have beenslow to develop and fisheries remain largely unregulated, althoughseveral States have now banned finning in their waters and by theirfleets wherever they fish around the world.The world’s first international prohibition on shark finning wasadopted in 2004 by the 63 member countries of the InternationalCommission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT), followedin June 2005 by the Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission (IATTC).These bans apply throughout the treaty areas.Many countries, fisheries and fleets worldwide are still not subject toany kind of finning regulations, or only poorly implemented regulations.Market demand and consequently shark fin prices remain high andillegal fisheries and trade flourish even in ‘protected waters’. The mapillustrates the current extent of finning regulation worldwide.There is a need to take action both from the top down,by strengthening legislation and cooperation over sharkfinning (especially by unregulated fleets and countries),and from the bottom up, by educating consumers about thesource of shark fins, reducing demand and hence trade inshark fin.Further reading:IUCN Shark Specialist Group Finning Statement. 2003.http://www.flmnh.ufl.edu/fish/organizations/ssg/finposition.htmWildAid and Co-Habit. 2003. Shark Finning: Unrecorded Wastage on aGlobal Scale. (Written by Susie Watts.) Sept 2003Downloadable from the shark campaign section of http://www.wildaid.org.EXISTING SHARK FINNING LEGISLATIONTHE USALegislationFinning is banned in US waters by all vessels and by US vessels worldwide. Finsmay be cut off carcasses on board, but must be landed with the bodies andmay not weigh more than 5% of the total “dressed” weight (headed and gutted)of sharks onboard. US vessels may not have shark fins on board that exceed5% of carcass weight; foreign vessels in US waters may carry fins if they havebeen fishing in international waters, but may not land them. Illegal finning hasresulted in prosecution.COSTA RICALegislationSharks must be landed with“fins attached to carcasses”(the intention is that the finsshould not be cut off).Enforcement problemsForeign vessels landing atprivate docks avoid controls.Mis-interpretation of‘attached’ to mean “tied on”allows too many fins to beattached to a single carcass. ECUADORLegislationShark finning is completely prohibitedin Ecuador.Enforcement problemsPoor enforcement and illegal finningcontinuing.BRAZILLegislationShark fins on board vessels or beingunloaded must not exceed 5% of totalshark carcass weight, and must belanded at same time as carcasses.LoopholeRegulation does not stipulate whether the5% ratio refers to whole sharks or dressedsharks (but the intention is to follow theUS regulation). If whole sharks, then twofin sets could be landed for each carcass. MEXICOFinning ban and management plandrafted several years ago, but noprogress is being made.OMANLegislationStrictly forbidden to throw away anyshark part or shark waste in the seaor the shores of Sultanate of Oman.Also it is prohibited to land sharkfins separated from the body. Exportwithout licence is illegal.SHARK FINNING FACTS“Data on shark finning are hard to find: it is not a practice that thefishing industry is particularly proud of, and since the practice occursat sea, the only witnesses are generally crew members, who benefitfrom the income from the fins.” WildAidApproximately 37% of the world’s coastline have implementedfinning bans in their territorial waters and by their fishing fleetsworldwide – although poaching and illegal trade continue in manynominally protected areas. The bans by the Regional FisheriesOrganisations ICCAT and IATTC cover the high seas outside territorialwaters of member countries.10 SharkFocus 23THE EULegislationSharks should be landed with fins attached but masters of vessels can applyfor special permits allowing on-board removal. Can be landed separately atdifferent ports provided that the fins weigh no more than 5% weight of thewhole shark.LoopholeMeasured in whole shark not dressed shark. 5% of a whole shark is more than 5% ofa dressed shark, therefore more than one fin set can be used to make up the ratio.PALAU ISLANDSTotal finning and shark fishing ban to50Km offshore for both national andinternational vessels.SOUTH AFRICALegislationSharks must be landed with finsattached if caught in territorial waters,but can be landed separately if caughtinternationally.EnforcementEnforcement problems may arisewhen foreign vessels land fins thatmay have been caught elsewhere.Prosecutions are being made.AUSTRALIALegislationStates and Territories are responsiblefor regulations in their coastal waters,federal government regulates fisheriesfurther offshore. Finning bannedin longline fisheries in Queensland,Tasmania and commonwealth watersand in some other state fisheries.EnforcementHighly patchy legislation could cause someenforcement difficulties. Illegal finning ofbycatch continues in some fisheries.DRESSED OR UNDRESSED?Finning legislation is often based on a fin:carcass ratio which willusually stipulate whether it refers to a ‘dressed’ or a ‘live’ carcass.A ‘dressed’ shark has had its head and guts removed, whichdramatically reduces carcass weight (the liver can contribute asmuch as 1/3 rd of the total weight). A live carcass refers to theweight as landed on the vessel, head, guts and all.Research has shown that on average shark fins compose

