ANDRE Musgrove filming sharks at Tiger Beach. Photo: Andre Musgrove
By LETRE SWEETING
Tribune Staff Reporter
lsweeting@tribunemedia.net
A POPULAR underwater photographer joined calls to regulate chumming following a shark attack that killed Lauren Erickson Van Wart, 44, two weeks ago as she paddle-boarded three-quarters of a mile off Sandals Resort.
Andre Musgrove, a diver, spear fisherman and filmmaker, said killing sharks is not sustainable for reducing shark-related incidents.
Mr Musgrove, who became passionate about underwater exploration from a young age, agreed with Bahamas Humane Society president Kim Aranha, who linked chumming in public swimming areas to recent shark incidents.
Mr Musgrove explained that chumming “is putting food scraps fish, crops, animals, marine animal crops into the water, no matter how you’re doing that”.
He noted that chumming happens mostly where fish cleaning locations are located, such as Potter’s Cay Dock and Montagu Beach, “where a lot of fishermen go to clean their fish and charters and stuff”.
“Most of the fish scraps get thrown into the water into the channel,” he said. “And that’s where you have a lot of bull sharks. Because the bull sharks are there, because they’re being fed almost every single day, these fish scraps travel.
“Constantly putting bait in the water in a particular area is going to attract marine animals to frequent that area.
“I think the first thing that should be looked at is reevaluating how chum is put into the water and putting regulations in place of how it should be done.”
Mr Musgrove said discourse between marina owners and the government should shape the regulations.
“Some regulations can be as basic as, instead of just throwing random baits in the water, instead of doing it in a wild manner, like uncontrolled, maybe it can be put into the bait, or it can be a specific kind of chum, maybe just fish or squid or something so the scent is just in the water and it’s being controlled by the person that’s in the water who can see what’s coming around.”
“I think when it comes to the much larger scale fish cleaning, of course, we’re not gonna stop fishing. I fish and spearfish myself.
“But I think looking at alternative measures to do after we clean our fish, instead of just throwing it off the dock, maybe there can be collection bins stationed at fish cleaning locations.
“They never need to go on the water around the marinas and then they can be deposited in those bins and then later collected and then deposited somewhere further offshore in much deeper water, where tourists or divers or swimmers are far less likely to swim and drop off in thousands of feet of water where it can sink and still go back into the marine ecosystem.
“I think solutions like that would be a big start on controlling where sharks frequent. And that’s not by killing sharks.
“Sharks are attracted to places they get food and the places that chum the most in The Bahamas would be marina stations or fish cleaning stations where fish are constantly being thrown in the water.”
Comments
bahamianson 11 months ago
I CALL TO REGULATE IT , ALSO. ALSO, NO SHARK FEEDING ON DIVES OR NO SHARK DIVING.
bahamianson 11 months ago
See, that picture says it all. All that photographer needs is that shark to have a bad day. That is life, risky business. I am glad he is having fun swimming with an apex predator.
IslandWarrior 11 months ago
I totally agree that the practice of disposing of fish waste in the sea near the shore should be strictly prohibited. Additionally, it is recommended that a shark monitoring system employing tagging mechanisms be implemented. This would allow for the monitoring of shark populations and provide valuable insights into their movement patterns and behaviour. By introducing a tagging and monitoring regime, we can gather vital information to facilitate decision-making processes such as beach closures or the placement of warning signs, all while maintaining a non-intimidating approach that does not alarm beachgoers.
In many Asian countries, especially in coastal areas, fish waste is commonly used as fertilizer. Fish waste, including parts like fish heads, bones, and guts, is rich in nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorus, which are beneficial for plant growth. This practice helps in recycling organic waste from the fishing industry and contributes to sustainable agriculture.
DiverBelow 11 months ago
OUR WASTE is the problem. You cannot blame, a hungry shark anymore than you can blame a hungry stray dog from eating food scraps thrown on the street. Someone will be bitten. Street, dock, cannal or bay it's the same. Fish scraps like food scraps are a good source of fertilizer for our limestone Islands, we spend a lot of money on imported commercial fertilizers when there is a readily available source. Composting is a viable business model once the logistics are in place. Government pushing agriculture would be a natural customer.
But who would be collecting from the docks and restaurants? Not glamourous enough!! Easier to blame others for our lazy arse throwing trash on the street or off the dock.
IslandWarrior 11 months ago
Just picture this: hand over the thrilling job of collecting fish waste to a 'White Person' who unveils their fermentation and bottling process in the news, and when the fertilizer products start appearing on the shelves at CBS and Kelly's, priced at $35 dollars a bottle; then we'll have every 'tom, dick, and harry' racing to get their hands on fish waste faster than you can say 'Noni and Moringa'!
sheeprunner12 11 months ago
So, help me here.
The woman was killed by the shark nearby Sandals.
That is NOT near Potters Cay or Montagu Beach.
So, what other excuses are these ppl gonna find for "protecting sharks"????
This is ridiculous ....... Get rid of man eating sharks.
IslandWarrior 11 months ago
Indeed, here's some 'Helpful' insight into the situation. The Bahamas, quite uniquely and perhaps intentionally, some may say; boasts the world's largest concentration of Bull, Tiger, and Hammerhead sharks. Their migratory routes span from Clifton, Goulding Cay, Bimini, Freeport, and Norman's Cay to Green Cay near Rose Island. Divers, myself included, can attest to fascinating encounters with these majestic creatures in these areas.
However, the crux of the matter lies in the fact that many Bahamians are not intimately familiar with the seas surrounding us. While these underwater realms are teeming with life, there's a gap in understanding among our people about the developments beneath our noses, should we choose to take notice. The call for "Help" resonates in addressing potential risks associated with shark encounters and, more significantly, in fostering a deeper connection and awareness among Bahamians regarding the marine environments that define our beautiful country.
bahamianson 11 months ago
All the same area, all relative to a predator that can swim the distance in seconds.
ThisIsOurs 11 months ago
Sharks or no sharks, throwing all that rotting material into the dock needs to stop. It just makes sense. And Sandals isnt that far from Arawak Cay... if youre a shark.
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