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  • Shark cage diving in Gansbaai, South Africa with Marine Dynamics. Experience the exceptional and come face to face with a great white shark! 

  • The exact world record white shark is a contested issue, but chances are it is between 6-7m. In Gansbaai, the largest white shark ever caught was at Danger Point and measured up to 5.9m.

  • If you see a white shark in the water don’t panic. Chances are high that the shark has already detected you and isn’t interested. White shark attacks are normally associated with poor visibility, so avoid murky conditions.

  • White sharks have a unique system called a “counter current heat exchange”, which keeps their body  tempreture +/- 7C above the surrounding water temperature. 

  • All sharks have an incredibly unique system on the tip of their nose called the “ampillae of Lorenzini”. These are small pores filled with a gel that transmits the electrical currents in the water to the shark’s brain so that it can assess its environment.

  • White sharks give birth to live young (not eggs), and they give birth to 6-8 pups at one time. Pups are usually between 1.0-1.5m in length and are born with teeth.

  • Body language has been a well documented form of shark communication and has identified body arching, jaw gaping, and other postures as specific social tactics.

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Sharkwatch SA Blog

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Carte Blanche on South African demersal shark longliners

Tuesday, April 21, 2020 |  0 Comment

Author: Marine Dynamics (Shark Cage Diving Company)
Marine Dynamics is a Shark Cage Diving company based in Kleinbaai, a small harbour town, part of Gansbaai in the Western Cape of South Africa. This area is known as a hotspot for the Great White Shark and the best place in the world to see and dive with these iconic creatures in their natural environment.

This investigative insert on Carte Blanche brings to the attention of the public the South African demersal shark longliners that are having a severe impact on our smaller shark populations as well as disrupting a food chain for other species, like our iconic great white shark.

The sharks are ultimately exported to Australia where they are sold as flake and chips to an unknowing Australian public.

Working on sea, Marine Dynamics sees first hand the impacts on our ecosystem. Following on from the flight response our white sharks have shown to a couple of orca predators, we have not settled into any consistent behaviour of white sharks for the past few years. The shark cage diving industry has come together in concern over the shark demersal longliners, some of which are entering marine protected areas and have also caught white shark as accidental bycatch. Within this insert we have also addressed the Gansbaai conflict over bronze whaler shark fishing – also a legally permitted fishery. You can read more about this conflict at our blog link.

We are in discussions with the government towards an amicable solution on this matter. Local handline fishermen have also been impacted by the shark demersal longliners and are watching their catches diminish over the past four years.

Marine Dynamics supports sustainable fisheries and follow the WWF’s Sustainable Seafood Programme when making seafood choices.

Please watch the insert below and go to a specially designed website for more information and support a call to action. www.sharkfreechips.com

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