SA SHARK DIVE LICENCES

The South Australian Department of Environment has now become the “Department of Environment, Water and Natural Resources”. It has therefore changed from DENR to DEWNR. The following reportwas found on the DEWNR website: -

SHARK DIVE LICENCES OFFERED (Date posted: 29 June 2012)

Three licences to allow tourism operators to continue to take tourists cage diving with great white sharks have been offered by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) today. Under new licensing arrangements for this tourism activity confirmed in May this year, three licences were offered to Rodney Fox Shark Expeditions, Calypso Star Charters and Shark Cage Diving Pty Ltd (a joint venture between Adventure Bay Charters and McMahon Industries). DENR Chief Executive Allan Holmes said the three operators were offered their new licences today. “Each of the operators will need to comply with all of their new licence conditions from July 1,” he said. “This will include the revised condition that two days each week must be free of shark diving activities. Consistent with proposals received during the EOI process, Rodney Fox Shark Expeditions and Calypso Star Charters will be allowed to use berley. The joint venture will be allowed to use acoustic attraction methods.” Mr Holmes said the new licence conditions would balance the need to protect sharks from activities which might adversely impact on their behaviour, with the need to ensure the sustainability of the South Australian tourism industry.”

(Source: http://www.environment.sa.gov.au/Home/Full_newsevents_listing/News_Events_Listing/120629-sharklicences )