Comments for Sharks and Skis at http://www.surfski.info , comment 0 to 1 out of 1 comments http://www.surfski.info Thu, 16 Oct 2008 01:59:09 +0100 FeedCreator 1.7.2 http://www.surfski.info/content/view/368/147/#pc_526 ... on an objective, well informed and balanced article on a highly emotive topic. It puts the risk of paddling in the bay into context. I would however like to make one comment. The \"myth\" on the GW shark population explosion cannot be so easily disproved. There is an almost complete lack of hard data on GW shark populations. The scientists use what they have, which is the catch return data for the nets of the Natal Parks Board. The nets catch juvenile GW sharks and they extrapolate this data to determine the actual population for all areas. Three assumptions are made, first that the numbers of juveniles caught is in proportion to the total juvenile population, second that the juvenile population approximates the number of adults, and third that the False Bay population will track the Natal population. So in effect they say that since the number of baby GW sharks caught in the Natal nets has increased by only 1.6% since 1991, the adult population in False Bay has not increased by more than this amount! That is quite a leap, and one that is not accepted by all. In fact it is in direct conflict with the observations of many long term experienced divers, surfers and other \"watermen\". The scientists ascribe the increases in sightings to changes in the distribution patterns of the existing GWs. Even if you don\'t accept the above, humour me for a moment and assume that there has been a significant increase in the number of GWs. This begs the question of what could or should be done about it? Any measures (electronic barriers etc) taken other than culling (and assume this is not an option) would only benefit the inshore users. Part of the attraction of paddling is that surfskiers venture far from the mainstream areas. Food for thought? - jtresfon Mon, 05 Mar 2007 01:33:54 +0100