Coastalwatch’s findings from Australia’s largest shark survey of 4,596 respondents:
• 42 per cent of respondents believe shark nets are the best answer to NSW shark attack crisis
• 24 per cent believe shark culling is the best answer
• 21 per cent believe nothing should be done right now and that work should continue on finding a non-threatening marine-safe alternative is the best answer
• 13 per cent advocate personal shark deterrents as the best answer
More than 40 per cent of Australians believe shark net trials are the best answer to NSW’s shark attack crisis, a new survey of more than 4,500 respondents has suggested.
Conducted between 12th Oct 2016 and 1st Nov 2016 by leading surf forecasting and reporting website Coastalwatch.com, the survey received feedback from 4596 respondents nationally on their views on the shark attack crisis in Northern New South Wales.
42 per cent of respondents cited shark nets as the best answer, while shark culling received the second highest number of votes with 24 per cent.
21 per cent of respondents answered that nothing should be done right now and that work should continue on finding a non-threatening marine-safe alternative, while 13 per cent advocated personal shark deterrents as the best answer.
The study, which is Australia’s most comprehensive shark survey in terms of sample size, was conducted on the back of a shark attack on a 17-year old surfer at Port Macquarie’s Lighthouse Beach in September 2016.
Survey responses subsequently more than doubled between 21st Oct – 1st Nov 2016, in the immediate aftermath of a second shark attack at Broken Head and the Baird Government announcing that shark net trials would be accelerated in northern NSW.
Despite shark deterrents being the least supported course of action by respondents, 66 per cent of participants did say they would consider buying a personal shark deterrent.
Kylie Edwards
