SHARK FEEDING TIMELINE :: A Chronology of Key EventsThe photo on the left shows shark feeding dare-devil, the 'unbiteable' Erich Ritter, fooling around for TV cameras with a bull shark at a popular Bahamas shark feeding site (SHARK RODEO - Walker's Cay) before he was severely bitten. Ritter went into severe shock after the attack and was medivaced to a Florida hospital where surgeons stood by to save what was left of his mangled leg.| "Hey, you want a real scientist, go to NOAA! You want a wild and crazy guy who knows how to make a quick showbiz buck, gimme a call," says TV shark show whacko Erich Ritter, the dive industry poster boy for interactive shark feeding scams (until he fed his left leg to a shark in the Bahamas). |
Early 1990's - Fathoms 'O Fun starts shark feeding dives in South Florida at a site called Fink's Grouper Hole off Highland Beach.
Late 1990's - South Florida Dive Headquarters, Jim Abernethy Scuba Adventures and Shark Dive USA jump on the bandwagon with high-profile, thrill-seeker shark feeding promotion. Divers begin to notice unnatural and aggressive shark behavior near feeding sites. 1998 November - Bob Dimond, David Earp, Steve Picardi and local dive operator, Capt. Tony Coulter openly question the wisdom and safety of shark feeding. Picardi and Coulter's concerns are quoted in a Miami Herald report on a feeding injury (moray eel) to a Swedish tourist diving with South Florida Dive Headquarters. 1999 August - After many close calls with aggressive sharks on lobster dives, Dimond and Earp contact South Florida Dive Headquarters to request that feeds be terminated in the interest of public safety. SFDH ignores the request. 1999 September - Dimond, Earp and Picardi deliver a proposal to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) to ban the feeding of wild marine life while using scuba or snorkel gear. FWC holds first public hearing on shark feeding1999 October - The FWC holds its first public workshop before a crowd equally divided between commercial shark feeding interests and a grassroots coalition of environmentalists, local divers, concerned citizens and local dive operators. Dr. William Alevizon, reef fish ecologist, delivers the opening statement against feeding. Dimond, Earp and Picardi submit a petition signed by almost 4,000 concerned citizens supporting a feeding ban. 2000 February - After reviewing scientific data at a second public hearing, the FWC rules to establish regulations banning marine life feeding. Following the hearing, PADI-DEMA attorney and lobbyist, Bob Harris of Akerman-Senterfitt Attorneys at Law, launches an aggressive campaign to reverse the FWC decision. 2000 March - Environmentalists accuse PADI of putting an environmental spin on the business of shark feeding when the diver training agency announces that its Project Aware organization opposes a ban on marine life feeding. 2000 July - In a third FWC public hearing, panels representing both sides debate the public safety issue. Individual divers injured on shark feeding dives give testimony refuting the pro-feeding panel's claim that no one was ever injured on a feeding dive. 2000 August - Attorney Bruce Hermelee sends legal opinion on behalf of the Marine Safety Group to the FWC warning the state of liability with regard to predator feeding dives. FWC votes down shark feeding ban2000 September - The dive industry reaches into P.T. Barnum's bag of tricks with free bus rides, food, beverages and prizes to lure shark feeding supporters to the forth FWC public hearing. Despite growing support for the ban among environmental groups, the FWC decides not to ban marine life feeding and defers to the dive industry to establish feeding guidelines with input from anti-feeding environmentalists. After the meeting the dive industry refuses to open up lines of communication with the Marine Safety Group. Instead, Regina Franklin, executive director of DEMA, John Stewart, president of Dive Marketing International, and Bob Harris, PADI-DEMA attorney, boast that the shark feeding battle is already over and congratulate each other on what Harris describes as the most important victory for the dive industry in 15 years. DEMA vs UNITED NATIONS | "The (dive) industry as a whole recognizes the significant value of interactive (animal feeding, animal touching, animal riding, animal petting) marine experience$." Regina Franklin, DEMA "DEMA is to be congratulated for stepping up to the (feeding) plate." John Stewart, Dive Marketing Int. |
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| "Do not feed fish. Do not attempt to touch marine animals." United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) "Do not touch living marine life such as coral and marine animals. Never harass aquatic animals. Do not feed marine animals." International Ecotourism Society |
