Unprovoked shark assaults are outlined as when there was no human provocation of the animal.
That is down from 73 in 2021, and ties with 2020 for the fewest variety of reported incidents within the final 10 years.
However an Australian marine biologist has flagged the shark “hotspots” off the coast.
Nevertheless, Dr Leonardo Guida, a shark scientist and conservationist on the Australian Marine Conservation Society, mentioned there’s not sufficient knowledge to attract that conclusion for all shark species.
“There’s no evidence to suggest shark numbers are necessarily correlated with the number of sharks bites,” he instructed 9news.com.au.
“Sharks are incredibly important to marine ecosystems. Generally they’re at the top of the food web and they keep everything in balance,” he mentioned.
“If you remove too many, that food web could become unstable and potentially collapse.
“The very fact stays a wholesome ocean, and all the things in it, will depend on a wholesome variety of sharks.”
Guida listed several factors that could work to explain the decline in unprovoked bites over 2022.
“The very fact stays a wholesome ocean, and all the things in it, will depend on a wholesome variety of sharks.”
“Heavy rainfall, storms, La Niña occasions, heatwaves, and COVID-19 – how that will have restricted entry to the seashore – relying on the place they stay; there are a number of things.
“If we’re going to look at the patterns of shark bites, and fatal bites, we should really be looking at 10-year scales to capture that high variability.”
Shark leaps onto entrance of boat throughout fishing journey
Breaking down numbers: The place, and what number of, assaults
The US led the best way for unprovoked shark assaults in 2022, recording 41 of the 57 reported bites.
The vast majority of these assaults occurred in Florida.
Australia got here second with 9 unprovoked bites, down from 12 in 2021.
The report would not identify the species chargeable for assaults.
The 35-year-old diving teacher was swimming off Little Bay Seashore within the japanese suburbs when he was mauled by an amazing white shark “at least three-metres” in size.
“In the latter case, the individual (Nellist) was swimming in the near vicinity of one or more anglers.
“We contemplate bites to have been unintentionally provoked anytime they happen close to fishing strains, as congregating fish can appeal to sharks.”
Last weekend Stella Berry, a 16-year old Year 11 student, was killed in Perth’s Swan River after a suspected bull shark attack.
Berry’s death is the country’s first shark fatality of 2023.
What we know about sharks in Australian waters
Guida said more research is needed for Australians to get a better understanding of shark species and their numbers, in both the ocean and riverways.
“(We want this) so we are able to get a way of the place they’re, how they transfer, and the place they transfer” he said.
“That informs our probability of interplay of them.
“It is crucially essential.”
Three species of shark are chargeable for probably the most severe assaults on people; nice whites, bull sharks, and tiger sharks.
CSIRO, Australia’s main scientific analysis physique, has recognized two nice white populations in Australia – an japanese inhabitants and a southern-western inhabitants.
The japanese inhabitants is estimated at 5460, however CSIRO has admitted there could possibly be greater than 12,802 nice white cruising the waters.
The dimensions of the south-western inhabitants is “not yet determined”, however estimates recommend there are about 1460 adults cruising the waters from western Victoria to north-west Western Australia.
“Great white sharks are a threatened species, but the latest signs suggest at least since their protection in the 90s, their numbers have stabilised.
“There’s an opportunity within the subsequent couple of years we see extra juveniles come via, as a result of for nice white sharks they take about 20-years earlier than they offer beginning – there is a time lag.”
Guida then referenced two known great white nurseries – one located at Corner Inlet, off eastern Victoria – and the other off Port Stephens, in NSW.
“On the west coast, while we have not recognized any nurseries there of such, we appear to search out a number of the larger people,” he added.
“One other actually well-known hotspot for nice white sharks is Port Lincoln, and across the Neptune Islands, off South Australia.
“The short of it is, we need a better understanding of shark numbers. This can inform mitigation strategies at the beach.”
To cut back the chance of shark assault, Guida mentioned people ought to comply with three steps.
“There are a few little tips and tricks,” he mentioned.
“The typical is, don’t swim at dusk and dawn, and try not to wear anything shiny that may seem like a fish.”
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