This is a scary story. For me, it's unfortunate that a shark dies, but it is a gripping adventure (photo at right). As a person who gets in the ocean a lot, I can't help but think about things like this now and then. Usually when a dark shadow catches my attention, swimming off to the side or behind me. I'm glad it's never turned out to be anything truly scary. Like the time a big grey shape swam under my surfboard, much larger than the board, but it turned out to be a dolphin. A moment of concern, but no big deal.
Two free divers (no scuba) were hunting tuna with spearguns. A shark came along, a BIG tiger shark. Big tiger sharks can be dangerous. These two are experienced, not easily frightened, and they felt like this animal was threatening.
So one diver speared the shark and a 2 hour struggle ensued. The shark died, and the divers survived unharmed.
Was it really necessary to kill the shark? Nobody will ever know, and the divers have the best standing to guess. I don't carry a speargun when I dive, and I wonder what would have happend if it were me?
Wow. Tweet
14 comments:
I really HATE spearfishers....
I don't care for spear fishermen either..They target the biggest and the best of any given specie and have had a negative impact on resident species all over the world.
i wasn't there, but judging by the visibility of the water in the picture, it is HIGHLY UNLIKELY that shark would have been a threat to the divers.
In all probability, they simply took the opportunity to put another notch in their dive belt--then came up with the lame exscuse that they felt threatened. If you are threatened by sharks--stay OUT of the water, it's a real easy thing to do.
There goes another breeder, and all we have to show for it is this disgusting picture...
Brad
(loves the sea)
We covered this story when it first broke and actually spoke with the divers.
http://sharkdivers.blogspot.com/search?q=tiger+kill
My take away was these guys were professional and all pretty torn up over the kill.
Images aside.
I also read that they were remorseful...
All good and well after the fact, but they could have backed out of the water and avoided the stiuation...
I remember a few years ago a diver said he shot his spear in the mouth of a GW because he said it was swimming toward him with its mouth open...
They swim with their mouth open...
Brad
Brad so are so full of shit mate. With what scientific data do you base your ill informed statements on?
Do the world a favour, stop posting your stupid crap on the net.
I have no problem with spearfishing and anyone who does is ignorant as far as I am conserned. Man has been takeing fish from the ocean since the dawn of time and spearfishing is the most efficient mothod. We all have are theories on what might have happend out there, but the fact is there is only a few that will ever know. I hardly doubt that spearfishing will ever put a dent in the Tiger Shark population.
One thing I'll agree with--spearfishing will never put a dent in tiger shark popuations. It'll never be a very popular activity, and is unlikely to end up killing a lot of tiger sharks.
shark diver, thanks for posting your link, you have a lot to add to this story.
umm, rjones, tiger sharks are ENDANGERED. so, YEAH, it will put a dent in the already decimated population...jeez people- care about our oceans much??
UMMMM.. Tiger Sharks are not endangered! You people are a joke.. spearfishing is a sport, whether you like it or not that diver had every right to spear that shark even if it wasn't circling his mate. I'd like to see what the people who sit behind their computers bagging him out would do if they where in that situation, because turning my back on a 12 foot tiger doesn't sound like a great plan. As for denting the population of sharks, what bout all those boats that simply cut the fins off and then dump the sharks, thats whats really killing off sharks Leave the spearfishers alone as they have less impact on species than anglers and spearfishing gives the fish a better chance of escaping than angling does. Dont critise a sport you can't do and don't understand.Rik you just hate spear fishers because your probably a big fat angler that couldn't swim to save yourself.
Actually I care deeply about the ocean and everything in it. I spend a great deal of time fishing with rod and reel and a speargun, as does my children. I NEVER kill anything unless I am going to eat it. Most spearfisherman I know share my beliefs. People rarly go to those kind of extremes unless they are passionate about the outdoors. But hey I know as well as anyone that there are exceptions to every rule, but as a whole I would say that someone that grabs a speargun and jumps into the ocean is going to care a great deal more about it than someone that just rides around on top of it!
i spear almost every weekend up the barrier reef around palm island in North queensland australia and magnetic island.
Magnetic island is well known for being a tiger shark breading area.
Divers have to remember that your in there world. 9 times out of ten they will not bother u. You apear bigger then them and are normaly in twos or 3s, they would most likely sus you out then leave or take your catch. They would be more attracted to your kill then you. HOWEVER being a wild sea predator a hunter.They are very unpredictable. Tigers stalk and will most likley be in numbers. Soon as u see one dont fuc k around. Get out of the water move to a different spot. If its two late and the shark come within spear distance looks like it will go you then defend your self. Hold your spear gun out let it hit the spear make loude noise and swim towards it.. if your not a experinced swimmer and it get to this stage discharge the weapon and pull out your knife. swim back to the boat. REAL FISHIN IT SPEAR FISHIN.
"Rik", what kind of nickname is that ?? Don´t be jealous, get out of the closet you fck fag !
And by the way, no one here looks to know what statistic have proven, spear is the less dangerous fishing skill to the enviroment, does anyone here have any idea of the destruction that a boat does to the ocean, in order to make it possible your fancy sushi dinner ???
Learn something about first, "Ms" Rik ...
I go spearfishing like 4 days a week, I've killed nurse sharks, barracudas, octopuses, and lots of kinds of sea species during summer, because that's what my family likes to eat during summer but believe me, if i ever saw a tiger shark underwater, i wouldn't dare to shoot it, i would just go somewhere else with my spear gun. I don't think they shot that shark just for fun, or to harm the species and all that crap... there's people that live from that, selling the fish they catch, or probably they wanted to have a good meal for their family, or maybe they felt threatened by that shark, just as some sharks have killed people and harmed lots of people just because they felt threatened by some people that wanted to go for a swim at the beach... I don't blame them, If I would've felt threatened by a shark like that, I would've done the same...
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