Western Abalone Divers Association (WADA) executive officer Harry Peeters said while one of its divers had been “buzzed” by a Great White near Lady Julia Percy Island, none of its divers had ever been attacked.

However. fishing remained one of Australia’s most dangerous industries and a lack of awareness by many boaters about what a diver’s flag indicated added to the risk, Mr Peeters said.

As part of an effort by WADA and the Fisheries Research and Development Corporation’s (FRDC) to improve occupational health and safety for fishers, WADA recently convened a training session at Port Fairy for abalone divers and their deckhands on the use of advanced major trauma first aid kits.

Mr Peeters said the kits had equipment such as limb tourniquets to help deckhands deal with major trauma such as limb loss and massive blood loss that might be suffered by divers.

He said first aid given in the first few minutes of a major trauma was critical in saving victims’ lives.

WADA had bought the kits for each of the six boats used by its members and FRDC had helped sponsor the training that was recently provided by TACMED trainer Jake Hickey, a former Australian Army medic.

Abalone divers and deckhands from across the state also took part in training at Port Fairy.

The training also involved helping divers suffering from decompression sickness.

The provision and training in the use of the major trauma first aid kits is another step in WADA’s efforts to improve safety for abalone divers and deckhands.

Mr Peeters said the divers wore shark shields that created an electromagnetic field to deter sharks.

He said great white sharks visited the south-west to feed on seals from the large seal colony on Lady Julia Percy Island.

Divers did not dive in November when the seals were giving birth, he said.

WADA members had also been equipped with stormy seas inflatable life jackets that had Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacons (EPIRB) attached, Mr Peeters said.