Show Date: April 6, 2005

WHEN SHARKS REPAY THE FAVOR
AND
A FAMILIAR SHIP IN A NEW LIFE
Pam Eastlick for the Marianas Variety

Greetings and welcome to The Deep column and the deepest radio show on Earth. The Deep is the science talk radio program that takes you from the depths of the ocean to the farthest reaches of the universe. This week on The Deep hosted by Jim Sullivan and aired at 6:00 this evening on K-57, we’ll talk about one of our favorite topics, sharks. Then we’ll talk about The Ranger, a ship with an interesting past and an interesting future. We’ll have some expedition calls and, of course, our science news updates. We’ll also be taking your phone calls. Tune in tonight! Log on to www.thedeepradioshow.com for all the latest and deepest news!

IS IT “SHARK BITES MAN” OR “MAN BITES SHARK”?

Beaches in both the Unites States and Australia have been recently closed because of shark attacks or the presence of sharks in large numbers. Four people have died from shark attacks in Australia in the last eight months. There were 61 shark attacks last year with seven fatalities. This is an increase over 2003 when there were 57 attacks. The large number of Australian fatalities has people fearing that the laws protecting sharks are endangering swimmers.
In Florida, several beaches were closed on the southern coast when hundreds of migrating sharks were seen swimming 100-200 feet offshore. The sharks were believed to be black-tip sharks that routinely migrate off the Florida coast. There were no attacks or injuries.

Shark attacks may be on the increase and George Burgess, director of the Program for Shark Research at the University of Florida say that he thinks he knows what’s causing it. It’s simple, he says. There are more people in the water to attack.
"As more people take part in aquatic pursuits they are bumping into sharks more” he said. “It's as simple as that. The number of shark attacks is rising year by year while the shark population is dwindling - it's not rocket science to see that something is provoking them. We are swamping the near-shore environment."

Dr. Burgess blames eco-tourists and surfers for invading the natural space of great whites and other large sharks. One of the Australians that died was surfing and one of the attacks involved a shark cage on a "see great whites" tour.
Dr Burgess had harsh words to say about the growing number of firms in South Africa, Australia and the United States offering "great white shark tours" by boat, or, for braver souls, in a cage lowered into the sea. These often strew bait, known as "chum", in the water to attract great whites. "When you feed a shark you are provoking him, so most shark attacks are not actually attacks, just responses to the environment," Dr 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.“

So, sharks killed seven people last year. And how many sharks did we kill? Around 50 million. Not much of a contest is it? And, by the way, just what is the most deadly animal as far as killing people and causing human deaths? Oh, that’s easy. The mosquito is directly responsible for killing at least 2 million people a year. So, which are you more afraid of, the mosquito or the shark? My vote is with the mosquito!

FROM HELPING PEOPLE TO HELPING THE OCEAN
An interesting expedition sailed from the coast of southern California last January. It’s a research vessel owned by the worldwide organization Oceana. To learn more about Oceana, log on at www.oceana.org.
The expedition has traveled down the coast of Baja California and the west coast of Mexico and through the Panama Canal and the Caribbean, to ultimately end the voyage six months later in June in the Mediterranean. Along the way, the crew will record wildlife and ecosystems, produce original and up-to-date graphic documentation, and expose the effects of destructive industrial fishing practices and pollution in the world ocean.

It’s already been an exciting voyage and we here at The Deep hope to have some expedition calls from this important voyage.

You might also be interested in the ship they are sailing. The vessel is The Ranger, one of the largest catamarans in the world. Ranger has an all-aluminum hull that’s 71 feet long and 32 feet wide. It can berth 17 people and carry enough supplies for six months.

But that’s not why you might be interested. Ranger was custom-built in Oregon, in 1986 for the missionary ministries of the Seventh Day Adventist Church. She was a hospital ship that made many trips through Micronesia on medical missions and crossed the Pacific a dozen times. From helping local people to helping the world ocean. A pretty good track record, I’d say!

Whether we’re swimming with the sharks or recording damage to Mother Ocean, The Deep is the place to be on K-57 tonight at 6:00 p.m. We’ll have some expedition calls and take your phone calls. Don’t miss it!