Appropriate?

[lobster]

I've been on popular dive sites where the fish harase you looking to be fed. Its great to watch but definetly not natural. Kinda scary at times Usually there are smashed urchin shells lying about so go figure....

[Juz]

Originally Posted by lobster

I've been on popular dive sites where the fish harase you looking to be fed. Its great to watch but definetly not natural.

I had the same experience at a site that I later found to be a site where divers regularly feed fish.

I disagree with the practise and was just interested in other people thoughts.

Juz

[lobster]

Originally Posted by Juz

I had the same experience at a site that I later found to be a site where divers regularly feed fish.

I disagree with the practise and was just interested in other people thoughts.

Juz

I disagree by the way. Those people should buy a goldfish!

[David Wallace]

Originally Posted by Juz

Just wondering what peoples thoughts were. A YD sponsor has a banner advertising feeding the wildlife.

Personally I'm not for it as I feel it alters natural behaviour.



Juz

Agreed, although I'm not sure how Jay would feel about turning down revenue? And once you start down that road.... where does it end?

regards

[Brian of Aquanauts]

Originally Posted by Dave Crampton

By diving with wildlife must alter their behavour in itself shouldn't it? Perhasps not as much as feeding them. So should we all there fore stop diving altogether?

Have re-read this a few times and still can't make the connection????

I can't see Jay turning down revenue, but he could draw up a set of guidelines for advertisers.

[divegyrl]

I used to dive in Florida in a place called 'Shark Alley' it was were all the dive boats used to feed the local sharks so there was always sharks around.
When Florida brought in the 'no feeding rule' there were still sharks around but they went from happy contented sharks to ones that aggressively patrolled the area, not always a fun place to be. So yes I saw that behaviour had been adapted/changed.

I have dived in marine sanctuaries where shark encounters may happen and there was no 'alpha/aggressive' behaviour, perhaps I was lucky & they were just well fed

Yes, our presence under water does affect marine behaviour, I feel that actively feeding them is not right, the old PADI adage 'look, don't touch' works well for me.

I had the pleasure of once being on a wreck on my rebreather when a stingray came up and swam around me, I'm guessing he was intrigued by my lack of bubbles & just thought I was a strange yellow & black big fish! I didn't feed him, didn't try to touch him or otherwise interfere with him, but I guess my presence had to have an affect.

[David Wallace]

Originally Posted by Brian of Aquanauts

I can't see Jay turning down revenue, but he could draw up a set of guidelines for advertisers.

We could all help!

Im sure that he would like all of YD to help draw up some guidelines.......

[Fiona]

I don't look at the front page so I haven't noticed this sponsor, I am a little confused by the picture as they talk about feeding stingrays but the picture is of a manta ray ?

The don't seem to mention it on their web page so maybe they would consider removing that section of the banner. I know that one item would put me off a dive centre.

Some year ago I went to GBR and one of the dives was a Cod Hole, we didn't take the usual boiled eggs down yes an obviously staple food, but the huge cods nudged us for food. So their behaviour is definitely altered by feeding.

Sorry 24/7 you aren't for me.

[Stesh]

While we're on the subject, does anyone know if this a Urban Myth?:-

"I heard dive guides in the Red Sea stopped feeding Napoleon wrasse boiled eggs due to one of them dieing from Cholesterol poisoning?"

Anyway here's what BJ had to say on subject:-

Divernet | Marine Life | You'll only encourage them...

[davidcarson]

Thank you for your comments everyone and thank you Juz for bringing it to our attention.

The banner was designed by someone who is a divemaster in Tenerife and at the time of design feeding the rays was done by a lot of the dive centres here. After diving on the Stingray site and not liking the way in which the marine life literally attacked you for the food we decided to STOP feeding the rays. Now we feel that it is a much nicer, relaxed and safer envirnoment for both divers and marine life together. We are in the process of updating our website and the webmaster is also going to change the banner.

Fortunately we have taken the step to stop this activity but it is still practised by lots of centres. Maybe by reading this post they will follow suit.