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2000 October - The Marine Safety Group shifts direction and focuses on educating local governments and the media. Howard White, the Director of Media Relations for The Humane Society of the United States offers HSUS support for a ban. 2000 November - The city of Pompano Beach sends a letter to the FWC stating their liability concerns over injuries that may occur as a result of shark feeding. Deerfield Beach votes to ban shark feeding2001 February - In a stunning defeat for the dive industry and its high-priced lobbyists who fought tooth and nail at Deerfield Beach, the city council of Deerfield Beach votes unanimously to ban the feeding of marine life off its beaches. Other cities soon follow including Lighthouse Point, Hillsboro Beach, Delray Beach and Coconut Creek. Each city sends letters to the state requesting a statewide ban. 2001 May - Media pressure mounts as the FWC holds another commission meeting. The dive industry submits guidelines that resemble a cross between a PADI specialty course outline and a bizarre pamphlet promoting dive industry marketing types, scuba magazine editors and DEMA attorneys as born-again environmentalists. The FWC rejects the dive industry outline as grossly inadequate and decides to draw up its own regulations. 2001 May - The Marine Safety Group is officially recognized as a nonprofit public service organization. 2001 early July - A few feet off a beach in Pensacola, Florida, a bull shark attacks 8-year-old Jessie Arbogast, ripping off his arm and tearing a massive chunk of flesh from his thigh. The boy miraculously survives but the Summer of the Shark has begun. More shark attacks follow in Florida, Virginia, the Carolinas and the Bahamas. Shark feeders further alarm and provoke the public with statements that shark attacks are nothing to worry about, "they happen all the time". Attorney, Johnny Cochran, raises liability issue2001 late July - Bahamas shark attack victim Krishna Thompson retains high-profile attorney Johnnie Cochran. Mr. Cochran raises liability issue of feeding sharks "in close proximity to beach areas." 2001 mid August - As support for the Marine Safety group increases and public pressure continues to mount against shark feeding, one member of the dive industry coalition panics. Dave Taylor of Rodale's, a US-based scuba magazine, launches a high-profile media attack on the personal and professional reputation of environmental scientist and Marine Safety Group Scientific Advisor, Dr. Bill Alevizon. The stunt backfires as the media turns against Taylor, the shark feeders and the dive industry. 2001 late August - Old DEMA cronie, Al Hornsby, trumpets the dive industry party line in Skin Diver with a mind-numbing info-ad promoting shark feeding in the Cayman Islands as not only an "educational" thrill, but an opportunity to "earn a PADI specialty, too". In a USA Today article PADI's Jeff Nadler questions the merits of "interactive marine encounters". Florida State Representatives Garcia and Justice co-sponsor a bill to ban marine wildlife feeding in all state waters. 2001 September 1 - While being interviewed on a worldwide radio broadcast, shark feeding supporter Jean-Michele Cousteau angrily warns Bob Dimond of the Marine Safety Group to: " Stay the hell out of my way." 2001 early September - The Summer of the Shark puts the international media spotlight on Florida's shark feeding debate and tourists around the world are wary of Florida beaches. The media and public demand proof that shark feeding does NOT attract sharks to public marine recreation areas. The shark feeders answer by demanding proof that it does. FWC votes to ban shark feeding2001 September 6 - The FWC holds another meeting to present their safety guidelines. The dive industry (DEMA lawyer, Bob Harris) rejects the guidelines as unnecessarily strict and financially unattractive, leaving the FWC with one option: A complete ban on the feeding of marine wildlife. Rodale Inc, DEMA, shark feeding businesses launch "evil government" campaign2001 September 10 - In an editorial filled with blatant untruths and desperate "evil government" scare tactics, Rodale's hack, Dave Taylor, blames the FWC decision on media hysteria and then ironically adds some of his own: The FWC decision is part of government conspiracy to "extend their control over diving". In the world according to Taylor, the government is evil, regulations are bad and FWC officials are media puppets incapable of making intelligent decisions to ensure public safety and protect wildlife. RODALE INC vs MARINE SAFETY GROUP | "Regardless of your feelings about marine interactive dives that involve feeding, I hope you see this ruling as highly discriminatory...the precedent established last week by the FWCC, if left unchallenged, can be used by other government entities (sic) to extend their regulatory control over diving, making sharks and divers the ultimate losers in this media-induced 'summer of the shark'..." Dave Taylor, Rodale Inc |
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| "It is only a small, profit-motivated group presently profiting from commerical exploitation of Florida's marine wildlife who will be the "losers" when shark feeding is banned. The beachgoing pubic "wins" because they no longer will have to worry about "spillover" dangers from nearby shark feeding operations. The sport diving community "wins" by regaining the opportunity for all divers to safely observe and explore ocean wild places and wildlife. Most of all, the sharks "win" because they get to go back to just being sharks, instead of manipulated stunt performers." Marine Safety Group |
