Jarrod Stehbens
Friday 14th March 2008
Article from The Adelaide Advertiser
Shark repellent devices do offer "some
degree" of protection for divers, South Australian Deputy
Coroner Anthony Schapel has found
But Mr Schapel said it would never be known if a shark shield
would have saved the life of twenty-three-year old Jarrod Stehbens,
who was taken by a five metre Great White off Glenelg in August
2005
The director of the Adelaide-based manufacturer of Shark Shield,
Rod Harltey, insisted there was a good chance the electrical device
would have saved the twenty-three-year old
"We have got a significant number of examples where sharks
in full attack mode have been turned away by Shark Shield"
Mr Hartley said
Mr Hartley said his company had received up to fifty testimonials
from divers across the world, claiming to have been saved by the
shields, which interfere with sharks' central nervous systems
The coronial inquest heard conflicting reports about the effectiveness
of shark shields, which were lying unused on the university's
boat used by Mr Stehbens and other researchers
"I make it plain here that it is not a function of this court
to apply its seal of approval to this product or any other product"
Mr Schapel said
He found the shark shields gave divers at least some degree of
protection
"I have taken the view that there is good reason to believe
that these devices have an ability, to a greater or lesser degree,
to repel or otherwise deter the approach of sharks" he said
Mr Schapel said he was concerned that the University of Adelaide
had not made shark shields mandatory despite the tragedy
He said vests were compulsory for divers employed by SA Police
and the SA Research and Development Institute
"The university needs to be reminded that divers within their
employ, as a matter of law, have to be protected
The university is now on notice"
The inquest heard that some divers were reluctant to wear the
devices because of fears over possible long-term health implications
including impotency, claims vehemently rejected by Mr Hartley
In 2003, former Coroner Wayne Chivell recommended all commercial
divers use repellent devices in shark prone areas after an inquest
into the death of commercial diver Paul Buckland near Smoky Bay