After many years of diving, it is only recently that I have had theopportunity to see and be in the water with a Whale Shark.In February I was doing an underwater shoot for an ocean documentary off the northerncoast of Venezuela. We were following a tuna fishing fleet in order to capture images of yellowfin feeding in bait balls. It had been a long hard three weeks with very few results.One day the captain called us to see the Tintoreras, I didn’t know what he meant but aswe were getting nowhere with the tuna we decided to get in the water anyway. We saw thebait ball forming and a few tunas feeding among five Whale Sharks. This time I didn’t missthem. They were together and it was such a surprise and such a stunning image I could hardlymanage to turn the camera on and start rolling. All the previous descriptions that I had heardfrom other divers were right. This was an incredible animal and here I was among them usingthe last of the air in my pony tank without thinking about the fact that I was in open bluewater and had to get back to the boat. My dive buddy was Sean who also was a cameramanwith more than twenty-five years experience and it was his first Whale Shark as well. Once wehad got new tanks we dived again following the newly forming bait ball.The water was boiling and birds were streaking out of the sky for a snack. The tuna weredarting around in all directions feasting on the forming bait ball. Then from nowhere anenormous shadow came from the bottom of the sea and suddenly we were sharing thewater with a huge whale shark. I could hardly believe it, the animal must have been twelvemetres long with mouth wide open, and almost at the surface in a vertical position. The sharkstayed like this for a few minutes allowing the bait to form a huge shadow around it’s body.Swimming under this docile monster, and trying to filmthe behaviour of both the bait and the shark together, wemanaged to get within two metres of this incredible scene.Then the shark decided to let it’s body sink leaving the baitin a compact pack. Keeping the camera concentrated onthe bait ball we were waiting for the tuna to return whenthe Whale Shark came back and in a single gulp removedhalf of the bait ball. This scene was repeated several timesduring the afternoon.Richard and another cameraman came back in a boattelling us that they had had exactly the same experience.It had been his first whale shark as well. During four weeksof filming this was the only day we saw the sharks. Afterwe got out of the water with neither air nor energy left thebait ball reformed, only now it was joined not only by thetunas and the Whale Sharks but also by a Fin Whale. Back inthe UK I found this scene had been described a few yearsago on the coasts of Mexico and there are various papersin publication on this fascinating behaviour. For me I havenow had my first Whale Shark experience and know that itwill remain with me for the rest of my life.WHALE SHARKSIN THEWILDPlea for PicturesIndividual Whale Sharks have uniquepatterns of spots or “bodyprint”. Takingphotographs of specific parts of a sharkhelps researchers learn more about themigration of these sharks.If you are lucky enough to see a WhaleShark please take a picture. The dorsalfin and gills are the best places to focuson. You can submit your image onlinevia www.whalesharkproject.org pleaseremember to include when, where yousaw the animal and which side of theshark the photo is of.Whale Sharkfactfileby Juan RomeroAll photos on this pageby Linda PitkinLatin name: Rhincodon typusSize: 55-64cm at birth up to (possibly)21metresDistribution: Globally within all tropicaland warm temperate watersFood: PlanktonDid you know..? The longest recordedmigration of a whale shark was 13 000km!That’s the same distance from where youare to Rio de Janeiro, in Brazil.