Cape Town urgently needs a "Great White Shark Reaction Unit" to lure the dangerous creatures away from its beaches.

So says the Cape's self-styled "Great White Shark Hunter-Turned-Conservationist" Theo Ferreira. And to do it he has proposed more chumming, not less - not to tickle tourists' fancies but to keep bathers safe in emergency situations.

The controversial shark tour operator sparked outrage recently when he chummed just off Kalk Bay and Fish Hoek in peak season on December 27.

Ferreira defended his actions, saying he had heroically used a specially directed chum slick to lure away from the beaches a shark spotted off Muizenberg the day before.

Unrepentant, he said on Tuesday that he would do the same again if he felt bathers were in danger. And he has now offered to train lifesavers to use chum slicks in False Bay from their rescue rubber ducks to lure sharks away from beaches in emergency situations.

Ferreira has sent a proposal to Western Province Lifesaving Association chairperson Clive Wakeford. In it, he argues that he has personally attracted more than a thousand Great White sharks using chumming and baiting techniques and wants to train lifesavers to do the same.

"There is nothing in place to deter and control the potential danger of shark attacks along these beaches," he wrote. And he saw himself as the ideal person to come to the rescue.

He suggested senior lifesavers attend a week-long course to learn the basics about shark behaviour and how to chum and handle a bait line to lure sharks.

Arguing in support of his candidacy for the job, Ferreira said that he had 26 years' experience hunting and/or working with sharks. Just a week ago, he described himself as "probably the most knowledgeable shark behaviour practitioner in the world".

Referring to the recent furore over his chumming off Kalk Bay, he said: "Rather than me come in and do it as the big bad wolf, I'm offering to train the lifesavers to do it."

He said chumming off False Bay's beaches when the wind was blowing onshore was the perfect tool to lure the sharks back out to sea again. Lifesavers could do this from their rubber duck inflatable boats. All they would need to do would be to keep a 50kg stock of pilchards and chum material in a freezer on shore ready for use whenever sharks were spotted dangerously close to bathers in the future.

But the lifesavers seem to want nothing to do with Ferreira.

"Our core business is protecting the swimming public from drowning. The whole business of chumming in the bay near the beaches is illegal," said Wakeford. "Shark tour permit holders are restricted to a certain area in close proximity to Seal Island. Quite frankly any chumming near beaches is a no-no - it can only attract sharks.

"I don't believe there should be chumming anywhere near the beaches. We won't get at all involved in his scheme."

Wakeford said they were normally warned of any sharks along the coastline by the local trek fishermen in their lookouts high on the mountainside.

"They warn us and we clear the water with whistles, loudhailers and shark alarm flags," he said. But that was where their responsibilities ended.

Asked for comment a Marine and Coastal Management spokesperson said Ferreira's idea would be discussed with its scientists.

Twelve new licences have been issued for the controversial white shark tourism industry.

Three operators have been granted licences for False Bay, eight for Gansbaai and one for Mossel Bay.

Here are some of the strict conditions by which operators are bound:

• Shark boats have to be specially marked with a registration number, preceded by the letter "S", as issued by the government. Each operator is restricted to the use of only one vessel.
  
• Operators must submit monthly statistics of what they do and what they see.
  
• A qualified dive master must attend all cage-diving operations.
  
• White shark vessels must have an "adequate" interpellation/education service, as prescribed.
• No operator may approach closer than 10 metres to a seal colony. Particular care re: noise pollution must be taken into account during the November and December breeding season.
  
• Tagging of sharks is prohibited.
  
• No biological samples may be taken from sharks.
  No person may touch a shark without written permission from Marine and Coastal Management.
  
• Only natural fish-based products shall be used for bait or chum and may not exceed 25kg a day. No mammals (seals, whales or dolphins) may be used as bait. Artificial lures may only be used to attract white sharks with written permission from MCM.
  
• No permit holder may allow any of his clients or staff to free swim outside the white shark cage.
  
• All permit holders shall have public liability insurance.
  
• Permit holders who transgress the rules, or who do not make use of their permits, may lose their licences.