Malapascua - Rare Thresher Shark birth captured on camera

Yep water visibility wasn't too bad here. Depends when you go as there are times when visibility is poor due to the release of eggs/sperm from the coral. I must admit having my wits about me being in such close proximity. This was a fully grown silky shark, they grow to around a max of 2.5 meters.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silky_shark

Yeah. Bet you did have your wits about you. But if it chose to attack what could you have done? Leggit?

I did imagine the scenario of it attacking and the only thing I thought of was to face my fins towards it. That would have served absolutely no purpose but sharks although potentially very aggressive are agile and sensory with their mouth and usually drop things from their mouth that don't feel natural, i.e. a fish or whatever preferred foods they eat.

Of course there are not hundreds of thousands of people who have been attacked by sharks. Hollywood and the entertainment business has given them a bad rap.
Diving instructors and other divers like me have had chats over the years and the general idea is to hit the shark's nose if such an attack happens.
If the shark circles then closes it's eyes it will attack.
Most living creatures don't want to be hit close to where the eyes are because without vision they will be severely limited.

http://adventure.howstuffworks.com/15-tips-for-surviving-a-shark-attack.htm#page=15

There is dynamite fishing around that area (North coast of Cebu Island).
Until the Filipino government severely punishes people that do it (make the Barangay captains responsible to stop it by fining them severely) nothing will change.
It is not as if dynamite fishing can be done quietly, it can be heard for miles on land and even further under water.
The whole thing p****s me off

He focuses on several tacks.

One is through law and government. Another is through raising awareness. Both are equally important. Getting the people onside is important, through schools, the media including social media. It can be a slow process. But it can work. If nobody tries then it will never happen.

His colleague was shot as a result of trying to stop dynamite fishing in the Visayan seas.

They used to catch people at it with the help of local officials etc and bring them to book. He is getting too old for that now though.

I feel the Filipino government has to do more to address the problem.
Raising awareness is great but it will need much more than that.
It would need a massive initiative to be put in place using government infrastructure. It is the only way of putting tentacles everywhere.
It will require a LOT of money too and I am very sceptical.

In todays CDN

http://cebudailynews.inquirer.net/5...cover-device-to-monitor-coral-reef-conditions

Agreed. Though the government can be swayed by popular opinion (sometimes) and raising awareness also includes raising awareness amongst government circles and their families.

And...every little helps.

Here is an article on his colleague:

http://humanfacebyceres.blogspot.com/2006/04/elpidio-de-la-victoria-earth-day-martyr.html

These two guys put a lot of energy into protecting the Visayan Seas from illegal fishing. Some of it must have had a positive impact...

http://www.elaw.org/system/files/ph.oposa.ens.eng.pdf

Buy Mrs Ash explains that he has to watch his back.

http://cebudailynews.inquirer.net/58727/4-governors-meet-today-for-protection-of-visayan-sea

Indeed.

We, in the UK use naval vessels to protect our fish. Ideally, they ought to do the same here in the Visayan seas. It would pay for itself manyfold, in the longer term.

And this one:

http://www.philstar.com/cebu-news/2...overnors-plea-limit-visayan-sea-small-fishers

They've got to get the big fishing boats out and stop the illegal fishing methods too.

Shark sanctuary put up in Cebu town

MANILA, Philippines - "A town in Cebu has put up the country’s first sanctuary for sharks and rays.

Daanbantayan Mayor Augusto Corro designated the Monad Shoal and Gato Island as a shark and ray sanctuary, according to environmentalist group Greenpeace.

Catching and trading of shark and ray species are prohibited in these areas.

The waters around Monad Shoal and Gato Island teems with thresher and whitetip sharks as well as manta and devil rays."




http://www.philstar.com/nation/2015/07/05/1473221/shark-sanctuary-put-cebu-town

Ah, the mayor of Daanbantayan who married us has been replaced.
Looks like the new regime is proactive there which is good news for the sharks