Despite the concerns of tour operators and divers about the practice of chumming at a popular shark dive in the area known as Shark Junction south of Taino Beach, Grand Bahama, there appears to be no government department monitoring the activity which divers believe has led to more aggressive behavior by sharks.

Chumming, which differs from the controlled underwater feeding of sharks by a certified trained diver, is usually done to attract sharks to the surface by throwing food overboard from the vessel.

According to shark bite victim, Heidi Ernst, a 73-year-old Marshalltown, Iowa, resident, who was bitten as she climbed the stern ladder of a tour boat after a dive at Shark Junction in June, it is unusual behavior for the animals.

Ernst, who had to have a leg amputated, told Iowa newspaper, The Gazette, that she did not blame the shark for the attack.

"For a shark to come up to the surface is not a natural thing, but the shark knew there was food to be had at a boat and he thought my leg was the food," she said.

Following the incident, police said an investigation was launched.

When contacted for an update, GB Police Press Officer Assistant Superintendent Stephen Rolle said reports from the investigating officers were turned over to relevant authorities.

"That is usually the process in a case like this," Rolle said. "We get statements from the individuals - victim, witnesses etc. - and they are passed on."

Rolle said officers were at the Rand Memorial Hospital and spoke with the victim immediately following the attack.

"She was flown out sometime later to a Florida-based hospital for further treatment," he said. "However, I believe that officials from the Ministry of Tourism ... followed up in this regard."

Asked whether there is a marine unit that patrols and monitors the dive areas, Rolle said there is not.

Grand Bahama News reached out to the Minister of Agriculture and Marine Resources Clay Sweeting to determine the government's position on chumming in tourist dive areas.

However, GB News was directed to the Ministry of Tourism. A call to the Ministry of Tourism for comment was referred to the Ministry of Agriculture.

After several calls and messages, GB News was told that the minister was traveling and was not available.

Director General of Tourism Latia Duncombe, however, did confirm that tourism representatives had followed up with Ernst.

"It is our practice wherever there is an incident with tourists to reach out to them and offer whatever support we can," she said. "We have a unit, Visitor Relations Department, which deals with matters involving guests to the island."

Sunn Odyssey Divers' Owner and Instructor Nicholas Rolle previously said the incident was not surprising as he has observed sharks becoming more aggressive over the last two years.

"These sharks are not acting in the comfortable state that they used to," he said.

"They're at the point where they're swimming straight at you. For someone like me, who's been diving for almost 50 years in this particular area, I'm a little uncomfortable."

He described the recent change in shark behavior as erratic, and directly linked it to chumming.

In December, certified diver Gregory Paton-Ash reported witnessing someone chumming at Shark Junction while he was preparing for a dive.

Paton-Ash described the usual behavior of the sharks as "docile", but said that he has found them to be excitable and noted that they had increased in number.

Divers believe the chumming issue, if left unresolved, will force commercial diving operations to avoid the diving site, which will reduce the number and type of diving experiences that may be safely offered to tourists.

Click here to read more at The Nassau Guardian