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2001 September 20 - City of Fort Lauderdale passes resolution supporting proposed ban on marine wildlife feeding. 2001 September 21 - DEMA, the California-based dive industry marketing group opposed to environmental and safety regulations, endorses the "evil government" strategy. DEMA Director Regina Franklin states, "Several dive operators rely on shark dives, and other marine life dives, to drive their businesses. If this rule is passed, it will set a precedence (sic) and threaten the rights of dive operators and other dive-related businesses all over the world by opening the door for future regulation of our industry." 2001 September 24 - The Marine Safety Group corrects Rodale's errors, distortions and untruths stating that "(Dave Taylor's) distortions do a disservice to the public, the cause of marine conservation, and the sport diving community beyond the world of shark feeding." 2001 September 25 - Florida shark feeders, Spencer Slate of Captain Slate's Atlantis Dive Center, and Jim Abernethy of Jim Abernethy's Scuba Adventures, issue a a long and incoherent letter embellishing on Rodale's "evil government" theme. The letter to the FWC attempts to link the shark feeding ban to the September 11 terrorist attack on America and harshly criticizes FWC commissioners as no better than the terrorists. Even shark feeding supporters choke on the letter and announce they will boycott both operators. SPENCER SLATE & JIM ABERNETHY vs THEMSELVES | "The (FWC's) sacrifice of our way of life, by voting for the ban on 6 Sept was a threat to the freedom of every American. We will not stand by and let this ban happen any more than we will let those perpetrators escape punishment for the heinous crimes of 11 Sept." Spencer Slate & Jim Abernethy |
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DEMA files lawsuit in last-ditch attempt to stop ban2001 October 19 - In a last-ditch attempt to prevent the State of Florida from prohibiting thrill-dive tour operators from feeding sharks and other dangerous marine predators close to Florida's beaches, attorneys for the California-based Dive Marketing Equipment Association (DEMA) filed suit last week against the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission's (FFWCC). PADI urges members to fight shark feeding ban2001 October 21 - Just ahead of the final FWC vote on a shark feeding ban, PADI issues a call to arms urging its members to fight the ban. After many PADI members complain about attempts to feed PADI membership pro-shark feeding propaganda, PADI justifies its opposition to the proposed ban by comparing shark feeding thrills to the performances of orcas held captive in small aquarium pools. Then, to underscore their desperation, PADI promotes an intellectually bankrupt site rushed onto the web in early October that is full of silly cartoons and ugly hate-mongering as an authority on the issue of shark feeding. PROJECT AWARE vs CYBER DIVER SOCIETY | "Experience has shown that participants in responsibly organized shark feeding encounters become fervent shark conservationists. A good (and equally complex), comparison is to killer whales and marine parks. While there are those who strongly disagree with placing orcas in captivity and having them perform, it is these contrived, ''unnatural'' encounters that removed public fear and fueled killer whale protection. Interactive dives are of key importance for gaining the same change in public opinion regarding sharks." Jeff Nadler - PADI Project Aware |
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| "Eventually PADI will learn, or admit, there is no causal relationship between shark feeding and conservation. We don't need to pretend that sharks or lions or orcas are friendly and cute. We can fear them, respect them and want to protect them for the awe-inspiring natural-born killers they really are, rather than the force-fed circus performers PADI, Project Aware and Jean-Michel Cousteau want to turn them into." Freeman Washington, Cyber Diver Society |
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Florida bans shark feeding2001 November 1 - In a landmark decision, Florida becomes the first state in the U.S. to prohibit divers from feeding marine wildlife. Divers, environmentalists and the general public hail the unanimous decision by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FFWCC) as a major victory for wildlife protection and marine conservation. Ban on shark feeding becomes law2002 January 1 - Shark feeding becomes illegal in Florida. Hawaii, Caymans move to ban shark feeding2002 January 15 - The Hawaii State Board of Land and Resources votes to hold hearings on banning shark feeding. CDNN launches ACT NOW campaign to support Senator Inouye, the general public, environmentalists, dive operators and divers who want shark feeding banned in Hawaii state waters. 