Sharks Dig AC/DC

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Yes, my day took a turn for the weird after doing a survey by Surfers for Responsible Cage Diving (take the survey here), a Cape-based group who want more effective regulation of the shark cage diving industry.

They say the results of their survey - which gauges public opinion about chumming and cage diving regulation - will form a compelling argument for SANParks to get involved in regulating the industry. Their ultimate aim is to end chumming as a way of attracting sharks to boats.

The organisation claims it is "not against cage diving for tourism or research" but they are "vehemently against the use of chumming (using a mix of blood, meat, fish to lure the sharks close enough to the boats) and the taunting of these great creatures with bait to try get a good photo for tourist's holiday albums"

I am not sure that an opinion-based survey will provide the factual impetus to enforce more regulation in an industry even though it is bedevilled by unregistered cowboys who flagrantly damage the credibility of scientists and responsible dive operators. But imagine if the findings of an Australian dive operator - that playing music underwater attracts sharks  - were studied more, and eventually applied as an eco-friendly alternative to chumming? It would be a nice outcome for everyone concerned in a debate that run a long and arduous road.

It was intriguing to see a blog post by the Aussie charter company coming out in full support of the Cape group's vociferous campaign to stop chumming. Reading on, I discovered why. They don't need to chum. Their sharks dig AC/DC. Am I being serious? Well, I did laugh with incredulity at first. It seemed preposterous. But then I saw that even Australian Geographic were intriguid.

Matt Waller, a tour operator in South Australia’s Neptune Bay, has observed that when sharks hear the band’s hits, especially Shook Me All Night Long and Back in Black, they are drawn to the source of the music.

Matt Waller, a tour operator in South Australia’s Neptune Bay, has observed that when sharks hear the band’s hits, especially Shook Me All Night Long and Back in Black, they are drawn to the source of the music.

Writing in this article, their journalist wrote: "Matt Waller, a tour operator in South Australia’s Neptune Bay, has observed that when sharks hear the band’s hits, especially Shook Me All Night Long and Back in Black, they are drawn to the source of the music."

"Matt's research was inspired by dive operators on Guadalupe Island, who discovered playing music underwater for clients also caused changes in shark behaviour. He and his company, Adventure Bay Charters, decided to do some experimenting of their own. Using underwater speakers attached to diving cages, they pumped Australian rock hits through the water. Most of Matt's tunes had no effect, but when the great whites heard the AC/DC songs, they swam up and rubbed their faces against the source of the music."

They have been doing it for a while now, and, according to a blog entry on the Adventure Bay Charters website, "The sharks approach our cage out of curiosity after they sense the vibrations. Not one shark that has visited our boat has left in any way hurt, agitated and most importantly, aggressive. There are some other spin offs to this research, we may identify the best music not to play or even identify the best music to repel sharks, who knows, Justin Bieber may yet have a purpose!"

Surfers' for Responsible Cage Diving (see their rationale here) say that the benefits of using sound is that it is omnidirectional, instantaneous and completely eco friendly.

As a reader on Wavescape's Facebook page said: "I imagine its not so much the music but the bass and tempo that gets them going, prob similar to the tempo of a thrashing body in the water."

Waller told Australian Geographic: "Sharks don't have ears, they don't have long hair, and they don't head bang past the cage doing the air guitar." 

And it's not even April 1.