Shark cage diving is conducted in Gansbaai! Many often ask the question, is shark cage diving ethical? 

50 Years ago, sharks may not have needed the protection of the people whose livelihoods depends on them. Over-fishing, illegal fishing and rampant raping of the seas goes unnoticed by those who shout “unethical”

 

Who are these whistleblowers?

 

The answer is “those who have the most to lose!” The shark cage industry in Gansbaai comprises of a community who are invested in the welfare of the sharks and the eco-system that supports them, and they are nature lovers in general.

The shark cage industry spends more time on the water than most other eco-tourism vessels. It’s therefore crucial that a significant amount of time spent observing the sharks and their habitats be channeled towards taking action that is aimed at protecting these magnificent animals.

 

The Shark Cage Diving Industry versus the Fishing Industry

The billion-rand eco-tourism industry employs around 350 people, and indirectly supports more than 1 650 dependents.

With the decline in the presence of the great white shark in Gansbaai and False Bay, there is a new emergence of other shark species, namely the Bronze whaler shark and the Seven-gill shark. Both species have been visiting the cage diving boats in Gansbaai over the last four years.

The Bronze whaler shark is a commercially fished species. Even though the Bronze whaler shark is generally regarded as low value, there is an export market in South Africa for both their meat and fins. Bronze whaler sharks do not reach maturity until they are + – 20 years old. What we do know about them is that the Gansbaai and False Bay locations are being utilized as feeding areas for these pregnant sharks and even possibly a nursery area for this IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) near threatened species.

The shark cage diving industry alerted the media to local fisherman targeting the bronze whaler sharks in the location of the shark cage diving boats. Front row seats to the killing of any animal that is labelled a vulnerable species is totally unacceptable. “Shark eco-tourism is a non-consumptive industry where the economic value of live sharks is worth more to South Africa than fishermen can make from a dead shark,” says Wilfred Chivell of Marine Dynamics.

 

Demersal Longline Fishing

Enter Operation Phakisa mandated by the South African Government in July 2014. It is a quick result delivery programme that is specifically designed to boost economic growth and increase job creation with one of the channels being the use of the sea. a Result of this mandate was that many fisheries were opened along the South African coastline, who now are having a devastating impact on the health of our ecosystem. It is evident that very little impact assessment, if any was done on the effects that these new fisheries would have on the ecosystem and indeed other fisheries.

One of these was the implementation of 6 demersal longline shark fishing permits primarily targeting Smooth Hound (gummy shark) and Soup fin shark (tope shark).

Like all sharks, the Smooth Hound and Soup fin shark species mature late and have relatively few young. Both species are extremely prone to collapsing if put under severe and heavy fishing pressure.

The sharks vanished almost overnight, and their disappearance was accompanied by a severe decline with catch statistics and observations only now showing how dire the situation really is. In response to this, concerned individuals in the ocean and shark cage diving community in Gansbaai have responded to this by putting heavy pressure on DAFF (Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries) and calling for immediate termination of the demersal inshore shark longlining fishery.

Many scientific studies have proved that the presence of predators in the ecosystem to maintain the fine balance that exists, is paramount. When these predators are removed, the entire collapse of the ecosystem is a grim reality. When this happens there is a knock-on effect to absolutely everything from consumptive fisheries to non-consumptive tourism related activities. “The effects will be catastrophic and all for the creation of a handful of jobs in a fishing sector that brings in very little economic value to South Africa,” says Chris Fallows of Apex Shark Expeditions.

South Africa is probably the most renowned country in the world for tourists to come out and see a variety of shark species. Our coastline is unique in that it has one of the highest densities and diversities of shark species anywhere in the world that would attract more and more people to our country’s shores. Sadly, this is now all being sacrificed due to apathetic officials and a few greedy fishermen who seem determined to change our marine ecology and beautiful landscape forever.