Government has proposed temporarily extending the shark cage diving footprint in False Bay to a site less than a kilometre from a popular swimming beach on the Cape Peninsula.
The move is intended to prop up the shark cage diving sector, which is struggling to recover from Covid-19 lockdowns and a marked reduction in the number of great white shark encounters. But the plan might be a hard sell, judging by the initial responses by some on social media, particularly among watersport enthusiasts.
“I think this is absolutely ridiculous as it will increase shark visibility drastically,” said Cape Town resident Craig Johnson in a Facebook post attached to the official notification. “This is unacceptable — we will have an increase in the shark activity, and what will happen come summertime?” asked Muzzamiel Gamieldien.
The proposal by environment minister Barbara Creecy, in the form of a call for public comment published in the government gazette earlier this month, envisions a temporary extension of the False Bay white shark cage diving area, now restricted to around Seal Island. “The reason for the proposed extended area is to provide support to the white shark cage diving business sector in False Bay, which has seen a significant decline in their business operations resulting from the current disappearance of great white shark sightings at Seal Island and the increased presence of other shark species [including bronze whalers] in inshore areas near Strandfontein Beach,” said Creecy.
In terms of the proposal, cage diving operators would be allowed to use chum and other methods to attract sharks to the dive area. “If great white sharks return to the bay in numbers previously recorded in the 2010/11 seasons, the new area will be closed,” added Creecy.
Scientists are unclear on why great white numbers have declined in False Bay, but marine scientists suspect it may be linked to overfishing and other human causes.
Creecy’s proposal got a firm thumbs up this week from Chris Fallows, co-founder of Apex Shark Expeditions. Fallows said the move was merely a pragmatic solution to the absence of great whites and not a radical departure from existing protocols. “While we tragically no longer have great whites in Gansbaai and False Bay we still do have other incredible species of sharks in both areas that tourists are thrilled to see,” said Fallows.
“In Gansbaai and Mossel Bay operators work far closer to shore than the area we have requested with absolutely no impact other than bringing large numbers of tourists to the area which significantly boost local communities.
“We believe the opportunity to view sharks rather than kill them is a sustainable way to create jobs, revive a struggling tourism sector and add another great reason to visit False Bay and the South Peninsula,” he said.
Cape Town deputy mayor and executive head of spatial planning and environment Eddie Andrews said the city had no principled objection to the extension of the operating area for the purpose of viewing bronze whaler sharks. However, it would not support the move should it involve drawing white sharks to the new site.
“We are supportive of this if it is able to sustain the industry and retain jobs in our tourism sector. Importantly, we retain our long-standing position that no extension of area of operation be given for the purpose of cage diving/shark viewing with/of (great) white sharks,” Andrews said.
Bronze whaler sharks infrequently attack humans and are not considered a threat compared with white sharks. They are also targeted by competitive shore anglers.
Andrews said the city was mindful of public concerns about a possible new site closer to Strandfontein, particularly in view of the area’s disadvantaged historical context. “While we hold the view that cage diving with bronze whalers does not pose any risk to bather safety, we also recognise that the Strandfontein coastline forms part of the previously disadvantaged communities of Cape Town and the perception may be created that cage diving is allowed off previously disadvantaged communities' beaches but not off advantaged communities' beaches. Public perception and the context of our complex SA history must therefore be considered in the decision-making process,” Andrews said. “The city requires that meaningful public consultation occurs prior to any new permit extensions being finalised or issued so that the affected communities can submit their views,” he said.
Marine stakeholders on Tuesday said there was no proven link between shark cage diving and shark attacks. However, the public would be understandably nervous about the idea of potentially dangerous sharks in relative proximity to the beach, particularly in the case of Strandfontein where the cage diving operation would be more visible from the beach.
“Does shark cage diving present a risk to other bathers? It doesn’t,” said one marine expert with knowledge of the False Bay environment. “There has been cage diving in False Bay for 27 years,” he said, adding fishermen chum for bronze whalers. “But if the public don’t want this then it shouldn’t be given. It is around perception and perception is a powerful thing. If government is serious around public engagement then they should listen to what the public says,” he said.
Fallows said public fear about cage diving was misplaced, given that it posed no threat to human health but conversely was a source of job creation and economic wellbeing: “We are not requesting to work with great whites but rather with bronze whaler and seven gill sharks which have never been implicated in an unprovoked attack in Cape waters. Quite simply, with trek netters pulling tons of struggling fish onto beaches often among bathers, boats chumming to catch fish and anglers fishing off public beaches with large baits, the public has a lot more to worry about than our activities far offshore where we use less than 10kg of sardines a day to attract the sharks away from the shore to where we work. I would also point out that none of the aforementioned activities has been shown to increase shark attacks.”
He said there was still no consensus on why white sharks had all but disappeared from False Bay and nearby Gansbaai — the centre of the shark cage diving industry: “One school of thought believes two orcas have chased away the great whites along the SA coastline while the other believes the overfishing of the great whites' primary prey, which are actually smaller sharks and fish, which make up more than 60% of the white sharks diet for 75% of their life cycle, has resulted in their absence.”
