ABC news with Luke Tipple: Great White Shark cage accident at Guadalupe Island

Taken from Luke Tipple's Journal: "In 2007 a Great White Shark breached a commercial shark diving cage, tearing it to pieces in an effort to free itself from the structure. The video was shot by tourist divers and uploaded to YouTube. This extraordinary accident is a very well known among shark diving operators at Guadalupe Island, Mexico, and has now hit the mainstream media as an interest piece. Over the last 4 years Ive spent over 200 days working with the Great Whites at Guadalupe and know well the circumstances under which this can occur. News agencies are implying that the shark made a mistake, blindly ramming itself into the cage, destroying it in an effort to free itself. To say that the shark made a mistake is incorrect. The person handling the bait was at fault here. Time for a lesson in shark diving 101. The hang baits are used as a stimulus to attract the sharks close to the cage. Great Whites are extremely visual predators and the sharks at Guadalupe have become quite accustomed to the baits and the potential for a feeding opportunity (more about this later). The use of baits allow divers to take close-up photos through the viewing port (aperture) of the cage. The role of the deckhand or bait handler is critical here as they literally hold the sharks (and divers) safety in their hands. Baits should never be allowed to drift in front of the cage as a Great White in full charge does not have much time to maneuver should it find itself headed into an obstacle. What can we learn? The lesson here is this accident was avoidable. Correct positioning of the hang-bait is a critical part of being a responsible operator. If the baits are never allowed to sit in front of the cage, especially laying diagonally across a possible and likely path of travel, the chance of a cage breech is greatly reduced. Sure, mistakes can happen but this video is testament to how quickly things can go wrong. This incident was put under investigation by the environmental organization in charge of Guadalupe. That said I am not trying to slam or discredit the operator (hence no naming names). They are a very experienced and reputable company with a long history at Guadalupe. However, as this video gets more publicity I think it important to acknowledge the mistake and it would be unfortunate to use this as a marketing tool. In the end as operators we are compelled to use the best practices available to keep the animals and our divers safe. It is worth mentioning that this is an endangered species and the site is a Bio-sphere reserve (like a National Park). Shark Eco-tourism does have its place and has been integral in fostering a research plan and attaining funding for local conservation efforts. This however is a perfect example of what can happen when someone drops their guard or perhaps isn't aware of the proper conduct when working with these animals. For the record the shark got aware relatively unscathed which was fortunate for all involved. Critics of shark diving are many and this year has seen intense scrutiny of Guadalupes shark diving practices. The future of eco-tourism at Guadalupe is as yet uncertain and it is unfortunate that an isolated accident like this gets more attention than the contribution that operators, including the one in the video, are making to conservation on the island. I hope that as the story progresses we hear someone tell the story straight and that we are spared from the inevitable Jaws rhetoric so favored by mainstream media." Source - www.luketipple.com