South Australian fishermen report a 50 per cent increase in Great White sightings off SA’s shores

SA has witnessed five shark attacks this year, three of which were fatal. Now, experienced fishermen say they’ve seen more great white pointers closer to shore than ever before.

Experienced local fishermen say they have seen more great white pointers closer to shore than ever before – with one reporting a 50 per cent increase in sightings.

After the death of Khai Cowley, who was taken by a shark while surfing on the Yorke Peninsula, local anglers have come forward with their experiences of sharks close to SA’s shores.

Glen Jones, one of the anglers behind Balgowan Fishing Charters in the Spencer Gulf, said over the past ten years of his 20-year charter career, he had seen roughly a 50 per cent increase in the number of Great White sharks.

“We never had the interactions that we are having now back then,” Mr Jones said.

“We used to see the odd one every now and again, now they are popping up four or five times a year.

A drone captured a large shark stalking a salmon school in 2m of water just 100m off Snellings Beach in Kangaroo Island. Picture: Brett Mensforth – South Australian Angler magazine

“We have had days where you might see two sharks in two separate locations on the same day.”

But when a Great White does find its way around the boat, Mr Jones says the experience is normally peaceful, and more a curious exchange.

“Our interactions are usually quite short, they just swim around the boats for four or five minutes, and they’re just being curious,” Mr Jones said.

“On a very rare occasion they will hang around for 30 minutes but then they just swim off”

Veteran fisherman and partner of SA Angler magazine, Shane Mensforth, said he has had some close interactions with sharks.

“A little while ago I had caught quite a big snapper and I was leaning over the side to gaff it, to drag it up into the boat – and the shark came up, grabbed the fish and took the gaff out of my hand as well,” Mr Mensforth said.

Mr Mensforth said he had noticed “a lot more Great Whites than there used to be” and when chasing snapper he is always vigilant, as schools tend to draw the predators attentions as a natural prey source.

Dan Gilbertson, operator of GT Fishing Charters, and a Mako shark, which he said can look like a Great White if you’re not used to spotting them. Picture: Supplied

But one fisherman said sometimes an inexperienced eye on the water could lead to a case of mistaken identity.

Dan Gilberton, owner of GT Fishing tours in Coffin Bay said he sees one great white for every four Mako sharks.

He described Makos as “scary”, saying they tend to be a “very angry shark” while he said the whites pointers were more docile.

“(Mako sharks) have been known to jump up on to boats,” Mr Gilberton said.

“They’ll just grab anything and any fish you have hooked up.”

But not all are in agreement that shark numbers are on the rise.

Albert Di Vittorio from Strike 1 fishing charter in West Beach said that he hadn’t seen any big migrations of sharks into the St Vincent’s Gulf and usually spots smaller shark species.

“Little bronze whalers, school sharks and gummy sharks are more prone to be in the gulf and along the southern coast,” Mr Di Vittorio said.

“The last great white I saw was maybe three years ago.”

Originally published as South Australian fishermen report a 50 per cent increase in Great White sightings off SA’s shores