Dozens of beaches along Australia’s east coast, including in Sydney, were closed in January after four shark attacks in two days.
Those followed heavy rain that created murky water, attracting sharks and reducing their visibility.
While shark encounters remain statistically rare, a Reuters analysis of data from the Australian Shark Incident Database shows a gradual rise in encounters, with the country averaging nearly 29 incidents per year over the last decade, up from an average of roughly 16 per year in the 2000s.
SHARK CULL
The attack has forced a regulatory review of aerial surveillance.
While emergency drones were deployed on Monday, Coogee normally faces strict flight restrictions because it sits directly beneath the flight path for Sydney’s airport.
New South Wales Agriculture Minister Tara Moriarty said on Monday that it had been a really tough summer for shark activity, and nothing was off the table as the state considered safety measures. However, she said any action would prioritise technology, such as the drones.
Some experts have said Saturday’s attack was by a white shark, classified as a vulnerable species and protected under environmental laws that make it illegal to target, capture, or kill the animal without approval. However, the attack has again led some to suggest a cull, a highly contentious issue.
“It’s so wrong that we don’t cull sharks after attacks,” former conservative Prime Minister Tony Abbott said in a video posted on his Facebook page.