This video is a shortened version of the documentary “Shores of Silence: Whale Sharks in India”, a documentary that won 11 international awards and prompted the Indian government to outlaw the killing of whale sharks by declaring them to be an endangered species, which brought whale sharks under the protection of the Wildlife Protection Act of 1972.

We must continue to bring attention to this barbaric and destructive practice and we have to continue to fight for protection of all shark species.

Already 2010 has seen devastating earthquakes, massive flooding, destructive typhoons, huge tornadoes, and now we are adding to this destructive scenario. In addition we at the beginning of what may be an active Atlantic hurricane season.

Sure, oil has been extracted from the gulf for over fifty years. Most of it safely except for some small incidents here and there which seem acceptable to the industry. I am reminded that there are oil spills all around the world where drilling takes place but not on this level. The last major catastrophe was in 1979 in the Bay of Campeche (southern GoM) when the oil flowed for nearly three hundred days following an oil rig explosion. People have forgotten about that one. It was not well publicized and certainly did not have live underwater video of the tens of barrels of oil per second spewing from the broken well on our TV 24/7.

Experts say it could take a couple more months before the problem is solved. In that time the public will become accustomed to the bad news, and watch something else. Certainly Haiti does not come up on the news any more. But for the wildlife affected and for the people whose livelihood is severely interrupted, this event is as bad as a Cat 5 hurricane, an 8.0 earthquake or a terrible tornado.

The longer the oil flows, the more wildlife will be affected. Given the slow circulation of the gulf, the oil and dispersants are already killing off untold numbers of planktonic animals, fish eggs, larvae and juvenile fish which affect recruitment of these species for the next couple of years. While BP will be responsible for the clean-up of oil that reaches shore and reimbursing the affected fisherman and efforts have already begun to clean oil-covered birds, there has been little public concern for species found below the water surface. The bluefin tuna particularly comes to mind as their spawning ground is affected by the spill. This species is already severely overexploited, and this will definitely affect the survivability of the species in the western Atlantic. While the adults of all pelagic species can avoid the oil, the juvenile stages cannot. Neither can air-breathing turtles, sea birds and mammals that have to interact with the surface.

Movement of surface oil and suspended oil droplets is likely to happen with slow passage out of the gulf then accelerating with the gulfstream proceeding to Cuba, Florida and the US east coast further north. The effects will be widespread as has been projected. In the mean time over several years the remaining mass of oil will be slowly eroded through evaporation and breakdown by bacteria.

Our dependence on oil has to end at some point, the sooner the better. This accident is a very appropriate reminder that we need to turn to alternative, renewable energy sources as soon as possible. Sun, wind, hydrogen are all available and the technology exists to make meaningful changes over the next ten to twenty years.

Of course the oil companies don’t want to see this happen. This business is SO profitable they are going to protect it indefinitely. However while they are still in business, this event may encourage them to spend more money providing grants to gulf coast universities to assist in upgrading the scientific research work and improving our knowledge of the coastal wildlife ecosystems, nearshore marine and oceanic marine systems.

So how can we the public, living outside of the affected area, help? We can contribute time and dollars to the clean up process. This ecological disaster cannot be cleaned up by BP, even though they say they are going to pay for it. The effects of the spill are going to be with us for a long time. I am contributing time to do new designs printed by AFTCO to be sold through our dealers with proceeds benefiting suitable organizations on the ground who need assistance in getting the clean-up accomplished (in the same way following 9/11, I generated new designs the proceeds of which benefitted firemen and sniffer dogs in the New York area).

It is our collective responsibility to conserve the marine environment and maintain the biodiversity of the planet. In the mean time, dive safely and fish responsibly.

The first day of fishing was a success – two hammerheads were caught, tagged with SPOT satellite tags and safely released. More details to come, so stay tuned.

Cheers!

Correia, a male tiger shark first tagged in the vicinity of Challenger Bank, a reef system about 12 miles off the coast of Bermuda, has shown a very clear migration pattern – moving south to the Caribbean in the fall, staying in the warm Caribbean waters during the winter, and then moving north again into the Atlantic as the summer months approach.

The tracking map below details Correia’s movements since being tagged last August -

To see photos of the tigers being caught, tagged and released during the original expediton last August, visit the expedition’s photo album on Facebook.

Cheers!

I really love the format of this event. It’s a ”no kill” tournament that goes one-step further by incorporating science and conservation into the mix. For example, when anglers catch certain shark species, a research team will use a high-speed boat to intercept the anglers as they are bringing in the shark. Once the competing anglers have been able to measure and score the shark, the researchers will attach a satellite tag and then release the shark.

ABOVE PHOTO: Mote Marine Laboratory scientists Bob Hueter (near) and Jack Morris (far) quickly work to finalize the tag’s attachment. Photo by John Tyminski – Mote Marine Laboratory.

