Shark Tourism Banned in Western Australia After Four Attacks

Swimming with sharks may be a fun bucket list item to attempt, but those in Western Australia are calling for bans on shark tourism after four attacks this year.

Bans on shark tourism are being proposed in Western Australia out of fears that it is bringing more sharks to the area. The tourist event may be bringing in visitors and more money to the economy, but officials are worried about the increase in sharks as well.

Fisheries Minister Norman Moore announced that bans were being implemented for the area that would include a ban on cage diving with sharks.

"I have decided that Western Australia will not be the place for shark cage tourism, like those currently operating in South Australia and South Africa," Mr. Moore told The Age.

"While such ventures may generate direct or indirect economic benefits, there are also concerns that sustained activities to attract sharks to feeding opportunities have the potential to change the behavior patterns of those sharks."

From September to March, Western Australia had four shark attacks that lead to deaths. Now officials are taking action to put an end to shark tourism. Moore said that over the next four years, the state will spend A$14 million ($14.3 million) to reduce the risk of attacks, according to Bloomberg.com.

"With four fatalities in WA from shark interactions, since last September, the Government is not willing to allow any ventures that may raise even greater public fears than already exist," Moore said.

In an effort to keep track of sharks around the Western Australian beaches of Perth, 100 white sharks were tagged in a State Government-funded program.

More than 100 white sharks have been tagged as part of a State Government-funded program to monitor the occurrence of white sharks off metropolitan Perth beaches.

The Age reported that while South Australia and South Africa have cage diving operations, Western Australia doesn't have any specific areas where sharks dwell, so there are fears that people may try to increase feedings in certain areas in order to draw sharks in for tourism purposes. So far, no one has tried to apply to operate a cage diving attraction.

"Lack of such sites in WA may result in operators wanting to maximize berleying and baiting to attract sharks to meet tourist expectations, which may have unwanted consequences," Moore said.