Cage Diving with Whites - Fatal Attraction?

[Mr T.]

Fatal attraction
PAUL WESTON
14aug05

THRILL-seeking cage divers are being blamed for increasing the likelihood of fatal shark attacks.



A Gold Coast environmental scientist has warned cage diving – in which massive maneaters are lured by stinking berley bait – is teaching the sharks to associate humans with food.

And he warns the results could be deadly.

"It's like a fatal attraction – these sharks are very dangerous," said Dean Hepburn, who is spearheading a campaign for berley-exclusion zones in Queensland.

"Sharks are starting to associate boats with food."

The warning comes as debate continues about the use of shark nets off Queensland beaches.

Adding to the fear of an attack is the growing number of great whites and tiger sharks headed for Queensland waters.

Shark contractors are spotting the deadly beasts as as far north as Mackay as they chase whales and their calves. The sharks usually go only as far north as their Moreton Bay breeding grounds.

CSIRO Marine Research has tracked a 3.6m white pointer called Bruce which over 221 days travelled 6070km from South Australia to Rockhampton.

Department of Primary Industries shark safety program manager Baden Lane said more than 130 sharks, many of them hammerheads, had been caught in the nets and drum lines off Gold Coast beaches in 18 months. Six sharks caught off the tourist beaches were 2m tigers.

"They're migrating from south to north," Mr Lane said.

"We have large numbers of tiger sharks following the whale migration.

"Sharks follow these migrating whales to pick up any opportunistic food source.

"Our shark contractors are telling us they notice the sharks are probably in higher numbers at this time of year."

Mr Lane said up to five white pointers were being found in shark nets during winter, with one of the maneaters caught at Mackay.

"We've also caught them at the Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast, off Bundaberg and Gladstone," he said.

South Australia is the only Australian state to allow shark cage diving which attracts thrill-seeking tourists who pay up to $4000 to get up close with great whites.

Mr Hepburn has written to Premier Peter Beattie asking for berley exclusion zones to cover all anglers in tourist areas.

The Premier has referred the request to Environment Minister Desley Boyle for consideration.