Veteran diver Sean Gregg says there’s been a noticeable increase in the population of bull sharks in Pago Pago Harbor over the last five years, and he urges that the territory needs to stop this now or lives will be in danger.
A video taken off the side of the purse seiner Pacific Princess near the fuel dock in Utulei on Friday shows more than six bull sharks in the water. Frank Barron, who took the video, said the sharks were back Saturday night as well, adding he’s never seen this many bull sharks in the harbor.
Diver Gregg believes the dumping of fish and food at the StarKist dock is contributing to the increase of bull sharks. But with fewer boats unloading at this time, the sharks are venturing from the cannery dock area to the fuel dock in search of food.
He warns that American Samoa could become like New Caledonia, where bull shark attacks are a common occurrence, if nothing is done now to cull these aggressive creatures.
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Gregg said the bull sharks are most prolific in the early morning and night time. He described his last encounter with a bull shark, about a month and a half ago, and said it was not a small one.
