From: sdodd@OES.ORST.EDU (Stephen M Dodd)
Newsgroups: sci.environment
Subject: Re: more on sharks - a backward step for Hawaii?
Date: 30 Jul 92 06:19:19 GMT
Organization: Oregon Extension Service, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Or.

In article <1992Jul29.223142.27139@news.Hawaii.Edu> michaelh@altair.net.hawaii.edu (Michael Hoffhines) writes:
>
>I wrote:
>MH> In fact, I would encourage Mr. Dodd who posted the flame that started
>
>Mr. Dodd replied:
>SD> I merely commented on a previous post.
>
>My apologies to Steve Dodd for any perceived mis-attribtions on my part.
>I took the following comment in his reply to G. Ryan's original post 
>on this subject:
>SD>  [Been out of the water too long and I feel a flame rising]
>To mean that he was interested in starting a flame and not in preventing
>one. My mistake.
>
>In any case, and at the risk of straying from strictly rec.scuba subject
>matter, there are a couple of points in SD's post which I feel miss
>the mark as regards to the for-want-of-a-better-name "Hawaii Shark  
>Eradication Program."
>
>SD> They need to show how they are going to erradicate these species of
>SD> sharks when there are probably millions of others waiting one notch
>SD> further out at sea.
>Eradication of _species_ is not the issue and certainly couldn't be done
>on the 200k proposed or the 150k allocated budget. Rather, the proposal
>is to reduce the _inshore_ presence of certain species of sharks in  
>Hawaiian waters. In addition, the allocation of monies has yet to be  
>determined meaning that some of it may well go into research rather than  
>paying bounty on each fin returned by fisherman. No doubt the calls and
>letters of concerned divers and other users of Hawaii's waters can  
>influence the direction of the reseach.
>

   I understand your comments here in spite of my sarcasim earlier.
   Yet, I do not think $200,000 would do anuthing.  This because I
   see how research money is spent in University settings.  Probably
   jumping to conclusions.       

>SD> The Japanese are reportedly catching millions a year for
>SD> shark fin soup out of the same Oceans.  It is amazing one hung out
>SD> around Hawaii long enough to kill anyone.
>While it has not been reported in other than the local media as far as
>I know, it is likely that another shark fatality, this one on O'ahu,
>occurred earlier this year. Since no body parts were recovered the 
>cause of death was officially left as an exercise for the reader.
>
>SD> Perhaps the Hawaiian government should ask the Japanese to come pick 
>SD> the others up.
>Yes, the Japanese consume a lot of sharks. But if they provide the market,
>the American fisherman are increasingly providing the raw materials. Its
>a very lucrative market and if US fisherman are overfishing US waters
>(as the declining catch on the East Coast indicates) then we must share
>the blame. In addition, many fisherman consider sharks competition and  
>routinely shoot them on sight (fisherman tend to behave similarly with  
>respect to dolphins as well). Let's clean up our own very dirty backyard  
>before we bash the neighbors. 
>

  If the shoe fits ...

  My comment here refers directly to video shot of huge Japanese fishing
  vessels taking large sharks for their ns alone.  The carcasses were
  thrown back into the sea.  Each of the carcasses may have weighed as
  much as 1500 pounds.  Multiply that by millions of sharks and you have
  enough food to feed nations.  This seems an immense waste to me, and I
  feel the waste needs to be pointed out.

  You should feel free to point out our own errors in
  these issues too.

>SD> Hawaii stands in the middle of the deep.
>Paraphrasing the VP, eh? :-)
>
>SD> Oceanic sharks of these
>SD> species are found in all the surrounding areas clear accross the
>SD> Pacific.  I not olny do not think they can do it, I don't even think
>SD> they can study it for that amount of money.  Perhaps spending the
>SD> money will give comfort to some.
>Indeed, I don't think that there is any doubt that the motivation for
>introducing the initial request was done out of sympathy for the local
>woman that died and a fear that increasing shark attacks would be very
>bad for tourism. Another legacy of the eighties - appearance is every-
>thing.

   Sometimes I thank God I came out of the sixties ...

   I still don't think they can control any of these issues with $$$$$.

   Steve
>
>- Mike
>
>--------------------------------------------------------------------------
> Michael Hoffhines             | INTERNET: michaelh@uhunix.uhcc.Hawaii.Edu
> University of Hawaii          | Nomen est numen!? NOT!
>--------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
-- 
- Stephen M. Dodd, System Analyst, Oregon Extension Service
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
sdodd@oes.orst.edu          Internet          Oregon State University
503-737-0699                                  Corvallis, OR 97331
Newsgroups: sci.environment,sci.physics,sci.energy