Stop Shark Feeding Tours A Bill that would ban SCUBA divers from feeding sharks in U.S. waters introduced in Congress Some SCUBA diving operators use bait or chum to attract sharks so that their customers can get an up close and personal encounter. A new bill that would make this practice illegal in all U.S. waters has just been introduced into Congress. Section 3 of S. 3099, the “Access for Sportfishing Act of 2016,” contains the following provision: S.3099 By Senator Bill Nelson “it is unlawful for any person— “(1) to engage in shark feeding; or “(2) to operate a vessel for the purpose of carrying a passenger for hire to any site to engage in shark feeding or to observe shark feeding… Feeding sharks is already banned in the state waters of some U.S. states, including Florida. Some dive operators in Florida have gotten around this ban by taking their customers out of Florida waters and into adjacent Federal waters, which would no longer be legal if this new bill becomes law. This is a bill supported by the Florida Association of Diving Instructors and is a result of our efforts to ban shark feeding in the United States. Stop Shark Feeding Tours The Florida Association of Diving Instructors (FADI) DOES NOT support allowing Shark Tour Operations to continue in the waters that we all use daily. These tours need to banned completely! They create a dangerous relationship whereas sharks learn to associate humans with food. Those sharks grow less wary of humans and interaction will surely occur where humans are the losers in the equation. Then the sharks will subsequently become the losers in the long run as they will be hunted and killed! Please do the right thing for us and for our families and don't pander to the capitalistic ventures that exploit our land, seas, people, and the creatures who prefer to live in harmony. Do not support the tours based in Florida or businesses who advertise for them or in some way, support these shark tours. Please encourage visitors Florida to not support this form of tourism either. Remember the problems that these tour operators create for us to simply make a buck. That buck they make is at our overall expense & it may just cost a life of someone you love! We ask divers to boycott boats, captains, instructors, divers and businesses that break Florida law by feeding or baiting fish for amusement and to avoid shark education awareness scams, etc. Report violations of law to the FWC by calling the Wildlife Alert hotline at 1-888-404-3922. You can also text or email Tip@MyFWC.com. Continue the prohibition of shark feeding in Florida state waters Fla. Admin. Reg. 68B-5.005. Stop Baiting-Feeding of Sharks: increase fines, protect federal waters and punish offenders. http://chn.ge/1lyxhtG John Russell, FADI