730km north of Sydney, in Shelly Beach, a Japanese man was killed by what witnesses describe as a huge shark. Despite surfer’s assistance in bringing him ashore, the man died. He had lost both legs and therefore a lot a blood.
A reported increase in shark activity in Australia is concerning. Often, swimmers are evacuated from beaches when there is suspicion of a shark in the area. Beaches have recently been closed since an attack 30km north of this one. That attack was survived by Jabez Reitman, who reported a shark 7-10 feet in length.
Despite a shark attack death in September of last year and a series of attacks in Western Australia, the government did not go through with its plan for a shark cull last year. A 13-week trial in early 2014 with baited drum lines along seven beaches killed more than 170 sharks. None were great whites, which have been blamed for the most recent attacks.
The Environmental Regulator stopped the cull because of the lack of solid scientific proof that it was impacting the shark population and decreasing attacks. They also don’t know if the media hype is hurting the way people look at the oceans, sharks, and attacks as well. Fear and anxiety have increased, and people want something done about it. Unfortunately, culling is usually not the answer.
This thought process is causing parents to teach their children to fear the ocean. This may well affect tourism where beaches fit heavily into the plan for surfing and other ocean sports.
Shayne Hanks, chairman of the National College of Sport and Exercise Psychologists worries about this impact. He notes that people are ten times more likely to drown than be attacked by a shark and 200 times as likely to be in a fatal car accident. Yet, our anxieties when we jump into a swimming pool or get behind the wheel are nowhere near shark-proportions.
For now, Australian people and tourists are staying close to shore… if the beach is open. An academic actually published an article in the Australian Journal of Political Science saying that culling “killer sharks” is easier than trying to convince the public that culling just doesn’t work to protect swimmers. The government doesn’t want to admit that they aren’t sure what to do, so they fall back on culling because killing sharks equals less sharks and less chance of attacks in the public eye.
Environmentalists continue to rally against culls, putting the government in a sticky situation. People are feeling threatened and by nature, this causes what may be irrational reactions.
The relaxation of the beach and sea has become a picture of danger and threat based on sharks. Will the government call for culling? It is allowing hunting of sharks that appear to be a threat. How will threat be determined? Is the shark trying to lure a child out into deep water with candy? Is this just an excuse to “legally” cull in a slow way? Right now we just have to wait until the sharks or the Australian Government makes the next move.
