Tuna fishermen in Australia have complained that the activities of dive operators who bait sharks for caged tourist divers are making their work unsafe.
Accusations from commercial divers at fish farms that dive operators are 'teasing' the sharks and attempting to get the animals to leap out of the water for the benefit of tourists are being investigated.
Workers at Primary Industries and Resources, South Australia believe that the sharks are likely to become more aggressive as a result of the baiting and 'teasing', and this puts them at greater risk as they go about their jobs.
Dive operators can apply for a permit under fisheries legislation that allows them to leave a bait trail in the water to attract sharks for tourist divers. However, these activities take place on the condition that the normal behavior of the sharks will not be altered.
The dispute is the latest in a series of rows about the implications of shark feeding. Last year shark feeding for dive tourism was banned in Florida, USA after fishermen and residents complained about shark attacks, arguing that the feeding encouraged sharks to associate humans with food.