I was a commercial fisherman in my younger years, including working as a mate on a boat where we did a lot of shark fishing ( tag and release unless it was a mako shark, which was excellent eating ). Sharks, as with many fish, usually will go for the tail section of the fish that they are attacking. This makes sense to me for two reasons. One is the element of surprise, as the attack is coming from below and or behind. That makes potential escape unlikely. The second is that there is not a concern of a conflict. If the shark is attacking something that has any means of defense, it will be used in a frontal attack. With a larger subject, being eye to eye with the shark is usually enough to keep the shark from attacking. That doesnt mean to say that the shark will not make several attempts, but the best position is facing the shark. In a vertical position, the shark will come up from below, and that puts you facing away from the shark. In a horizontal position, you can turn to face the shark a lot easier. Again, this is an extremely unusual situation that has started this discussion, and my posts are not meant to give anyone concern about being in the water with sharks. I have seen numerous sharks while I was spear fishing, and they ignored me each time. I have encountered hundreds of sharks while scuba diving, and they are amazing to see every time. I have been on numerous shark feed dives, even being bumped into a couple of times, and the only thing the sharks are interested in is the food. In forty years of snorkeling, spearfishing, and diving, I have only encountered two aggressive sharks. One was the oceanic white tip, and the second was a reef shark. It displayed typical behavior that it did not want me in its area. The back was arched, the pectoral fins were down, and it was making jerky movements. It remained about 25 feet away from me while doing this. I changed my direction to angle away from it, keeping my eye on it as I moved away. It settled down to more normal behavior as I moved away, and I continued my dive in a different direction. I did not see that shark again. For every one shark that you see, there are a lot more sharks that know you are there, and they stay away from you. You will eventually see one while diving, and you will be amazed at its beauty and the ease that it glides through the water. They are something to see and appreciate. Ed
Hunters will notoriously NOT give up their catch...even to a shark. I have personally had sharks want the lionfish I have speared and I will try several times to keep my catch but if the sharks REALLY wants it...he gets it.
The difference between prey and predator is size and position in the water. Prey will swim away... another predator will hold its ground and stay HORIZONTAL in an aggressive position... much like a diver with a camera set up and/or spear set up.
We are NOT on the menu however if we come between a mother and her offspring...or we chum the water with fish blood and twitching fish and DON'T SHARE...we are asking for trouble from our tooth denizens of the deep.
So give up the fish unless you REALLY want a totally different shark encounter and don't trap a shark leaving them no way out (such as in a wreck) and don't come between them and their offspring. And the rest of time...hope you can see them and get pictures!
Thanks for the insight Kamala! I'm curious... why is a Horizontal position more intimidating to a predator than a position of being Vertical?
