[Coral-List] Whale Shark Conference

[Steve Mussman]

   Iâll probably be chastised for this, but I just became aware that the
   3rd  International Whale Shark Conference is to be held at the Georgia
   Aquarium in Atlanta USA, in October 2013.
   I find it disturbing to consider that reputable marine scientists would
   endorse such a conference at a venue where four whale sharks are confined
   and promoted for dive-with / swim-with exhibitions.
   Is this really representative of what the marine sciences have come to?
   I imagine that the setting was chosen at least in part to provide legitimacy
   for whale shark containment, something I would hope would cause attendees to
   reconsider.
   Or  perhaps  these  men  and women of science are just anxious for the
   opportunity to socialize with a backdrop of performing dolphins in their
   theatrical Broadway rendition of Dolphin Tales.
   (Please, no off-list rebuttals).
     Steve