Shark attack

THE chances of someone drowning at the beach are a lot higher than someone being attacked by a shark but you’d be foolish to let the laws of probability cloud your judgement.

Already this year there have been shark attacks in New South Wales and Western Australia, so shark safety is something we should all be aware of.

Of the 160-plus known species of Australian sharks, three are regarded as a threat to our safety. They are the white pointer/great white, tiger shark and bull shark. The wobbegong, hammerhead and whaler sharks are usually harmless but there have been cases where these shark species have attacked humans.

There are claims the number of dangerous sharks is increasing but there is no supporting evidence for this belief. In fact, authorities say numbers of some shark species are lower than in the past.

Department of Fisheries manager of strategic compliance Tina Thorne said if deciding to head down to the beach, it would be a good idea to swim between the flags.

"Patrolled beaches often have the Surf Lifesaving helicopter that is on the lookout for sharks, it is not foolproof but it is better than nothing," Thorne said.

Other tips Thorne gave to reduce the risk of a shark encounter included avoiding areas where there are large schools of fish, seals, sea lions and areas close to rookeries or murky water.

"Don’t swim at the beach during dawn or dusk, as [those are] the times when fish feed, sharks included," she said.

"Also try not to go swimming or surfing if you have any cuts and abrasions."

If fishing off a boat out in the ocean, Thorne recommends having the right safety equipment and making sure it is up-to-date. If you do hook a large shark, it is a good idea to cut the line at least 30 centimetres away from its mouth to avoid being bitten. Feeding berley to large sharks from a boat while out on the ocean is a bad idea as it may encourage them to look for free feed from other boats.

"If you going spear fishing, remember you are putting yourself in an environment where a shark could be alerted to the distress signals the fish you are spearing is giving off," she said.

"So definitely swim with someone else, so one person can spear while the other keeps a lookout for sharks or any other dangers when underwater."

After spearing a fish, always get it out of the water as soon as possible rather than attaching it to yourself while continuing to spear more fish, as the fish blood could attract sharks and put you in a dangerous situation.

Thorne said some people wear shark shields to protect themselves when they go underwater.

"Some people swear by them [shark shields], while others say it does not work at all," she said.

"This is something we [the department] will be looking into in the next 12 months or so, to find out if it does work."

In the event of a shark sighting while swimming at a patrolled beach, when you hear the alarm, calmly get out of the water and follow the instructions of the lifeguards or lifesavers. Authorities will usually close the beach for at least an hour from the time of the last sighting. Lifeguards or lifesavers usually put out signs along the beach where the shark was sighted to inform people about the sighting and why the beach is closed.

If swimming at an unpatrolled beach and spotting a shark in the vicinity of where you are swimming, Thorne advises calmly getting out of the water and alerting the local water police.

Shark attack victims often suffer severe tissue damage and blood loss.

"If someone is bitten, get them out of the water as soon as possible," Thorne said.

First aid will need to be applied to the victim immediately, while transport to the hospital and pre-hospital emergency care is organised.

A commonly asked question is: are sharks inshore because commercial fisheries are exploiting their normal food supply?

The Department of Fisheries said it was impossible to say for sure whether sharks were more common in our inshore waters for this reason. Sharks generally feed on a variety of prey species. Nevertheless, large sharks tend to be very mobile and can travel large distances in search of prey. Without obstacles to stop them coming close to shore, there is always a small chance people may encounter a shark.

Authorities have been monitoring the movements of white sharks off our coastline for a number of years. The research indicates there are dangerous sharks present off our coast all year round, not just in the summer months. Australia is a water-locked country and the ocean is a big part of our culture, making shark safety tips something we should all know.