Likewise there is no definite date for the installation but we certainly hope to be there for the inaugural
dive and will post updated images and hopefully dive footage on the coolbluefilms.com site.  
Personally I can’t wait!

By Andy Cobb, South Africa

NSB Has only one mandate and that is “TO CULL LARGE SHARKS”

The presentation by the NSB to WESSA at 100 Brand Road on Tuesday 7th of August had some
interesting data that hid the issue.

The NSB in their daily shows continue the Jaws myth and say they protect a multi rand industry called
tourism. The NSB has only one mandate and that is to kill large sharks’.

The cause of shark attack was Union Whaling as it was a massive feeding station.

Durban Bluff Slipway                                   Baby Sperm Whale

Union Whaling Blood Reef

The feeding station over the years created its own shark population and there was the 1000-pounder
club for sharks’ caught over a thousand pounds.

3-tons of sharks’ on South pier Vetches Pier 1944

Union Whaling was shut down in 1976 and in 1986 Dr. Leonard Compagno and team evaluated shark
attack probability and stated the shark nets are no longer needed and should be removed. The sharks
caught on South Pier and at Vetches no longer exist.

Between the NSB and the Municipality managers the myth the nets has been continued, with a
horrendous loss of by catch. The Indian Ocean bottlenose dolphin a race particular to this area and
different from the race off Transkei and Humpbacked dolphins have a serious population decline.

A Raggy that was not released

Horror story

Drumline Dusky’s

Drumline white 750-Kgs

Pregnant Drumline kill

The facts are simple……The once plentiful Hammerhead Shark is in serious decline and in 2008 will be
added to the Endangered Species List. In some areas the decline is as much as 98 percent and 126
shark species now classify at risk of extinction including common/big eyed thresher, short fin mako, silky,
dusky, tiger, bull and whale shark as well as said smooth and scalloped hammerheads. The reductions
on the latter can be largely attributed to the increase in demand for shark-fin soup as a symbolic prestige
delicacy.

Dr Julia Baum from the Scripps Institute of Oceanography San Diego said in a recent interview with the I
ndependent “The oceans are being emptied of sharks and if we carry on the way we are, we are looking
at a really high risk of extinction for some species within the next few decades.” She continued, “On the
high seas and international waters, there are no regulations or any catch limits – It’s a free-for-all. That
the scalloped hammerhead is endangered is a big red flag. It is one of the most highly valued shark
species in the fin trade and there are no regulations for fishing it. Where it is protected in world heritage
sites like the Galapagos, shark finning is rampant. They are protected on paper but nothing is being
enforced.”

Dr Baum concluded that scientists would like to see a meaningful “ban” on shark finning, where the fins
can only be taken from entire carcases that are brought back to port. This would mean the end to fins
being stripped from live sharks. These of course are often regretfully returned to the sea for a barbaric
and painful death.

So it’s plain to see…..Over 100 million sharks are slaughtered every year worldwide while a handful of
fatal attacks on humans glorify the newsstands. During 2007 in the UK alone over 3000 tonnes of shark
meat was consumed with the likes of even British institution Harrods displaying a complete carcass of a
portbeagle shark on its fish counter as recently as last November. It however may be encouraging to
know that ASDA has stopped selling shark in 190 stores and Tesco has withdrawn swordfish and marlin
from its entire network.

Mike and Andy C preparing to dive at Capernwray

At last, one positive note regarding fate of the worlds shark population. I recently positively identified a
Tiger Shark just north of the Galapagos Islands in South America. I had been on a Whale Shark
Expedition organised by Scuba Safaris when the group on board the Aggressor 1 made the unusual
and encouraging discovery.

We plan to post some film evidence on this dive website coolbluefilms.com but sadly events like these
are almost unheard of. It is hoped that the single sighting will lead to many more in this less likely of
locations.

* See Film page for latest release ”I am free – Galapagos 2008”

The data presented was designed to mislead as it gave selected windows.

The NSB has never been transparent and a partial showing will impress some of those present.

Realistic data would have been net catch graphs since the digital revolution and the only consistent pre
digital net catch records are with ORI for a 30-year graph for bull sharks.















The 12- years I had I lost from a computer crash! However I did send my Lotus 3 presentation to my net
work of scientists. The mean catch rate was on a steady decline and what was critical was the size of
sharks aught was on the decline. The Feed back is our shark population is under serious threat.

The little staged cameos deliberately hid the story.

At least DEAT has stated no more Shark NETS, but the drumline development is iniquitous.

The drumlines lure in sharks at night to be killed and target the large pregnant great whites off up the
coast for their gestation time off the Kenya coast.






































