STAR-BULLETIN / NOVEMBER 2001 North Shore Shark Adventures puts customers in cages and allows them to view sharks as they feed in waters beyond state control. The Board of Land & Natural Resources voted yesterday to hold hearings on banning shark feeding within state waters. Officials say they want to prevent the practice from becoming established near Hawaii shores.

Land Board readies
hearings on Hawaii
shark-feeding ban

Officials say the dangerous practice
needs to be stopped before it starts

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By Diana Leone
dleone@starbulletin.com

The state Board of Land & Natural Resources is not aware of anyone feeding sharks in Hawaii state waters -- but they do not want them to start.

The board voted yesterday to hold hearings on banning shark feeding later this year.

"Attacks on people involved in feeding operations have been documented, and entrained sharks may pose a generally increased risk of attacks on individuals not involved in feeding operations," wrote William Devick, administrator of the Division of Aquatic Resources, in his proposal that the state ban shark feeding.

Various diving sites worldwide have been feeding sharks to attract them for customers, Devick said. "We felt it is desirable to take a proactive approach and prohibit such activities before they become established in Hawaii."

STAR-BULLETIN / NOVEMBER 2001 A view of sharks from a depth of 8 feet.

North Shore Shark Adventures owner Joe Pavsek said his company's operation would not be affected by such a ban because it takes people beyond the three-miles-from-shore boundary of state waters to show them sharks.

"If that's the case, he doesn't have anything to worry about, since this measure would only affect state waters," said Randy Honebrink, state aquatic education coordinator.

"This measure is not directed at any particular business and is not in response to his operation," Honebrink said. "Feeding sharks is a practice increasing around the world, and we're trying to prevent it being established here."

Pavsek's company offers a 6-by-6-by-10-foot wire mesh and PVC pipe cage for snorkelers to get inside to observe sharks at crab-fishing grounds off the North Shore of Oahu.

Pavsek said the sharks are attracted to the area by the leftover bait dumped from the crab traps. His boat tours take fish with them and toss it into the water to keep the sharks around long enough for their customers to get a good look.

Florida banned feeding sharks in its state waters effective this month, following a number of shark attacks there last summer.

National Marine Fisheries Service fishery biologist John Naughton said he is not sure that the attacks were connected to feeding sharks in Florida waters. However, he said he does back prohibiting the practice here.

Naughton said the purpose of banning shark feeding is "twofold. First for the safety of surfers and divers and water users.

"The other concern is it alters the natural behavior of these sharks -- and there could be some larger ramifications to the ecosystem. It's very analogous to feeding bears in national parks. And then bears start looking at people with their hand out feeding them -- this is the same thing has happened in other areas with shark feeding," he said.