During the qualifying round of the GHUSC, a team of researchers from the MML safely tagged and released an 8′ 2″, 400lb. female bull shark that was caught by Capts. Bucky Dennis and Jimmy Willis of Team Peter’s Restaurant. Tournament organizers Sean and Brooks Paxton (AKA “The Shark Brothers”) and Capt. Robert Moore captured some sensational video and still images of Bucky and Jimmy landing the shark and the MML researchers outfitting her with a satellite tag on her dorsal fin (expertly placed by Dr Bob. Hueter, Director of MML’s Center for Shark Research, and Dr. Jack Morris, MML Senior Biologist). Excellent work, gentlemen!

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rWkbcKBEkK4]

The migration patterns of the tagged bull shark, dubbed “Bucky’s Baby”, can be tracked online – just click here. The site also includes:

• an option to subscribe to a daily update by email to track the shark’s movements
• specific information on “Bucky’s Baby” as well as bull sharks in general
• an option to adopt “Bucky’s Baby” to help fund the research
• great information on the GHUSC, with lots of links 

Great job, everyone – I look forward to a very successful and productive Grand Championship Finale!

Cheers!

“We were teaching a university shark biology course at the Bimini Biological Field Station. We set our line at 09:00 and hauled back at 15:30. The line was set in ~700′ – well into the Gulf Stream and with a strong 2 kt current. The weather was especially fine. The line itself is about 1,500 feet long but we only set the seven hooks on last 350′, which is weighed down with a 15 lb lead weight so the hooks stay on the bottom. The entire line was anchored by a concrete block, chain and anchor, which was zip-tied to the chain.

As we hauled the line back in, we found the second gangion/hook broken and gone and no bait on any of the other hooks. The tiger shark actually took the very first gangion, broke it and came back for a second before getting wrapped up in the main line. With the class looking on we hauled up the 1,500 feet of line and gear and discovered the big tiger tangled in the end of the line. We carefully untangled her and trussed her to the side of the boat.

Once the tiger was secure, we measured her, fitted her with a tracking tag and took a genetic sample. Then, we released her safe and sound back to the deep – but not before I got into the water with her for a few parting shots.

Being up close and personal with a behemoth like this female tiger is an incredible experience. The pure power and density of the shark is just amazing – feels like a giant oak!!

Many thanks to the Guy Harvey Ocean Foundation for supporting the shark research at the Bimini Biological Field Station – we couldn’t do this important work without your generosity!

Thanks…Doc Gruber”

Check out the video below of Doc and his team releasing another 12 ft. tiger shark off Bimini:

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DNmG8X5h4oY]

Great job, Doc…and the Guy Harvey Ocean Foundation hat looks great on you!

Cheers!

From left to right: John Santulli, VP Facilities Management, NSU; Dr. Richard Dodge, Dean of NSU’s Oceanographic Center; Dr. Mahmood Shivji, Director of the GHRI; Guy Harvey; Dr. George Hanbury II, President and COO of NSU; Steve Stock, President of Guy Harvey Inc. and the GHOF

Congratulations to Dr. Mahmood Shivji and the very talented and dedicated staff and students of the GHRI.

Cheers!

The GHUSC is leading the way in pioneering a new kind of shark tournament and we are excited about the positive influence this catch-tag-release format will have on other shark tournaments that still follow the kill format.

For information about the GHUSC, including a complete wrap-up of the Qualifying Round (with some great images), visit the GHUSC web site – and stay tuned for updates from the Grand Championship, which will be held May 21-23 at Mote Marine Laboratory in Sarasota, FL.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VIW2ZwUKwiA]

Cheers!

The 2010 Cayman Squash Open will bring this popular sport to the Cayman Islands in a dimension never previously experienced here. The use of glass courts sited at a beautiful waterfront setting at Camana Bay will revolutionize the spectator’s experience of this amazing sport. By having this wonderful facility, Cayman is poised to become a major player on the world stage of squash.

We have two years to get ready to host the World Open Squash Tournament. In the sport of squash, this is equivalent to hosting the World Cup or the Super Bowl. With Cayman’s outstanding facilities, hospitality and natural beauty, this is the ideal venue to host the most important event on the squash calendar.

Bringing this level of competition to Cayman on an annual basis will be very inspirational for our junior players and the junior squash program. Meeting world-class players, watching them play and experiencing expert instruction will help focus young minds on the desirable influences of competitive sport, particularly fitness, discipline and friendship.

For more information, visit the 2010 Cayman Islands Squash Open web site.

Cheers!

The FFA, led by Capt. Richard Brochu, is an outstanding organization and the GHOF is proud to support their mission: to use fishing to teach valuable life lessons to young children and teens, particularly those deemed “at-risk”.

The basic premise of the program is to teach fishing skills to kids and then help them use fishing to create a positive experience that encourages a healthy, drug- and violence-free lifestyle and appreciation of Florida’s natural resources, while also serving as an introduction to a possible maritime career.

In addition to the GHOF, the FFA is supported by several well-known south Florida individuals and organizations, including the Miami Dolphins, the Florida Marlins and the Florida Panthers. Also lending a hand is former governor and Democratic presidential nominee Michael Dukakis and his wife, Kitty. The pair will headline a major fundraiser for the FFA on April 29 at the City Fish Market Restaurant in Boca Raton. For more information, visit the FFA web site.

Thank you to the FFA staff for your vision, leadership and dedication – the GHOF is honored to be a part of your organization.

Cheers!