(Collins guide)IN CAPTIVITYOsaka’s ‘Kaiyukan’ aquarium is nestled between a museum, a marketand Mt Tempozan – the lowest mountain in Japan - in the TempozanHarbour Village towards the West of Japan’s third largest city. Opensince 1988 the Kaiyukan is an integral component of Osaka’s image asJapan’s “city of water”. It is also one of the largest aquaria in the worldand home to countless sharks and rays most notably a 4.5 metre femaleWhale Shark named Yu Chan.On a visit to Japan earlier this year the opportunity to behold theworld’s biggest fish, albeit in captivity, was not to be passed up andso on a clear January morning I joined the queue of people patientlywaiting for entrance to the aquarium.My experience of the Japanese has always been positive as theyhave been genuine, interested, friendly and helpful to a fault. However,I was also aware of their chequered record as a fishing nation and hadturned down raw whale meat the previous evening. My own opinion onaquaria was undecided and while queuing I wondered what justificationthis aquarium would have for exhibiting a Whale Shark and what thepublic’s opinion was of an animal like this being held in captivity.Housing around 30,000 specimens representing upwards of 580species the aquarium building is of necessity very large. Arranged asif around the ‘pan Pacific volcano zone’ visitors walk around and downthrough the six floors of the aquarium experiencing the life found inand around the edges of the Pacific Ocean. Every species you wouldexpect to find in an aquarium is present and more!Walking around my sense of amazement was growing and on morethan one occasion I felt like a kid in a candy store. But nothing couldhave prepared me for the Whale Shark. As a marine biologist, I know thata Whale Shark is a planktivorous animal that roams the world’s oceans,migrating thousands of kilometres annually and must not be tooenamoured with being kept in an enclosed tank being stared at fromall sides with nowhere to hide. As an inquisitive excitable human beingmy heart was pounding as we approached the Whale Shark’s tank. Fora moment, I couldn’t see anything and then the shark swam past theother side of the 30cm thick perspex and I started to breathe again.The tank was huge, and as well as the Whale Shark I saw a MantaRay gliding past followed by a school of jacks and then a Bluefin Tuna.Looking down, the base of the tank was awash with sharks – I lost countat eleven species – this wasn’t a display; it was a collection.The Whale Shark, Yu Chan, at 4.5m long, is still only a fraction ofthe possible 15m size she could achieve, nevertheless she dwarveseverything else in her tank. Her tank is in the centre of the Kaiyukan andbeing 9m deep with 5 400 tonnes of water filling 620m 2 it can be viewedfrom many of the levels. She has been at the aquarium since June 2000after having been caught by fishermen in 1998 and kept in a researchlaboratory for 2 years and is named after a previous Yu Chan that lived3,053 days in captivity.It really is impossible to imagine the size of some creatures withoutactually seeing them and this was evident on the faces of everyone there.But then, that’s the question, should an animal that normally spends its liferoaming the worlds oceans be displayed in a tank the size of an averagesized detached house? The aquarium itself admits that the shark may wellbe happier if she was not in captivity though they believe that she is saferin the aquarium than in the wild. Furthermore, according to the aquariumspokesperson the Kaiyukan respects the dignity of life in the naturalenvironment and the welfare of the animals is their prime concern.On average 7,500 people a day visit the aquarium and see Yu Chan.That is a potential audience of 2.5 million people per year to impartimportant conservation messages. However conservation messagesseemed largely absent and while education was present there were fewdisplays explaining the threats to the animals on display. Whale Sharks arecurrently identified as vulnerable on the IUCN red list of threatened speciesthough no mention of their declining population was to be found. I hadcome to the aquarium extremely excited about the prospect of seeinga Whale Shark. Now that I had seen her my pleasure and amazement atthe experience was pitted against the moral dilemma as to whether therewas justification for keeping an animal of this size in captivity.The keeping of one example of a species, even if only a few peopleeach year are affected as I was, has to be beneficial to their conservation– doesn’t it? The Great White that was displayed at the Monterey BayAquarium in California is another high profile example of an aquariumdisplaying a highly pelagic animal and there does appear to be anumber of positive effects resulting from her 198 days in captivity.Many observations into the development, growth and nutritionalrequirements were made and, maybe more importantly, thousandsof people were introduced to a Great White, educated about theirimportance and shown a less aggressive side of the much demonisedanimal. Displaying a Great White gave a massive economic boost to theaquarium with people flocking to see the shark. Monterey