South Africa shark feeder denies reports it mutilates sharks

The Gansbaai shark cage dive operator who hosted British diver Mark Currie last year is planning to take legal action against the media groups who propagated the inaccuracies of the day's events, White Shark Ecoventures owner Mariette Hopley said on Tuesday.

Mike Me�er, spokesperson for Marine and Coastal Management (MCM), agreed that the statements attributed to Currie in the British press about being attacked in the cage by a Great White were not consistent with what was apparent in the footage.

The footage had been taken with Currie's video camera by someone else on the boat.

"This is a case of somebody trying to make some money out of something that didn't happen," Me�er said.

He added that the fixed cage that White Shark Ecoventures used for Currie was in line with "clearly defined permit conditions" that MCM enforces for all operators.

He said it was firmly attached to the side of the boat and even though the shark had broken one of the fenders, the cage was never at risk of coming loose and sinking.

"There was no danger to that person. I'm sure he got a hell of a fright, though," he said.

Hopley, who is also chairperson of the Great White Shark Protection Foundation, said that the story first came to her attention when she saw the footage on Sky News on Saturday, followed by an interview with Currie.

She recognised her cage from the footage.

She said that, at the time, Currie had emphasised what an "awesome" day it had been and how he would do it again.

She added that he had tipped both the dive master and shark handler when he got off the boat.

"There's no way that would have happened if his life had really been in danger," she said.

All operators lure sharks with fresh fish chum and it is not uncommon for the shark to misjudge the distance to the chum and take a bite out of a fender instead, as was the case when Currie was in the cage, she said.

She added that it appeared as if the shark had got its lower jaw stuck in the wire but had retracted it immediately afterwards and swam away.

"The shark could never get to him. There were wires all around and the shark cannot break the cage.

"It's 100 percent safe," she said.

Hopley attributed Currie's excitable comments to the adrenaline rush.

"That's why we call it educational adrenaline sport. A lot of people who get into the cage get anxious."

Currie was quoted on the UK's BBC News website as saying that the captain had kept hitting the shark on the head with a big metal pole.

He is also heard saying words to that effect on the interview that accompanied the footage.

But Me�er said there wasn't a stick or pole visible and Hopley denied that had occurred.

"We are here to protect the sharks," she said.

"Some media groups like to create sensation," she added.

Although the name of her company was not mentioned in any of the media accounts, she said she was taking legal action because Currie's comments had put a negative spin on the shark ecotourism industry.