It's a great year for sharks in Hawaii!

A bill passed by the 2021 State Legislature banning shark fishing will took effect January 1, 2022. Act 51 (House Bill 553) makes it illegal to knowingly capture, entangle, or kill a shark in state marine waters.

The new law applies to all shark species found in Hawaiian waters. The new law helps preserve shark populations, who serve a variety of important ecological roles.

Sharks, particularly smaller species, are caught by industrial fishing nets as “bycatch,” leading to certain populations becoming threatened or endangered.

Hawaiian authorities urge fishers to avoid regions frequented by sharks, particularly pupping areas, and to release any accidentally caught sharks without bringing them aboard their vessels. 

Sharks are incredibly important to divers for several reasons:

1. They are important for the sustainability of our local reef that thousands of divers enjoy every year
2. There are chances for amazing encounters with different species of sharks in Hawaii 
3. The presence of sharks on your dive can indicate the health of the reef ecosystem

 

Become a Shark Conservation Specialty Diver!

Hawaii is the perfect place to take the PADI AWARE Shark Conservation Specialty course with one of the professional scuba instructors at Jack’s Diving Locker. As we mentioned, sharks are important to the ocean’s ecosystem, and here is what we can do: 

• Learn more about why sharks are important to marine life
• Discover how our local shark species in Hawaii are being affected
• Explore why many shark and ray species are endangered

Understanding the species, its contribution to the ecosystem, and how we can make a true impact by focusing on our local shark population, is the beginning of change!

Every diver should consider taking this course. The more you know, the more you can share with others about the importance of shark conservation.

The PADI AWARE Shark Conservation Specialty certification counts toward the PADI Master Scuba Diver rating, the highest rating in non-professional diving.

Joining us for a dive soon?

You can add this specialty to any of our 2 tank dive trips. After booking just give us a call and let us know you want to add the Shark Conservation Specialty certification to your trip.