It seems that some shark fishermen are finally switching sides in the fight for shark conservation.Captain Ken Harris, a former shark fisherman of 27 years, has finally laid down his rod (which has set several world records for big sharks caught on fly tackle). He is now ready to make peace with sharks by educating visitors to the Keys about their vital function in the marine ecosystem. Harris recently launched the Tiger Cat, a large shallow-draft motorized catamaran which will conduct 3 ½-hour shark-viewing tours of the lower Keys back country.
This is not a feeding event. We draw them up with food, but we don't let them eat the food. It's not a guaranteed trip; it's an adventure.
Our real dream is to have a fleet of these boats. Biscayne Bay is a perfect spot. Eco-tourism is what's coming. Yes, I'm doing it to make money, but a big part of this boat is educating people as to where sharks are in the ecosystem. I got tired of picking fights with them; I just like to look at them.
A big part of the tour's draw are the first-person shark stories told by the veteran captains. Ken Harris hopes his new tour business will become financially successful enough to expand to other areas of Florida. Our friends over at SharkDivers, have exhaustively dealt with the fact that Florida is moving in a direction that is completely contrary to world tourism. Florida's continued ban on shark diving activities degrades the value of sharks and rays to fishermen and leads directly to unsustainable fishing practices. Hopefully the actions of ex-fishermen such as Ken will set an example and reform the laws and practices which are devastating local shark populations.Should Florida rethink their archaic stance on safe sustainable shark tourism? Should reformed fishermen be given an incentive to lead shark tours and educate others? Let us know in the comments! And make sure to check out Shark Leaps Into Waterslide.
[Miami Herald]
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