2002 January 18 - The Cayman Islands legislature bans shark feeding as part of a comprehensive Marine Conservation Legislation package designed to offer greater protection to the nation's marine life. Shark attack victim blames Unexso shark feeding2002 January 22 - Bahamas shark attack victim, Krishna Thompson, represented by renowned attorney, Johnny Cochran, blames the loss of his leg and nearly his life on Our Lucaya resort and Unexso, a shark feeding dive center operating in the area. DEMA suffers setback in shark feeding lawsuit2002 January 30 - The presiding judge in Leon County Circuit Court advises DEMA attorney Bob Harris to take his case back to the legal 'drawing boards' stating that the dive industry's 'everything but the kitchen sink' approach is not acceptable. UN eco campaign targets dive tourism, fish feeding2002 March 2 - In a global effort to save coral reefs, UNEP, the United Nations Environmental Program, singles out dive tourism and fish feeding activities as serious threats to coral reef habitats. Shark attacks snorkeler at illegal Florida shark feeding site2002 March 16 - Less than 200 meters from a Florida dive site where dive operators are illegally feeding sharks, a snorkeler is savagely attacked by a nurse shark. According to unconfirmed reports, Jeff Torode's South Florida Diving Headquarters and Jim Abernethy's Scuba Adventures are flaunting the law against shark feeding. Shark 'expert' Erich Ritter blames fishing for Florida shark attacks2002 April - Shark diving entertainer, Erich Ritter, a self-proclaimed shark 'expert' who owns and operates a shark feeding tour business in Florida, and has been accused by leading elasmobranch scientists of falsifying his professional credentials, claims that his personal collection of shark bite photos proves that over 90 percent of shark attacks are caused by fishing. Rodale's Scuba Diving hack Dave Taylor, a strident and often hysterical shark feeding proponent, publishes Ritter's preposterous, psuedoscientific findings. ISAF concludes shark killed Florida diver2002 April 9 - The International Shark Attack File requests the Broward County Medical Examiner's Office autopsy report and concludes from the evidence that a shark killed expert diver Eric Reichardt at the wreck of the Ronald B. Johnson located less than a mile from Shark Diving USA's popular bull shark feeding site. Shark feeding tour operator Erich Ritter goes into severe shock after bull shark 'mistake'2002 April 10 - Bull shark attacks shark feeding entertainer, Erich Ritter, as he and "Shark Rodeo" promoter/hotel manager Gary Adkison fool around with sharks for a TV adventure show crew. Ritter, 43, goes into severe shock after losing a large part of his left leg and is medivaced from Walkers Cay in the Bahamas to a hospital in Florida. Adkison claims the shark became confused in murky water and mistook Ritter's legs for remora fishes. Journalist David Graves dies on Bahamas shark feeding dive2002 July 8 - During an all expenses paid scuba diving press trip organized by the Bahamas Tourist Office, Dive Show and Diver magazine to showcase the spine-tingling excitement of diving with fed sharks, UK Telegraph journalist David Graves dies on a shark feeding dive at Small Hope Bay Lodge. As the investigation into Graves' death begins, Small Hope Bay Lodge owner Jeff Birch tells authorities the video of the dive has mysteriously been wiped. Discovery Channel: Bahamas shark attack victim blames shark feeding2002 August 6 - New York banker Krishna Thompson who lost a leg to a shark in August 2001 while swimming right off the hotel beach of "Our Lucaya" hotel (Grand Bahama Island) tells Discovery Channel host, "Man...If I'd known they were feeding sharks out there I would NEVER gone in the ocean - I would have headed straight for the pool". The beach where Mr. Thompson was attacked is less than a mile from Neal Watson's "Shark Alley" feeding site, billed as "the shark feeding capital of the world". Thompson's attorney Johnnie Cochran is suing the hotel for failing to warn guests that shark feeding - an activity known to increase the likelihood of nearby shark attack - was taking place right off the hotel swimming beach. Bahamas shark attack victim sues Our Lucaya resort for US $25 million2003 October - New York banker Krishna Thompson sues Our Lucaya Beach & Golf resort for $25 million two years after he lost part of his left leg in a vicious shark attack. The lawsuit blames the resort for not informing its guests about "Shark Junction", a shark infested area "dangerously close" to Our Lucaya where local dive operators entertain tourists with shark feeding thrill dives. PADI instructor on interactive dive loses finger after harassing porcupine fish2003 November - PADI scuba diving instructor Randy Jordan of Jupiter Florida loses his finger after trying to provoke a porcupine fish to come out and perform for dive tourists. South Africa authorities shut down shark feeding tour operator for endangering public safety2004 January - South Africa's Ministry of the Environment shuts down shark diving tour operator Theo Ferreira for endangering public safety by feeding sharks just off a popular tourist beach. Ferreira, another self-proclaimed shark behavior expert, denies chumming near the beach and claims he put chum in the ocean "to attract sharks away from swimmers". South Africa public angry--surfing association calls for ban on shark feeding after shark attack2004 April - Surfing association officials call for a ban on shark feeding and shark baiting by South Africa cage dive operators after a shark attacks and nearly kills a surfer off Cape Town. 2004 April - South Africa public blames shark attacks on cage diving operators and other tourism companies