What do we do about the proliferation of sharks??

[Lynski]

Hi Guys
I am sure that I am not the only one being Hounded,Bronzied and Black (balled) Finned by Sharks ? For the last three years the Shark problem has got steadily worse. My last outing it was two fish to the boat and at least Twenty five to the sharks !! How many are down there and how many Kg's can one shark eat    ? I calculated at least Twenty boats each giving Twenty fish to Sharks  20 X 20 =400 X 7kg for each fish = 2.8 Tons of fish !!! for the sharks.   The experts are QUIET and the conservationists say it is the domain of the sharks ? What about the poor fish down there ? Imagine if the Kruger Park was overstocked with Lions    ??
Interesting is it not?
Catch u later.
Tom 

[Cam Mundy]

This has been raging on more than one forum and magazine for a while my advise find a new place to fish there is little else you can do.

[nico]

Eat them.

[nantes]

hi tom
this is a serious problem we have here
the comercials from richardsbay al the way down to shelly beach is complaining about the same thing
i lost about 60 fish to the sharks last week
saw a documentry on tv about sharks
they can eat 20 to 30%of their own body weight a day
and the sharks is al over 100 kg. so its not to diffecult to work out howmany fish one shark wil take a night
would like to hear from the seintist whats their thought on this
and the one guys comment was fish somewhere els
the sharks are all over.

[nantes]

TOM WELCOME TO THE SITE

[Habib]

i doubt sharks are crusing the reefs everyday looking to eat 30% of their body weight, i wouldnt know....im not a shark.

hooking a fish off the boat is probably triggering a sharks instinct to feed on a distressed fish...easy food.

so that 20kg rockod would have lived a long happy life with sharks cruising pass him all the time....thats until someone hooks him off the boat and then its bye bye rockod...thats just an example

i can live with having more sharks and no commercials on the water

[Lynski]

Hi Again
Interesting about commercials.
there care only five legal commercial boats operating out of Durban and probably Forty receational boats. if each comm boat takes 150 kg a day ( i think this is an over estimate) and each Rec boat takes 50 kg a day (i think this is an underestimate)  you need to look at the assumption again.
That happy 20kg rock cod was hardly ever taken by sharks a few years ago!
Catch u later
Tom
 

[Libs]

hey

I am doing research on linefishing in KZN. Have spoken to a number of guys (recs, comms and inspectors). They all say the same thing.

There is a study about to take off, but my work will pre-empt it and I want to know what feeback to give to DAFF. Why - I am sure scientists (who I am about to interview) will have explanations. But guys who fish have local knowledge. I spent 2 hrs with a commercial skipper today who was saying that the past few seasons have been so bad because of blacktips that he is not convinced that he should reapply for his rights next year.

And multiple rec skiboat guys.

What is causing it.

And what should be done.

Belinda

[aquadementia]

as was said by some saffa scientist (sorry dont recall, mighta been Rudy vd Elst) on a documentary on shark attacks, sharks can LEARN... They know divers will feed them so they come. They know boats will dangle an wasy meal so they come.
 
 

[bryant]

Bang Stick??????? im gonna get skinned alive for this .
 
We have one but never use the thing, got very close to using it at vidal this year, especially when you loose 8 livebaits + hooks in a day.
 
Believe it will make it worse if you bang a shark, cause more will just be attracted to the area after the blood and guts...

[Mudcrab]

My guess is that the sharks have learnt to asscociate boats with easy meals 

[Kumz]

My guess is that the sharks have learnt to asscociate boats with easy meals 

  ...why go n chase a fish ..when u can have an easy snatch ..... my 2c's ... 

[WalkersKiller]

Problem or not... Its good to see that shark populations are on an increase... And I agree with the guys that say sharks have associated themselves with boats I think that is right! It is sad about how many fish get taxed though, its really unfortunate...

[PH]

Is the increase in shark population not in proportion to the increase of their food resources

[sea sick]

well the chinese found shark fin soup.
if our indian community realise the abundance of sharks etc, they could do some culling for us.

i tend to agree, with bryant. a bang stick could work.

what would be the reason, that the shark population increased so much, if it was not for the fact, that sharks associated boats etc for easy meals.

ss

[nico]

I've chatted to Geremy Cliff about this (Chief Scientist, sharks board), and he is also thinking that it is learnt behaviour. They hardly ever get blacktips close to shore any more, but they are prolific off number 1.
 
So I guess in the end us skiboaters have created our own problem. In the old days they were killed when caught, so not much chance for learning a lot!

[PH]

I've chatted to Geremy Cliff about this (Chief Scientist, sharks board), and he is also thinking that it is learnt behaviour. They hardly ever get blacktips close to shore any more, but they are prolific off number 1.
 
So I guess in the end us skiboaters have created our own problem. In the old days they were killed when caught, so not much chance for learning a lot!

So it could be that it a perceived increase in population due to increased activity around ski boats.

[WalkersKiller]

So it could be that it a perceived increase in population due to increased activity around ski boats.

That makes sense...

[dugong]

I've chatted to Geremy Cliff about this (Chief Scientist, sharks board), and he is also thinking that it is learnt behaviour. They hardly ever get blacktips close to shore any more, but they are prolific off number 1.
 
So I guess in the end us skiboaters have created our own problem. In the old days they were killed when caught, so not much chance for learning a lot!

+ Zambis!!!!

[tkei]

I have my own theory.
Sure we all know sharks are being decimated by commercials, but these are generally in the open waters and thjend to be Blue sharks and makos, and I guess around the islands etc white tips etc.
The fish stocks world wide are nowhere near what they used to be, so the sharks do not have nearly the food source they used to have. The habbits of anglers have changed over the last 20 years. A few years back alsot all sharks that were caught were killed either with guys shooting them, gaffing and taking hopme to hang for a pic and then dumping etc etc. Nowdays almost all sharks are released, so the "predation" on the inshore species isnt as high. Remember Man is the APEX preditor as we kill a lot more than the Aquatic Apex preditors.
The result of this is more sharks, less food. yes sharks can learn so they have learnt that protea aliwal etc has a good supply (better than most areas) of tuna etc. They tgherefore hang around the food. Then they learnt that the boat brings pieces of sards to attract the food (tuna) and then they hald the tuna still for them to catch. so catching the fish is "Makilik soos piepie in die bad". if they do by chance get caught, then we let it go again so it isbnt taken out of the equasion. more sharks learn about the easy meals ont he hot spots so they stick around.
Solution, its not going to sit well with all, but a limited "cull" on sharks, but this will only really benefit  us humans, and the hooked fish as some may have been released.
In 30 yrs of deepsea i hadnt been taxed but in the last few years in the kei it has also started. Unless the food fish stocks improve the situation will get worse.