I had the media embarrass the NSB with the horrendous shark net kills off the south coast at the
beginning of the sardine run. The NSB and the municipality managers eventually came to an agreement
and the nets are now lifted ahead of the sardine run. The record to date is the nets have been kept out
for 6-weeks. This however means the NSB has to fly every day the coast and monitor the sardine run
progress.

Shelley Beach every year had a Boxing Day shark hunt; again with the media I was able to get the
completion to become an ordinary fishing completion.
















More recently by networking this last fishing competition had representation Worldwide against the
completion and some very well circulated petitions, though it is only postponed the effort is on going to
have the competition banned.

I find it impossible to have a shark behavioural discussion with academics shark scientists or shark
scientist whose research is only with dead animals.

Without the sharks the Ocean dies!

The whole shark feeding debate is indeed one that will go on forever due to the fact that there are many
commercial and ecological considerations involved. Without seeming to take a holier than thou stance
on the issue, I would like to share some of my own experiences and observations. While on a live aboard
safari some years ago for personal reasons I refrained from taking part in a feeding “frenzy”. A few days
later we landed in one of the Pacific Marshall Islands and on innocently informing a local dive master of
this event, they were horrified that this spectacle had been staged. (After later examining some of the
footage I could easily understand why). In recent conversation with a number of specialist UK dive travel
operators the practice has all but disappeared as an advertised feature.

During a visit to South Africa in 2006 I entered into a debate with my friend Barry Coleman of Meridian
Dive Centre who at the time was offering a Tiger Shark Dive using responsible methods of conduct and
controlled chumming of the water. We both agreed that there was an element of responsibility involved
but it’s a case of how you measure and qualify that “responsibility” I felt was rather vague. After all, every
operation is going to be different. The bait-to-cage scenario often used with the Great Whites certainly
simulates an instant Jaws effect, but surely this is an image that we are trying to get away from.

On a wonderful adventure in Sudan last year I was able to dive and film freely alongside a shoal of
Hammerheads. It was breathtakingly natural, spontaneous and truly an experience of a lifetime. Given
the current global circumstances and depressing statistics I hope this will be possible for many years to
come. I really do….

Mike C © 2008

(Printed From Sport Diver June Issue)

Andy C’s visit to Capernwray Lancs. 2008

Having done all of my diving to date, including Padi Advanced Certification, in the warm waters of the
Red Sea, it was during the end of August last year that I took the plunge. Good old UK quarry diving as
recommended by and undertaken with a group of my more widely experienced buddies.

With some reservations to the difference in temperature (I hired a decent twin wetsuit!), we arrived at
Capernwray.  After enjoying some welcome post-journey tea and toast in the well equipped club house,
I looked out of the window at the picturesque dive site.  During the pre-dive briefing I noticed at the
marker buoys and wondered what lay in store down below. Conditions indeed seemed bearable
although a far cry from the blistering heat of Egypt. (Apparently on a similar visit a couple of years ago
things were somewhat less favourable and my friends surfaced into a driving rainstorm).

So at 11am we slowly descended from the shingle entry ramp. As we finned our way out, the water was
surprisingly pleasant.  Within minutes I arrived at our first marker point, was handed a torch and enjoyed
swimming through the arch of a container. Visibility seemed quite good although we did remain in close
contact. During the next three quarters of an hour I saw many submerged boats and planes and even the
legendry resident Sturgeons.  After a relaxed safety stop I surfaced with plenty of air and was indeed
somewhat reluctant to end my latest underwater experience.

Being based south of the Midlands it was quite a substantial journey to the very north of Lancashire and
did require a most enjoyable overnight stay. Not owning a drysuit I doubt I will return in depths of winter
(when apparently the visibility can be exceptional!), but roll on next summer. I can heartily recommend the
experience.

The synopsis is that the Government of Mexico has been refreshingly proactive in taking action to
enforce the protected biosphere reserve around the Revillagigedo Islands.   Things were looking pretty
grim at the time of LIDS 2008.  But there have been a series of high level meetings in Mexico City and
the President of the country has given direct orders to arrest the illegal fishing boats and put the
fishermen in prison.   Since that edict, there have been 2 dedicated enforcement patrols and at least 2
fishing boats have been arrested.   This is incredibly gratifying.   Most importantly of all, we hope that a
clear message is going out to the fishermen that the days of illegally poaching in the reserve are over.

So I am now guardedly optimistic about things!!

Hope this info helps.   It is refreshingly optimistic to see a government take this kind of action huh!!!

From Captain Mike Lever, Nautilus Explorer, Socorro Island.

I am delighted to report the arrival of an HS748 passenger airliner at the grounds of Capernwray Diving
Centre in North Lancs. It is causing quite a stir and according to Adam Hanlon, the wreck is likely to be
placed part submerged and part visible at the right hand side of the lake (just bordering the main
training section). However it is early days and plans could alter over coming weeks as to the exact plan
and location.