In 2015, South Africa began to experience a rapid decline in the number of great white sharks seen in Cape Town, as well as in the Gansbaai area. Further declines were recorded from 2016 to 2021, and it is rare that great white sharks are seen at Seal Island today. It is our strong belief that gross mismanagement of certain fisheries along our coastline has resulted in the collapse of our ecosystem as we know it. The Demersal Shark Longlining industry that targets smooth hound and soupfin shark began to fish intensively and extremely effectively from 2015. There are no quotas and no size limits for these catches with the result that in just a few short years, the populations of both these species have collapsed. It is a common misconception that seals are the main prey item of great white sharks. It is in fact, smooth hound and soupfin sharks. All great white shark hot spots in South Africa are located at cape fur seal colonies that are adjacent to inshore populations of smooth hound and soupfin sharks. It appears that a seal diet needs to be heavily supplemented by these two shark species. Take the main prey item away, and there is no longer a good reason to frequent the area.
The Orca and the Great White Shark
Port and Starboard are the notorious shark eating orcas that are almost certainly responsible for the killing of at least 6 great white sharks over the last few years in the Gansbaai area. Many theories abound that this is the main reason for the great white shark population decline. The great white sharks most certainly have a flight response to the presence of these orca but we do not believe this would have resulted in a permanent departure from a foraging ground, that has been used by the great white sharks for possibly hundreds of years. The future is uncertain and ever changing however, Apex Shark Expeditions will continue to fight this massive conservation issue. With the absence of great white sharks, a new shark species has filled the gap at Seal Island, enter the broadnose sevengill shark – shark cage diving with these sharks is like diving with dinosaurs, they are so prehistoric.
Another species of shark can sometimes be seen at Seal Island during the high summer months when we tend to have warmer water, the bronze whaler shark also known as the Copper shark. They are so named due to their beautiful bronze/copper dorsal surface and can be found in groups of large numbers. Whereas the broadnose sevengill shark is very slow swimming, bronze whalers are generally much faster and move more erratically around the shark cage, coming in for short periods of time. Often just a blaze of copper is seen! Their maximum size is just less than 3 meters (10 feet) in length. As we don’t see the bronze whaler shark too often whilst shark cage diving in Gansbaai, the crew are very excited when one of these sharks arrive!
Book your shark cage diving Gansbaai experience today.
Also read: How To Choose The Best Travel Destinations
