Shark Catcher's Dire Warning: Australian Beaches Unsafe for Swimming Within a Decade

A shark fisherman has predicted that Australian beaches could become too dangerous for swimming within ten years due to escalating shark numbers. Joel Nancarrow, owner of Hunter Shark Jaw Restoration, bases his assertion on an increased frequency and size of sharks he has encountered during his fishing trips.

Nancarrow, who alerted swimmers to potential dangers prior to four shark attacks along the New South Wales coast in January, urged caution around river mouths and murky waters following heavy rainfall. "We always give our honest opinion on these fish and this is not the week to be swimming anywhere near river mouths or dirty water in the surf," he stated online on January 17. The following day, a 12-year-old boy was fatally attacked by a suspected bull shark near Sydney's Shark Beach.

He claims to have caught 34 sharks this year, a significant increase from 14 last year, and reported that the average size of these sharks has nearly doubled, from approximately 130kg to 250kg. Nancarrow also noted catching large sharks later into the winter season than in previous years. "It’s not just getting a little bit worse. It is getting a lot worse every single year," Nancarrow said on a podcast. "In 10 years time I guarantee you we'll go, 'They should have listened back then,' because now our kids and grandkids can't swim."

Nancarrow advocates for expanded commercial fishing as a means to control shark populations, arguing that existing protective measures are insufficient. He believes that a commercial fishery could reduce the number of juvenile sharks maturing into larger adults. "Culling is not going to work. Drum lines aren't doing anything in terms of numbers. I fish beaches that have got shark nets on and then catch 300-kilo bull sharks on them," he stated.

However, Dr. Daryl McPhee, a shark expert at Bond University, disputes Nancarrow's predictions, describing them as unsubstantiated. "Those sorts of statements are right up there with Nostradamus," Dr. McPhee told the Daily Mail. "When we talk about shark populations, there isn't one. There's populations of various species of sharks. For the three species of shark that bite people, like bulls and whites, we don't have a handle on the population trends."

Dr. McPhee also expressed skepticism about the viability of a larger commercial market for sharks, citing potential health risks such as mercury and heavy metal contamination in larger species. He noted that consumers typically prefer smaller species like Gummy Shark, and that many seafood wholesalers avoid larger sharks due to perceived risks. "Yes, a few can be sold, but it's not going to make a significant difference - and some seafood wholesalers will not accept them because of the risk they pose."

Despite disagreeing with Nancarrow's timeline, Dr. McPhee acknowledged a long-term increase in shark attacks, particularly in New South Wales. He attributed this trend to factors including rainfall, warmer waters, and the abundance of prey. "There is no one reason why sharks bite people; when you get significant rainfall events during the summer months, it flushes the sharks and their prey towards the river mouths and beaches," he explained.

He further noted that bull sharks move further south with warmer water, while white sharks follow their food sources, such as whales and seals, which have increased in abundance. "Sharks don't just sit around where there's no food - they're always actively looking."

The January attacks included incidents at Manly and Dee Why, as well as a surfer at Point Plomer. In June, a young mother was attacked by a great white shark at Coogee Beach, resulting in the amputation of her arm.

Dr. McPhee praised the shark bite mitigation strategies in New South Wales and Queensland as "world leading," employing methods like drones and 37 coastal shark listening stations that provide real-time alerts for tagged sharks. "Australia has one of the best coastal safety systems in the world. Our surf lifesavers, lifeguards and emergency responders are highly trained and increasingly well equipped," he said. "The ocean will always carry risk. The goal is not to eliminate it, which is impossible, but to manage it intelligently."

He advised beachgoers to swim between the flags and remain vigilant for signs of marine activity, such as bait fish, birds, or dolphins, which could indicate the presence of sharks. He also cautioned that the presence of dolphins does not guarantee safety.