Sharks rarely attack divers; however, they are prone to sampling surfboards and kayaks, and occasionally target swimmers, too. While researchers continue to attempt to learn more about what causes Australia’s Great White Sharks to attack, the methods being used to put a stop to shark attacks are now drastically different than they once were.
Protecting Sharks and Water Enthusiasts Alike
When three fatal shark attacks occurred in close proximity to one another, and when people started to see big sharks lurking just a few meters away from popular swimming and surfing beaches in Western Australia, scientists began to look into reasons for the attacks, rather than allowing automatic shark culling to take place.
A recent spate of shark attacks, including an attack in which an American who was diving solo was killed, have prompted surfers and swimmers to stay away from their favorite beaches at dawn and dusk, and to never go out alone. Meanwhile, shark researchers have come up with several reasons shark attacks are on the rise in Australia.
First, there are many whales migrating through the area, and when an adult whale or whale calf dies, it attracts huge numbers of sharks; after all, they serve as the ocean’s cleanup crew and without them, these giant carcasses would cause quite a problem by floating through the sea until they finally rotted away.
Second, the area’s seal population is on the rise, and seals are sharks’ natural prey. When people enter water where sharks hunt seals, and when they do so without protection from a steel cage like the ones used on popular shark dives, they increase their risk of being attacked by hungry sharks confusing people, surfboards, and kayaks for seals.
Some surfers want their “territory” back, and are calling for sharks to be hunted and killed in retaliatory fashion. Others say sharks deserve to be left alone, and that their fellow surfers need to remember that the ocean belongs to marine life, not people. Australia’s government is taking a cautious, balanced approach, urging people to use caution and be selective about when and where they enter the water.
Another preventive measure being implemented is an increase in the number of aerial shark patrols being made over popular beaches. When big sharks move in, people receive a warning and are encouraged to leave the water. In some areas, shark nets are being put into place to help eliminate the potential for shark attack.
Scientists are looking at a complex method involving tagging and tracking the sharks that move through Western Australia’s waters. In a tagging and tracking program Implemented by the fisheries department and conservation groups, a number of the animals have already been tagged and can be tracked. According to Doctor Rory McAuley of Western Australia’s fisheries department, “The data we collect will help us understand when, where, and why white sharks visit our beaches and the communication capabilities of these new receivers may allow us to warn beachgoers of a tagged shark’s presence before they encounter each other.”
Under Western Australia’s laws, Great White Sharks are listed as “totally protected,” but sharks responsible for human fatalities are normally captured and humanely destroyed if identified, as once a shark recognizes people as prey, it typically begins to hunt people the same way it hunts other prey items. Very few sharks are destroyed in this matter, and so long as people who make the decision to enter water where sharks are common use caution, shark attacks can be minimized. For us divers, it’s important to review methods for repelling sharks in case of attack, and to never provoke even small sharks. Care and prevention on our part can help improve our safety – and sharks’ safety in their own environment, as well.