According to the following report:-
“SHARKS WON'T BE USED TO ATTRACT
TOURISTS
Shark
cage diving is unlikely to go ahead in Western Australia because of fears that
operators could lure in more sharks to the area. Fisheries Minister Norman
Moore today announced that regulations were being drafted for a ban on targeted
or dedicated shark tourism ventures in the state, including cage diving
operations. "I have decided that Western Australia will not be the place
for shark cage tourism, like those currently operating in South Australia and
South Africa," Mr Moore said. "While such ventures may generate
direct or indirect economic benefits, there are also concerns that sustained
activities to attract sharks to feeding opportunities have the potential to
change the behaviour patterns of those sharks." The minister said South
Australia and South Africa had cage diving operations at specific sites where
white sharks were known to group together, but WA did not have any known areas
where sharks congregated. "Lack of such sites in WA may result in
operators wanting to maximise berleying and baiting to attract sharks to meet
tourist expectations, which may have unwanted consequences," he said.
"CSIRO research at shark cage diving sites in South Australia found that
white sharks in the study area changed their distribution to align with areas
of active berleying and, while there was no determination from the study about
the longer term effects on shark behaviour or outside the study area, I would
prefer to take no risks until more is known. With four fatalities in WA from
shark interactions, since last September, the Government is not willing to
allow any ventures that may raise even greater public fears than already
exist." Mr Moore said no applications for shark cage diving ventures in WA
had been made.”
