The social dimension to the New South Wales Shark Management Strategy, 2015–2020, Australia: Lessons learned

The future of shark mitigation worldwide, not only depends on economic and environmental considerations but on community support and acceptance of mitigation approaches. Shark mitigation strategies and policy development based on publicly held values in combination with expert knowledge is more likely to be supported and accepted by the public and society in general. In 2015, the New South Wales (NSW) government implemented a five-year Shark Management Strategy (SMS) to trial new and emerging technologies following a cluster of shark bites in 2014 and 2015 (including fatalities); most notably on the NSW north coast. The strategy aimed to increase protection of beachgoers while minimising harm to sharks and other marine animals. This paper synthesises various SMS-related social research studies to generate knowledge and improve understanding of community attitudes, support and preferences for different shark mitigation approaches trialled in the SMS. Our findings show non-invasive mitigation approaches involving shark detection and tracking, and public notifications were supported and preferred over invasive and/or lethal approaches such as nets. Drone surveillance was very highly supported (and preferred over helicopters) for being localised, having the capacity to be incorporated into beach safety operations, and with future potential for automation and the use of artificial intelligence to increase detection capability. Community education was seen as a fundamental component of shark mitigation to help people increase their ability to take personal responsibility for their own safety, improve public knowledge and understanding of sharks, and to mitigate fear; ultimately, to foster coexistence without jeopardising public safety.