Aquariumstrenuously reject the idea that they kept her for financial gain thoughthere were indications other aquaria were searching for White Sharks oftheir own to attract the kind of crowds visiting the Californian aquarium.So where does the line get drawn? The potential benefits of using thesecreatures as conservation tools to educate us against the destructionwe cause to our environment is great - but only if that message is clearenough. The spokesperson for the Kaiyukan certainly convinced me oftheir love for this animal but as I stepped out into the midday sun I wasstill questioning whether they were doing the right thing.A very big thank you to the Kaiyukan aquarium for answering myquestions and to Misato Tomita for translating the answers.www.kaiyukan.com/eng/Ambassadors for conservation, crowd pullers or money makers?What’s your opinion? Let me know and a summary of points raised willbe reported in your next edition of focus. areeve81@hotmail.com12 SharkFocus 23 SharkFocus 23 13by Al Reeve

BOOK REVIEWSAs it is the 30th Anniversary of JAWS the Trust staffthought that they would read two of the books based onthe original incidents that sparked the creation of Jaws.If you would like to recommend a book please contactthe Shark Trust office.Twelve Days of TerrorRichard G. FernicolaIn July 1916, New York City was in thethroes of a deadly polio epidemic,people escaped to the shores of NewJersey in search of a respite from themidsummer heat. In just twelvedays sharks attacks had killed fourswimmers and one badly injuredanother.The strange events of of 1916 arenot much remembered today,except, perhaps, by fans of PeterBenchley’s novel Jaws, whoseorigin lies in the attacks. InTwelve Days of Terror Richard Fernicolarevives the incident and resolve what people have beenarguing for decades. Was it a school or a rogue shark? Was it aBull Shark or White Shark? Through primary sources and faceto-faceinterviews with witnesses, Fernicola pieces together aconclusive, if controversial, theory regarding the character andcause of these attacks.Sold on Amazon from £5.59 ISBN: 0747264082Close to ShoreMichael Capuzzo“The Extraordinary True Story of the New Jersey Great WhiteShark Attacks of 1916”Across the Atlantic, war rages,but America is bursting withconfidence as a long hot summerdrives holiday makers to thesandy beaches of the NewJersey Coast. Mass hysteriaresults when a “rogue” WhiteShark begins atttackingswimmers. Micheal Capuzzotells the ‘epic story of theGreat White Shark, its victimsand the society it changedfor ever. Capuzzo tries tosee through the eyes ofthe shark, and says much he has writtenabout its movements and motives has been meticulouslyresearched by interviews with specialists. The story is thereforepart fact, part supposition but the prose is compelling, and thehistorical detail rich.Sold on Amazon from £4.19 ISBN: 1585745758Shark TrustRoadshowWALESBIODIVERSITYWEEKWales Biodiversity Week took place between 11th -19th June, coordinatedby the Wales Biodiversity Partnership. The Shark Trustwas once again invited to join in.Armed with a van filled with puppets, paddling pools, eggcasesand the ever popular sharkometer two members of The Shark Trustconservation team visited primary schools in Flintshire, Llandudno,New Quay, Swansea and Monmouthshire.Children ranging in age from 4-11 had the opportunity to learnmore about sharks, skates and rays using cuddly toys, including somepopular new additions including Evie the lifesize Common Skate.Thank you to all the Local Biodiversity Action Plan (LBAP) coordinatorsfor arranging events.Thank you to Countryside Council for Wales for funding the event.GOING IRISHThe Trust is not only visiting Wales this year but has also been invitedto contribute to the Portaferry Regatta celebrations on the Shoresof Strangford Lough, Northern Ireland - hosted and sponsored byExploris Aquarium and the Kingdom of Down Tourist Authority.The Trust will be carrying as many fluffy sharks and resources as wecan fit into our airplane weight allowance, and we’re really lookingforward to new audiences in a new location.EventsThroughout the summer the Shark Trust with the help of othermarine organizations are holding eggcase hunts and sharkextravaganzas all over the country. Please visit the eventssection of the website for details on how you can get involved.14 SharkFocus 23Alwyne WheelerThe Shark Trust has been very fortunate to have such enigmaticpatrons. It is therefore with great sadness when we report on the lossof the eminent fish biologist Alwyne Wheeler.Look through any fish book that you have and his name crops upagain and again; his influence on how we now think about the marineworld is prestigious.Driven by a lifelong passion for fish and all things marine. From ayoung age he contributed to natural