that feed sharks to guarantee tourists "get what they pay for". South Africa shark feeder mutilating sharks?2005 March - After baiting and provoking a great white shark to attack an underwater cage that encloses thrill-seeking tourists, a shark cage diving operator brutually mutilated the animal for damaging his buoy and sinking the cage. 2005 March - A South Africa shark feeder has admitted it uses chum bait to deliberately provoke sharks to attack cages that enclose thrill-seeking tourists but denied it mutilated a shark. Shark feeding bad for sharks says renowned shark scientist2005 April - While PADI, DEMA, Project Aware and dive tourism companies continue to promote and profit from the exploitation of sharks, shark scientists condemn shark feeding. "When you feed a shark you are provoking him, so most shark attacks are not actually attacks, just responses to the environment," Dr George Burgess said. "Throwing fish and blood into the sea is altering the way that sharks behave. Shark tourism is not seeing sharks in their natural habitat - what tourists are watching is a circus." Dr Ellen Pikitich, of the Pew Institute for Ocean Science, New York, agreed: "Putting a cage into an area where there are known to be great whites is irresponsible." Interactive fish feeding diver loses thumb after harassing eel2005 April - British tourist Matt Butcher loses his thumb after he and his diving buddy Becks Herbert conclude that a huge 2-meter long moray eel "wanted to play" with them. When Butcher tries to provoke the animal with processed sausage meat wrapped in a plastic bag, the animal latches on to Butcher's left thumb, which was holding the bag. Diver-fed eel nearly bites off scuba diver's arm in Caymans2005 May - Young Justin Weber is scuba diving with his parents when a diver-fed eel nearly bites his arm off. Despite warnings by the Department of Environment, dive operators in the Cayman Islands continue to feed marine predators and tourists continue to get hurt, some severely. Diver swallowed whole in South Africa shark feeding area2005 June 4 - Young Henri Murray, 22, is missing after being attacked by a great white shark in an area notorius for shark feeding by South Africa's cage diving operators. 2005 June 5 - Locals find pieces of Henri Murray's diving equipment but no trace of his body. Witnesses report that the victim was swallowed whole by a huge great white at least 20 feet long. 2005 June 15 - Speaking to the media for the first time since his best friend died, Piet Van Niekerk says that Henri Murray sensed that he might be killed in an area notorious for shark attacks. South Africans want shark feeding banned2005 June 15 - A South African group comprised of renowned scientists, researchers, doctors, environmentalists, tour operators, fishermen, divers and surfers calls on the South African government to ban shark feeding. 2005 September 1 - With more shark attacks reported in South Africa this year than for a decade, scientists, marine environmentalists, conservationists and tour operators are locked in fierce argument over accusations that the booming shark-cage-diving industry is to blame. Hawaii's defiant shark feeders deny endangering public2006 July 24 - Shark feeding is illegal in Hawaii but Oahu shark feeders are laughing all the way to the bank just three miles from crowded tourist beaches and a few meters beyond state jurisdiction.2006 October 25 - A federal council votes to ban "shark feeding" in federal waters off Hawaii, a move that many hope will put local shark tour operators out of business. In 2002, Hawaii banned shark feeding in all state waters but shark feeders have been flouting the law three miles off Oahu. Notorious Hawaii shark feeder Jimmy Hall dies in daredevil stunt2007 May 10 - Notorious Hawaii shark feeder Jimmy Hall dies after a daredevil stunt takes a tragic turn on Baffin Island. Shark kills tourist during interactive shark feeding dive in Bahamas2008 Feb 24 - European tourist Markus Groh dies during a shark feeding dive in the Bahamas with Jim Abernethy's Scuba Adventures. 2008 Feb 28 - DEMA, the dive industry marketing group that squandered nearly a million dollars in member fees in a failed attempt to prevent Florida's shark feeding ban, releases a press release defending "interactive" scuba diving in which marine predators are manipulated with shark bait to perform for tourists. Jim Abernethy Scuba Adventures under criminal investigation for shark feeding death2008 Feb 28 - Miami-Dade homicide detectives launch investigation into the death of European tourist Markus Groh, who died after he was attacked by a shark that had been manipulated with bait by shark feeder Jim Abernethy. Marine conservationists call on the Bahamas government to prohibit feeding marine predators2008 Mar 5 - The Marine Safety Group calls on the government of the Bahamas to stop feeding marine predators, warning that shark feeding tours also pose a threat to tourists swimming off island resorts. Dive boat captain 'shaken' after shark ate human at Bahamas shark baiting site2008 May 30 - Captain Jonathan Rose of the Gulfstream Eagle liveaboard dive boat said he was "shaken" after witnessing tiger sharks eating a human at a Bahamas shark baiting site. Have your say about shark feeding at Scuba Forum | 
