In February 2015, Great white shark dive tourism in South Australia was suddenly interrupted by a surprise interaction near the Neptune Islands. A group of Orca attacked the tour’s main attraction, as witnessed by tour operators. Since then, the sharks have dispersed, and the industry is now seeking an alternative location (or locations) to attempt to reestablish their businesses and offer reliable shark sighting opportunities at a new location (or locations). MLSSA member Dan Monceaux wrote a submission on the topic, which was approved by president Steve Reynolds and sent on April 10 2015.
The State Government has stated that opportunities for community comment and input on the proposal will continue for at least the remainder of April.
You can read the Government announcement and find out more here.
The maps provided below show the sites being considered (yellow pins mark approximate locations) and the third map shows the Neptune Islands, where tours have been conducted since 1965.
MLSSA acknowledges the economic contribution the shark diving industry has had in South Australia, and its role in raising the profile of South Australia’s iconic marine species. We hope that discussions in the following weeks will address the concerns we have raised in our submission.
You can read the MLSSA submission here.