Quote Originally Posted by acelockco View Post
I agree with you, that is the real question.

As far as the sharks are concerned, it is probably a REALLY good thing for so many reasons. The biggest reason in my opinion is that these feeding dives raise awareness of sharks as something other than a danger to us and bring travelers to see them which stimulates the local economy for much longer than shark finning can. In those areas they have more value alive than they do dead.
The benefits of diving with sharks (wether with or withouth shark feeds), in terms of tourism, longevity and sustainability, are IMHO undeniable, especially when compared with shark fishing or finnning.

However I do have a question on this (and before any hot heads start spouting, it is a question, I'd be very interested to know what people feel).

Tourism etc will potentially bring in extra money to the local economy, but does this extra money reach the right pockets?

The initial operations are generally set up by foreigners with the investment potential and the know how, one would hope that they employ local help and also that the local economy is stimulated and has an overall benefit. So all being as we'd hope, no prob there.

But what about the fishermen, i.e. people who would otherwise potentially be involved in shark finning or fishing. Are they encouraged/helped to move across, is there enough work to provide for them too? If they are and there is, then this would have obvious benefits for the fight against shark finning, however a recent event in South Africa started making me think about it there.

Aliwal Shoals in South Africa has a thriving shark dive industry, reknown, in the UK at least, as one of the best spots in the world - you can get to see black tips, raggy tooths, coppers, duskies, bulls, tigers, as well as regular whale and dolphin sitings. This brings in loads of tourists and loads of money (quick plug, a good friend of mine, Craig, runs excellent tours around there, including an anual to participate in the sardine run, and also shark feeds if that's your thing. PM me if you're interested).

Despite this, a fishermen went out and caught 3 tiger sharks in February, landed them in broad day light and sold them. His reason, apparently he was up against the wall, fish stocks were low and he couldn't find another way to feed his familly, he received no direct benefot from the shark diving industry - fishing for the sharks, known regulars to the area, was an easy and obvious option to him with a good rate of return.