Shark cage diving code of conduct eyed
Department of Conservation director-general Lou Sanson will meet with several government agencies next month to establish a code of conduct for shark cage diving.
DOC Southern South Island operations director Allan Munn said Sanson met with Stewart Island residents on December 25 last year to hear their concerns regarding the shark cage diving operations.
At the meeting, Sanson made a commitment to the community to pursue a multi-agency approach whereby an over-arching code of conduct for shark cage diving would be created, Munn said.
The code of conduct would apply anywhere in New Zealand and address such issues as public safety, he said
DOC, the Ministry for Business, Innovation and Employment, the Ministry for Primary Industries, Worksafe New Zealand and the Tourism Industry Association would all be involved in the process, Munn said.
The meeting will be hosted by Sanson on May 12, he said.
The shark diving permits held by the two operators expire in August.
He saod DOC was developing the process for considering new applications from the operators.
The process would be informed by the multi-agency code of conduct and the department will also account for the wellbeing of sharks, the best available science and the views of cage diving operators, the local community and iwi, he said.
The department had not received a lot of credit for regulating the activity which has been taking place since 2007, Munn said.