Re: NANFA-- Feeding Fish - In the Wild

Katrina kruse (underseavisions_at_attglobal.net)
Mon, 24 Jan 2000 16:55:29 -0800

With Morays, the teeth angle back into the mouth, so it can strip your flesh -
best to know about what you are dealing with. With wolf-eels, they have grinding
plates that can pulverize bones, but if you are a regular and watch before you
feed you do get a sense of their personalities. My concern isn't for the PEOPLE,
it is for the sharks -- depending on the species it can take 9 years before they
bear one offspring! Changing their feeding location is not good because it puts
them in conflict with humans. You CAN see sharks and a lot of other stuff by being
a "good" diver -- excellent buoyancy control and an unobstrusive manner (hang and
wait instead of chase). Seeing them as they are is a thrill, as compared to
feeding which is like a "zoo" situation. Most people are just taking short cuts
and don't have the time or desire to put in the time.

"Whitlock, Steve" wrote:

> Christopher Scharpf writes, <<and "bite the hand that feeds them." >>
>
> Well, now that you bring that up the article did mention a doctor who was
> diving at a site where moray eels had been fed often. One saw the diver and
> latched onto his wrist (associating the diver with the food.) As a result,
> he missed two months of work and had 7 tendons dammaged.
>
> I agree with you that, <<I suspect that the divers who are feeding the
> sharks are not completely genuine in their concern for them.>>
>
> They do make a lot of money on these dives. So far there have been no known
> shark attacks as a result of these feedings, but I think it's just a matter
> of time.
>
> SW
>
> /-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
> /"Unless stated otherwise, comments made on this list do not necessarily
> / reflect the beliefs or goals of the North American Native Fishes
> / Association"
> / This is the discussion list of the North American Native Fishes Association
> / nanfa_at_aquaria.net. To subscribe, unsubscribe, or get help, send the word
> / subscribe, unsubscribe, or help in the body (not subject) of an email to
> / nanfa-request_at_aquaria.net. For a digest version, send the command to
> / nanfa-digest-request_at_aquaria.net instead.
> / For more information about NANFA, visit our web page, http://www.nanfa.org

/-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
/"Unless stated otherwise, comments made on this list do not necessarily
/ reflect the beliefs or goals of the North American Native Fishes
/ Association"
/ This is the discussion list of the North American Native Fishes Association
/ nanfa_at_aquaria.net. To subscribe, unsubscribe, or get help, send the word
/ subscribe, unsubscribe, or help in the body (not subject) of an email to
/ nanfa-request_at_aquaria.net. For a digest version, send the command to
/ nanfa-digest-request_at_aquaria.net instead.
/ For more information about NANFA, visit our web page, http://www.nanfa.org