Q&A with Ben Birt, Marine and Fisheries Conservation Officer, Adopt a Shark Co-ordinator. Interview by Kristy Theissling
Q. Why does a shark “attack” a person?
A. The million dollar question that we don’t have a definite answer to yet. It could be mistaken identity – the old surfer silhouette looking like a seal from below argument. In the turbulent, sometimes murky water of the surf zone, sharks need to rely on senses other than sight and might try and bite a stray hand or foot that happens to be in their way. And remember sharks don’t have hands so when they ‘feel’ something to see what it is they need to use their mouths – unfortunate for the object being ‘felt’ that they have lots of sharp teeth. Remember that if a shark wanted to kill and consume you it could do so very easily – although tragically this does occasionally happen, the fact that it happens so rarely is a good indication that we are not on their normal menu.
Q. Why are there more “shark attacks” this time of year?
A. Two reasons. Firstly, it’s summer time, the water and weather are warmer so there are more people in the sea. Secondly, again as it’s summer time, as the water warms up, warm water species such as tiger and bull sharks extend their range further south meaning that they potentially encounter more people off the heavily populated coast of NSW. In addition, the water is still a comfortable temperature, particularly in southern NSW, for great whites (as those kayakers found out off Long Reef in December). So you have the three potentially dangerous species together at a time when there are the most people in the water. If you look at annual attack rates, these have remained steady for years and more sightings doesn’t mean there are more sharks overall. In fact, while attack levels have stayed stable, shark populations are in steep decline in Australia and elsewhere.
Q. Why should people not be afraid of sharks?
A. It’s hard for me to say “don’t be afraid of sharks!” I’m afraid of sharks – or to be more specific tiger, bull and great white sharks. I don’t think I have ever had a surf when the thought of sharks hasn’t crossed my mind. However, that fear is mixed with a great deal of respect and admiration for some of the most amazing and beautiful creatures on this planet. Looked at logically, there is little reason to fear sharks as there is more chance of being killed by an angry vending machine than an angry shark. So a healthy respect for these animals is a good thing but it would be a shame if fear stopped anyone surfing – though on second thoughts that might be a good thing as it would mean smaller crowds!
Q. Why is it necessary to have sharks in the ocean? What do they contribute?
A. Sharks are top predators in marine ecosystems. They have a huge impact on other marine organisms either directly of indirectly. Without them the whole system would likely come crashing down. There are several examples from around the world where fisheries have collapsed because sharks have been removed from the system. It would not only be a disaster environmentally if that were to happen in Australia, but also a disaster economically for many fisheries. For more on the important role sharks play in the environment, check out the film Sharkwater.
Q. What is currently happening in the ocean that affects sharks in Australia and on our coasts?
A. Overfishing is a serious threat to sharks all over the world. Scientists estimate that populations of large predatory fish such as sharks, marlin, swordfish and some tuna have declined by 90% since the 1950s. That is a scary decline in anyone’s book and it means that many species of shark are now officially at risk of extinction. This includes nearly every shark species that is commercially targeted in Australia. The cause for the overfishing is the high price obtained for shark fins in Asia, mostly China, where there is great status attached to eating shark fin soup. Australia is now an important player in the shark fin trade and exported well over 100 tonnes of fins last year. Considering how heavy a shark fin is compared to a shark, that is a lot of dead Australian sharks.
Q. Is there a specific issue affecting NSW’s beaches that relates to shark populations?
A. In NSW irresponsible commercial shark fishing is damaging our precious marine environment – and all for the dubious delicacy shark fin soup. Catches of whaler sharks alone rose from an average of 165 tonnes per year to 440 tonnes last year (2006/2007). This explosion in shark fishing happened despite there being next to no scientific advice on how many sharks there are in NSW waters at any given time. What is known is that these sharks are endangered and declining all over the world. The only direct evidence in NSW for shark population trends comes from the beach meshing program. Catches in the shark nets have declined dramatically over the years, indicating that sharks are becoming ever rarer. The nets themselves don’t help of course as they are indiscriminate killers of anything that happens to swim into them.
Q. What species of sharks are endangered in Australia and why?
A. Most well known shark species are threatened with extinction according to the IUCN which is the accepted way of determining the conservation status of plants and animals. Several species are protected in Austraian waters, including the great white, the whale shark and the grey nurse. Of course protection doesn’t necessarily mean they are no longer killed – numerous great white and grey nurse sharks are accidentally killed by fishermen every year. Some of the better known species that are not protected but that appear on the IUCN Red List include tiger, bull, hammerhead, mako, thresher and dusky whaler sharks.
Q. Why is it important to conserve a sharks marine habitat?
A. Sharks are part of a wider system where all species are linked directly or indirectly. Damaging or destroying any part of that system could have serious negative consequences. It is becoming more and more accepted that the best way to manage the marine environment is to look at the system as a whole, rather than simply trying to focus on each species individually. This broader approach is known as ‘ecosystem management’.
Q. What can we do as individuals to take care of the sharks?
A. All sorts. Don’t eat shark fin soup is an obvious one and most Australians can probably manage this without too much bother. Don’t eat ‘flake’ at the fish and chip shop – what might seem to be just a nice white piece of fish is actually endangered shark. I like Laird Hamilton’s attitude – “I don’t eat shark. shark don’t eat me!” To take it a step further, there are plenty of shark conservation programs out there that desperatley need public support and generous donations, such as the newly launched Save Our Last Sharks Appeal, a campaign by the Nature Conservation Council of NSW to stop unsustainable shark fishing in NSW and beyond.
Q. Why do sharks come around and swim near people? What should people do in this situation?
A. The first thing to do would be to leave the water if you are in any doubt that it is a potentially dangerous situation. If you can’t for any reason, gropu together and make yourselves look bigger. There is also a theory (tried and tested by well known shark experts Ron and Valerie Taylor among others) that if you make threatening gestures and noises towards sharks they get intimidated and will back off. I’d go along with that as sharks generally respect size and agression and are not used to their prey fighting back. Remember though that most sharks will just swim on by and ignore you as they have much more reason to be afraid of us than we do of them.
