Sharks in numbers around Fish Aggravated Devices

When local fishermen alerted problems of sharks around the Fish Aggravated Devices ( FADs), the saying goes, you have to see it to believe it and in recent weeks people have captured footage around the FADs watching on at the specter of sharks. 

For some, sharks are phenomenal, but for the fishermen, they are an absolute pest with the request earlier this year to cull sharks complaining of taking their gear and fish.  The amount of time spent in trying to get fish only for it to be taken by sharks has increased frustration among fishermen.  

Experts recognized the complaints and arrived on the island helping with the Niue Ocean Wide Project to tag sharks including Jess Cramp from Sharks Pacific and Alan Friedlander from the University of Hawaii and senior scientist with National Geographic. 

Tunas were additionally tagged in the process. The tagging it’s hoped will add value to the knowledge pertaining to use of space in and around Niue as with their behaviors. 

FADS self explanatory attract fish which inevitably attract sharks.  Footage captured shows the sharks circling the FAD area like a fast food outlet.  FADs were introduced as an obvious means to attract fish to the area so as to help local fishermen in minimizing time exhausted to obtaining fish.  That is does but it also has become a place where sharks remain for their easy meal.  The same experts are expected to arrive in coming weeks to retrieve the tags and assist Niue with partners the Niue Ocean Wide Project.

Story by Fiafia Rex