history societies and in 1950 hejoined the staff of the Natural History Museum working within the fishdepartment for the whole of his career.Alwyne not only worked within academic circles but wasenthusiastically involved with anglers. It is through this anglingconnection that became connected with the Shark Trust, becoming apatron in it’s formative years.His taxonomic expertise was legendary; there were countless timeswhen his considered opinion was invaluable. But he was always keento share his knowledge – he was a great influence on many of today’smarine experts.Our thoughts go to his family and friends.Profile on APECSThe “Association Pour l’Etude et la Conservation des Sélaciens” (APECS)is the French element of the EEA. They are dedicated to the studyand conservation of elasmobranchs through a series of research andpublic education projects. APECS was created in Brest in July 1997to continue the work of the Basking Shark group “The Circle of theStudents Brestois Naturalists” and extending their work to include allsharks and rays whilst maintaining focus on the Basking Shark.As well as a land and sea-based Basking Shark survey, they alsorun a number of other research programmes and educationalprojects. APECS have approached the Shark Trust to help developits own eggcase hunting project. Like the original Great EggcaseHunt the aims of this project are twofold. Firstly to gain informationabout possible skate and ray nursery grounds around the coastsand secondly to raise public awareness of these animals. APECShave developed their own Great Eggcase Hunt leaflet and areencouraging people onto the beaches to hunt for eggcases andreport their findings. Their leaflet can be downloaded from theAPECS website.An education and awareness program, “The Shark Pilgrim” hasalso been established to introduce French school children to theplight of shark species, and delivers lectures about the fascinatingworld of sharks to public and private groups.APECS recently visited Plymouth to attend the Basking SharkBiodiversity Action Plan meeting and spent time with the SharkTrust, discussing comparable projects and swapping ideas, TheShark Trust hopes to be able to collaborate further with APECS onfuture project work.For more information please contact:Mme Armel Jung or Eric StephanAssociation Pour l’Etude et laConservation des Sélaciens (APECS)Rue de LiègeBP 5115129211 BREST CEDEX 102 98 05 40 38E-mail: asso@asso-apecs.org Website: www.asso-apecs.orgIntroducingIan FergussonShark Trust patronIan Fergussonfilming BaskingSharks fromCornish clifftops.“I’m really honoured to serve as a Patron,” says Ian, who was one ofthe charity’s founding Trustees at its inception in 1997 and served asChairman through its first two years.“The Trust has gained hard-earned credibility,” he adds. “Alongsidesome real conservation successes, it has become the first port of call forUK journalists whenever a shark story needs clarification or measuredcomment.”A chartered biologist, Ian, 40, has authored more than a dozen paperson sharks, especially in the Mediterranean. His latest study – with coauthorsLeonard Compagno and Ken Graham – expands knowledge ofsmalltooth sandtigers (Odontaspis ferox), an enigmatic species whichIan describes as “my favourite shark.” He has served with IUCN’s SharkSpecialist Group since 1994 and is a keen champion of elasmobranchconservation in the Mediterranean and elsewhere.Ian stresses the distinction between his hybrid background andthose of professional scientists. “I essentially dabble in academia.My real niche is communicating the ‘shark science’ and conservationrationale through the media - that’s where I can further our cause.”This is because most of Ian’s career has been spent in the media. Asa journalist-cameraman for the BBC, his scoops included breaching‘maximum’ security at Stansted and Luton Airports during a periodof Al-Qaeda missile threats. Since 2003, he’s managed BBC Bristol’sPress & PR team, responsible for publicising output including from theNatural History Unit (NHU), with whom he has longstanding affiliationson shark programmes. In 1993-1994, he worked in South Africa as ascientific advisor on the BBC’s Wildlife Special, Great White Shark and iscurrently a consultant for a forthcoming NHU film on British sharks.Alongside sharks, Ian’s passion is Formula One, “almost a clinicalobsession,” he says, “which makes me unbearable whenever my hero,Juan Pablo Montoya, fails to finish!”In the next issue of SharkFocusShark feeding in the Caribbean- good, bad or indifferent?Shark angling- a taggers taleCampaign updates a Member’s pagesPhotos from Outreach eventsRemember- send in your letters, photos, drawings andcomments- the best will win an annual subscription toDIVE Magazine!also including ourChristmas Catalogue!SharkFocus 23 15