Blood in the Water: Shark Feeding, Tourism, and the Law

Abstract

Shark tourism has become a significant driver of tourist dollars both in the United States and abroad over the past few decades, with shark provisioning (feeding), often used by shark tour companies to attract sharks for easy viewing. While shark tourism may provide economic incentives to protect vulnerable or endangered shark populations in some cases, feeding sharks to bring them into view has both ecological and safety implications, and impacts remain contested among scientists and environmentalists. This Article explores the legal implications of shark tourism, feeding activities, and the historical doctrine of ferae naturae. It also analyzes two case studies in Florida and Hawaii where tourism-related shark feeding bans engendered legal and political opposition, as well as difficulties in enforcement. As tourism activities become more popular, coastal communities in the United States and around the world have an increasing need to come to terms with the legal and governance challenges of wildlife tourism activities.

Publication
Blood in the Water: Shark Feeding, Tourism, and the Law

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