We are extremely pleased to have been invited to talk at Kelly Tarlton’s, Monday 20th September. The talk will begin at about 7.00 and will focus on the plight of the white shark in New Zealand waters, exposing some of the myth the media portrays, and speaking about the Trust and our activities.
All are welcome!
Not so long ago we launched a new page called “How You Can Help” to drew attention to companies in New Zealand that trade or use shark in restaurants , or or shark derived products on the market in health stores. We highlighted one particular company, Good Health that had two shark derived products on the market (Sharkilage and Squaline), the shark content apparently sourced from sharks caught in New Zealand. Our Conservation Biologist, Alex (Diverkat) was quickly on the case and put her research and legal hats on to approach Good Health. We published her initial letter in the last edition of SharkBites.
We are extremely pleased to follow this story up with some great news… Although Sharkilage is still present on Good Health’s website, they are selling it in order to exhaust their current stock, and will no longer source their chondroitin from sharks. Alex reported the chondroitin they will use in their joint care formulas is derived from bovine sources, and as they are farmed animals this is certainly more sustainable. Alex’s arguments about lauding the value of shark fin were also heeded and Good Health have changed the wording of the Sharkilage page so they are no longer indirectly showing support for an unsustainable practice. You can read the full story on Alex’s Diverkat website.
We would like to congratulate Alex on this victory and thank Brian Blanchard at Good Health for his positive actions. You will see Good Health has been removed from our list of businesses we encourage you to avoid.
It gives us great pleasure to announce Bill Wieger, renowned artist, has chosen to support the White Shark Conservation Trust.
If you are interested any of the work displayed or have any enquiries about Bill’s other work, please contact us and we will be only too happy to help you. Bill’s work is fantastically detailed and really captures the grace, beauty and power of the white shark.
Bill has also offered to produce for us a sculpture of our very own record diving male white shark, ‘Shack’.
We will post photos of Shack as soon as Bill has completed him!
LITTLE SHARK ON A BIG MISSION:
Grim, a male juvenile white shark SPOT tagged off Stewart island in March this year has averaged 108km a day since being tagged!… The 2.8-metre-long shark, named Grim by conservation scientists, surprised researchers who are tracking him with his reluctance to follow his peers and move north to the tropics. In three months, Grim has travelled more than 2000 kilometres, averaging 108km a day on a journey that has taken him from Stewart Island to the Chatham Islands, then North towards Tonga before about turning to return to the Bay of Plenty.
The Department of Conservation and National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research had tagged six sharks in the summer, but Grim was the only one that chose to stay around New Zealand. “He’s on a real tiki tour around the North Island.” Yesterday, Grim was 7.5km off Te Kaha, the closest to shore he had been since setting off on his journey on March 29.
White sharks were protected in New Zealand in 2007 under the Wildlife Act, and the DOC study being carried out in conjunction with NIWA is to learn more about their movements. Earlier in the study, another shark named Shack surprised the team for diving to a depth of 1200 metres while migrating from Stewart Island to Brisbane. This is the deepest dive recorded so far for a white shark.
White Shark Conservation Trust
presents at
We were really pleased to be invited to talk this week at the Diveshack June monthly meeting and would like to express our thanks to Aaron, Hayden and the Diveshack club members for the opportunity to talk to them about the Trust.
We would also like to thank Diveshack for their generous donation and to welcome our new supporters who joined us at the talk.
We welcome all invitations to come and talk to you about the Trust. If you would like to know more about this, please e-mail us at:
whitesharkconservationtrust@gmail.com
Stewart Island – a scoop on the most recent tagging expedition in March 2010.
First White Shark experience in South Africa!
Last month we had great pleasure in attending the monthly club meet at Orakei Dive and we were invited to do a presentation about the Trust. Thank you to Neil, Joanne and members of the dive club for a fabulous evening.
ENTERTAINMENT BOOKS!!!!
Reminding you our entertainment books have arrived. At just $65.00 each they are great value for money giving you discounts from restaurants, cafes, attractions and sports.
Did you know you only have to use ot Entertainment book a few times and it will have paid for itself… it’s great value for money. Contact us today to get you copy!
Once again a shark has been featured in our news, this time, a Great Hammerhead caught and killed in Australia. Great Hammerhead sharks were added to the endangered animals list in 2007 and are often dubbed ‘man-eaters’ – a classification which is not justified as there have been no confirmed incidents involving these sharks.
Fisherman Claude Williamson poses with the 1200kg hammerhead shark, caught off Evans Head. Photo / Northern Star
Hammerhead Shark diets include other sharks (as do white sharks), and the adult individual concerned was found feeding off a shark. It posed no threat nor was it in the slightest bit interested with the humans that found it, however, it was caught and killed by a trophy hunter fisherman and the carcass sold to Mr V Hislop to be displayed at Mr Hislop’s museum. Mr Hislop is a man who considers himself a shark expert, Aussie hero and legend, and stylises himself as some sort of ‘Quint’ (the Jaws movie Shark Hunter) type character. This animal, at 5 meters, was fully mature and over 20 years old (the news paper quotes 40 years old), was killed for no reason other than a claim to fame for the fisherman and to turn it into a freak show exhibit.
Mr Hislop is well accounted on the internet with numerous sites and blogs written expressing disgust at his actions and dated 1970’s view of sharks. It is interesting that Mr Hislop is so sure of his own popularity that his personal ‘Shark Hunter’ web site is not accessible without a password!
We are at a time that, thankfully, education and the real truth about shark’s is now being accepted and understood by the general public. We sincerely hope this continues and grows in strength.
Words like ‘cute’ and ‘cuddly’ should never come into the equation when referring to sharks, or any other apex predator. What MUST be understood though, is we the human, are NOT part of the natural menu. We do not form part of their natural food chain as we do not live in their natural habitat. We developed long after these apex predators had arrived. We choose to put ourselves in these animal’s natural environment though, and being as alien as we are to them, they are curious as to what we are… hence we are investigated.
As a Trustee of the White Shark Conservation Trust, it saddens and angers me to see individuals so ready to exploit the sharks anyway they can in order to make money, or nurse a narcissistic ego. This sort of exploitation is as bad as the trawler fisherman and long liners who decimate the world populations.
Our entertainment books have arrived. Only $65.00 each they are great value for money giving you discounts from restaurants, cafes, attractions and sports.
Did you know you only have to use ot Entertainment book a few times and it will have paid for itself… it’s great value for money.
Hi everyone, The White Shark Conservation Trust will be giving a presentation to the Orakei Dive dive club on Thursday 22nd April 2010. Please feel free to come along and join in. I’m told there’s a BBQ and beer from 6pm onwards. We will have copies of the entertainment book available there if you have been thinking about buying one (great value at only $65.00 each)
Orakei Dive, 243 Orakei Road, Remura, Auckland
Check out their dive club April newsletter http://www.orakeidive.co.nz/Newsletter.htm
Entertainment Book
Hi Everyone, The Trust is selling the 2010/2011 Auckland entertainment books. The trust gets a share of the sale price for everybook sold. These books are fantastic, I have had one every year for the past few years. We are taking pre-orders NOW!!! Call Kate to order your copy 021 726900. Loads of vouchers for restaurants, movies, activities, accommodation etc It’s easy to get your money back and can save hundreds of $$$$ not to mention supporting the Trust. Each book is only $65 (NZD) each – they are great value and make excellent gifts!
