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Tourism

Both shark cage diving and shark boat tours are dependent on attracting sharks to an area by berleying (also known as ‘chumming’), a method currently causing controversy (Bruce 1995). Berleying involves releasing a mixture of fish oil and/or animal products into the water at regular time intervals to develop a slick to attract sharks in the vicinity (citation Presser & Allen 1995). The use of berley may encourage White Sharks to appear or stay longer in a location that they would not normally visit (Klimley 1994), and there is the possibility that sharks will become habituated and begin to associate humans and boats with food.

Many frequently visited White Shark sites are near pinniped populations and berleying in these areas may have an effect on prey such as New Zealand fur seals and Australian sea lions, especially during their pupping seasons (Presser & Allen 1995). The Action Plan for Australian Seals (Shaughnessy 1999) identifies the status of the Australian sea lion (Neophoca cinerea), using IUCN criteria (IUCN 1994a) as lower risk, near threatened. Any exposure of this sea lion to increased threats is clearly undesirable and may result in the further decline of the species. Berleying also provides the possibility of viral or bacterial contamination to the marine environment with specific concern regarding the potential impact on colonies of marine mammals (Presser & Allen 1995).

In South Australia the use of mammal products as berley is prohibited under Regulation 35C, Fisheries (General) Regulations 1984. The use of mammal products for berleying is also prohibited in Victoria.

Tourism activities also raise the issue of disturbance to White Sharks and their prey. The effect of watercraft and human activities on sharks and marine mammals in the vicinity needs to be established (Presser & Allan 1995).

Regular viewing trips when properly managed offer good opportunities for data collection (Bruce 1995) as sharks may be tagged without capture and tagged sharks may be recorded. In South Australia the permitting authority, the Department of Environment and Heritage (DEHSA), have made it a permit condition that licensed shark cage dive operators fill out a logbook that records sightings of sharks. The data is shared with CSIRO Marine Research as a part of ongoing research supported by the Natural Heritage Trust.