Reasons behind increased shark attacks off Maui

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Shark in Hawaiian waters (photo by Terry Lilly)
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Shark in Hawaiian waters (photo by Terry Lilley)

By Terry Lilley – Notice all the shark attacks lately off the island of Maui?

I know why they are happening. I have been buzzed by 18-foot hammer heads, Galapagos sharks, aggressive sand bar sharks and tiger sharks all within the last year while spear fishing or kayak fishing.

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Just ask the dive shop owners. The increase in spear fishing has more than tripled in the last few years. It has become very popular and the sharks know it.

The sharks are learning to follow spear fishermen and kayak fishermen to get a free meal. I have had many fish taken by these sharks right off the end of my spear, including an attempt on Thanksgiving day.

We fishermen should rotate where we spear fish. If you go out at the same places every time, the sharks will wait for humans to catch their food for them. They look at a kayak or spear gun as a source for food.

I do not spear fish at Tunnels off Kauai any longer because the one 10-foot female Galapagos follows me around like a puppy waiting for me to spear a fish and then she steals it. If my arm is in the way, I would be bit.

Shark in Hawaiian waters (photo by Terry Lilley)

In old Hawaiian times, fishermen rotated where they fished so the sharks would not be trained by the people as to where they are going to find dinner.

The sharks never try to harm humans and I have made friends with a number of large sharks that I dive with and video. They are just doing what sharks should do. Eat wounded fish. Killing the sharks would be stupid and would ruin our marine ecosystem.

If you feed the neighborhood dogs free steaks everyday at the park, you better believe the dogs will be there waiting for you. They will soon jump right in your car window to get food.

We need to rotate where we fish like the Hawaiians have done for thousands of years.

Terry Lilley is a resident of Kauai.

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61 COMMENTS

  1. I noticed the Mr. Lilley's fellow scuba divers stepped on the coral while taking pictures. Can it be the reason why the white coral disease got spread around? Just another hypothesis based on observation. Until it is rigorously tested I shouldn't say "I know why this is happening".

  2. This is sad … To focus on one persons opinions. The article is giving awareness NOT blame.
    I to take my boys to fish and spear diving. It's what many of is do. We eat what we catch as well as teach awareness of the sealife that surrounds us.

    I also listen to all opinions about the recent shark attacks. This is a guessing game right now.. We all have our opinions and we all may be correct In one way or another.

    Just be safe out when fishing/spearing for/with your Ohana and educate our visitors as they are not privy to our waters.

    Btw YES!!!! PETCO QUIT TAKING OUR FISH!!!!

  3. Terry Lilley is an idiot, plain and simple. His understanding of science is misleading and most often completely wrong and off base.

  4. I would like a few comments on this;
    The whales are birthing now south of Lahaina areas.
    The placenta from the births of the whales is now available for meals.
    Could that be a reason the sharks seem to be more abundant now in
    that area?

    • july through september is also birthing months for spinner dolphins which during the day cruz the shallows in hawaiian waters and sharks eat dolphins so yes sharks will eat a baby whale if giving the chance but dolphin birth attacks the feeding tiger shark to shallower waters to feed you are on the right track but there are more reasons .

      • ok i see some spell check changes in my response that makes what i responded kind of funny !st correction is <>they cruz <> 2nd <>dolphin births attract feeding tiger sharks .

  5. Terry Lilley is NOT a marine biologist, LET ME REPEAT: TERRY LILLEY IS NOT A MARINE BIOLOGIST.
    He has a bachelors degree in Biology, I pretty sure his focus was not ocean related at all.
    Not the same thing as a marine biologist. He is a diver this does not make him a marine biologist.
    His outlandish claims do not help the marine science community or the general public. Like his totally wrong and offensive claim that coral disease on kauai is 'Coral AIDS', completely wrong and misleading.
    He can't correctly identify types or coral, invertebrates or fish species. He's a crock!
    Have I mentioned that he IS NOT A MARINE BIOLOGIST. It is offensive to those of us who actually have degrees in marine biology. He Lies and says he has credentials he does not have.

    This article is simply a persons hypothesis, with no base in science at all, AT ALL.

  7. It seems that a majority(if not all) of the people being bit by sharks are not spear fishing though. Sounds very plausible but I don't think that spear fishermen are the only and biggest reason of why there have been increased shark attacks recently.

  10. I did some research and found out that Petco Corporation takes over 30 different fish species from our surrounding reefs. 30!! AND they are supplying more than 950 stores in the USA. 950!!! Do the math and you wonder why we have no fish. This is clear.y WRONG. Where are the laws protecting our fish from greedy corporations? How does Petco contribute to the well-being of Maui or is it just a parasite? What contributions does it bring to the table? If none, then let's vote them off the island.

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