Media Alert for Shark Week: Fusing Isla Guadalupes Great White Shark Diving with Real World Science

Great White Shark science and eco-tourism working against the clock at Mexico's famed Isla Guadalupe shark diving destination.

San Diego, California (PRWEB) July 28, 2004 -- When Patric Douglass clients go cage diving with Great White Sharks at Isla Guadalupe, they think they are enjoying an extreme sport, but they are really contributing to a new wave of shark science. What we have is the fusion of solid shark science and eco-tourism" explained Douglas, CEO of Absolute Adventures-Shark Diver (www.sharkdiver.com). Isla Guadalupe, a 35 square mile island off the coast of Mexico, is home to a stunning array of wild life including one of the worlds most accessible populations of Great White sharks.

Douglass company runs two full-time shark diving vessels, the MV Ocean Odyssey and the MV Islander, to Isla Guadalupe for thrill-seeking tourists to encounter these wild ocean predators. From the beginning, his business plan was to offer something more than just big shark encounters.The "more" in question came in the form of two long time shark researchers and old friends, Dr. Peter Klimley from U.C Davis and Dr. Felipe Galvan from the Centro Interdisciplinario de Ciencias del Mar in Mexico. Douglas invited Dr. Galvan in early 2003 to join him on an expedition to the famed Guadalupe site. After Galvans first cage dive with these animals, Douglas presented him with an ambitious plan - fusing eco-tourism with shark science.

"We realized that Mexico had almost no way of funding, or supporting a long term shark research program," said Douglas. "Yet our business had a way to channel funds into a research program, and offer the boats as well." For Dr. Galvan and his shark researchers with their limited budget, this was a dream come true.

Shark Science and Eco-Tourism

Dr. Galvan jumped at the idea and quickly brought in Dr. Klimley from U.C Davis, known as the grandfather of Great White shark research in California. Today Absolute Adventures-Shark Diver is supporting a large-scale research program involving researchers from Mexico and U.C Davis. The program involves three graduate students, Isla Guadalupes local fishing cooperative, and a large array of equipment, tags and radio telemetry buoys.

In the world eco-tourism, win-win relationships are hard to come by. Often operators are accused of taking too much from a resource, or mishandling the animals they encounter.

Douglass desire is to see high value shark data coming out of Isla Guadalupe. In exchange, his divers will get a first-hand look at real shark science - not just the pseudo-science they see on television.

"There is a lot of shark hype out there, at best we call it "Shark-U-Tainment," at worst it's not much more than "Shark Porn" says Douglas. "Very little actual science but a lot of big teeth, blood in the water, and scary moments for the film crews."

Running Out of Time

However, there is a premium on time as Isla Guadalupes fate remains uncertain. The Mexican government has indicated they may shut down all tourism, commercial fishing and shark diving trips to the island. The fear amongst long-term visitors like Douglas, Dr. Klimley and Dr. Galvan is that this would expose Isla Guadalupe to shark poachers from Asia who harvest Great White Sharks for their fins.

"Whereas having a few carefully managed eco-tourism boats at Isla Guadalupe gives the Mexican government another pair of eyes and discourages poaching," said Douglas. "Were working hard to persuade those in power to make the right decisions regarding the long term fate of these magnificent creatures."

To book a Great White Shark cage diving adventure and meet the marine science crew with Patric Douglas and Absolute Adventures-Shark Diver, call 415.235.9410 or visit http://www.sharkdiver.com.

About Patric Douglas

Cleaning up after his third hurricane in the U.S. Virgin Islands, Absolute Adventures--Shark Divers Patric Douglas decided that there had to be a safer way to make a living. He moved back to the west coast where he was quickly offered a job working for a medical travel company escorting American doctors all over the globe. Douglas then spent the next two years as one of the first American tour guides back into Vietnam setting up a safe, unique travel route throughout its remarkable historically rich country. While escorting 21-day tours through China, Bali, Hong Kong, Australia, New Zealand and Latin America, his easygoing leadership and good humor made for some exciting moments on the road that would not have happened without him. Mountain slides in Peru, saltwater crocodiles blocking the road in Australia and even a Cyclone in New Zealand did not deter this imaginative expedition guide from offering the best available to his risk-taking international clients. Finding a safer way to make a living has now led this adventure entrepreneur into the deep sea realm of the Great White Shark.

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