We have the technology to prevent shark bites. Let’s use it |
We have the technology to prevent shark bites. Let’s use it
June 14, 2026 — 5:04pm
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After another swimmer was seriously harmed by a shark on Saturday, this time at Sydney’s Coogee Beach, Australians are increasingly paying attention to the risks that the animals may pose. There is no doubt that the rate of shark encounters with humans is rising, but it is not entirely clear why. The bigger question is how best to reduce shark bites.
Human shark interactions involve two parties: people and sharks. We need to manage both. There is no doubt that there are more people in the water year-round, which alone accounts for most of the increase in encounters.
Here we are in June and the water temperature around Sydney is still between 18 and 19 degrees – pretty comfortable for most water sports if you’re wearing a shorty westsuit. There are still a lot of people in the water, even though it is winter. Saturday was gloriously sunny, after all.
Less known is the impact of climate change on the behaviour of sharks, although it is clear their distributions are shifting on a broader scale. Most sharks try to maintain a comfortable thermal envelope because, unlike mammals that generate their own heat, a shark’s body temperature is determined by the temperature of the water. White sharks prefer it on the cool side (15 to 22 degrees), whereas bull sharks like the warmer waters (22 to 28). So climate change is causing shifts in........