Sea World marine expert Trevor Long says surfers need to be “more accountable’’ about when and where they hit the water

A LEADING marine expert and conservationist says it’s time for surfers to be ‘more accountable’ about where they hit the water after a spate of recent attacks.

Shark Pic

SURFERS need to be “more accountable” about when and where they hit the waves to avoid shark attacks, a leading marine expert and conservationist says.

Sea World marine sciences director Trevor Long says sharks are “getting a bad rap” after a spate of recent attacks, and he fears more will be killed to protect humans.

The veteran marine animal advocate spoke out amid moves to introduce baited drum lines on the NSW north coast after recent attacks, two of them fatal.

“I’m very sympathetic to people who are attacked and I accept the safety issues,” he says. “But there’s also got to be some sort of accountability from us about when and where we venture into the ocean.

“Very early mornings or late afternoons, especially near river mouths after rain, are times when sharks can be more active close to shore. We have to be conscious and aware of the risk factors and act accordingly. There’s got to be some personal accountability. We can’t protect the whole coastline (with nets and drum lines).”

Mr Long set up Shark Bay at Sea World in 2004 using sharks saved from shark hunters, and is a leader in conserving endangered grey nurse sharks. He opposes shark barriers but says drum lines are “the lesser of two evils”, as they don’t catch as many other marine creatures such as whales, dolphins and turtles.

But he said he would rather see surfers, divers and swimmers use personal electronic shark-repellent devices.

“It’s a shame we go down this track (of setting nets and drum lines),” he said.

“It’s interesting that after someone is taken by a crocodile, the animal is often relocated rather than killed.

“We seem to place a higher conversation value on crocs than we do on sharks and that’s a shame.

“We also see plenty of croc warning signs in the Far North but there are no warning signs on shark-prone beaches that I’m aware of.”

Mr Long said rather than being demonised, sharks needed more research to understand their behaviours.

Sea World has released several captive sharks back into the wild and tracked their movements hundreds of kilometres.

“It’s only with more research can we build up a better understanding and knowledge of these wonderful and very important creatures,” he said.

Originally published as Sea World marine expert Trevor Long says surfers need to be “more accountable’’ about when and where they hit the water