Is further investment in shark management in New South Wales worthwhile? Surfer views on coastal public health issues

Objective

To explore the views of surfers on investment in shark management compared to other coastal public health issues. Methods: We examined the responses of 672 New South Wales (NSW) resident surfers to the Global Surfer Survey, which collected demographic information and asked surfers about which topics they believe additional funding should be devoted to. Results: Half of surfers in NSW (50%) are worried about sharks while surfing only a very small proportion (16%) are supportive of additional funding for shark detection and management programs, with most being in favour of funding directed at ocean cleanliness (40%) and drowning prevention (29%). Conclusions: Findings indicate surfers are more supportive of investment in ocean cleanliness and drowning prevention measures, as compared to shark mitigation. Implications for public health: Ocean users in general face a significantly greater risk (48 times) of drowning than shark bites. Given the relative public health burden of the two issues, is the significant financial investment in shark mitigation worth it?