According to the University of Florida’s International Shark Attack File, there were 28 recorded attacks in 2009, down from 41 in 2008 and 50 in 2007.
That, says the ISAF’s director, George Burgess, is the “big story” to have come out of the group’s latest annual statistics for shark attacks worldwide.
Burgess has suggested that the reason behind the marked fall might be that, with the economic downturn, there have been fewer people vacationing at the sea.
The attacks research data does not allow assessment of whether the fall might also be due to there being fewer sharks in the sea.
It is unlikely, however, that any overfishing of sharks would prompt such a big reduction over just two years, which leaves the reduced human element as the most feasible explanation.
In contrast to the USA, attacks in Australia rose to 20 in 2009 from 12 in 2008 and 13 in 2007, placing it second to the USA for attacks last year.
Third in the list was South Africa with six attacks in 2009, also up on 2008 (none) and 2007 (two).
Meanwhile the ISAF’s latest figure for all attacks worldwide is 61 for 2009, comparing closely with 60 for the year before.
At 33, more than half were on surfers. This, says Burgess, is "a trend that we've been seeing for quite a while”.
Five, or eight per cent, of the attacks were fatal, which compares with the average of about 7 per cent for attacks which have led to loss of life over recent decades.
Four of the deaths occurred in South African waters, which is remarkable given the country's total attack figure of just six. The fifth fatality was in New Caledonia, in the south-west Pacific.
In contrast to the major incidents causing death or serious injury, the majority of attacks involve minor injuries, "more the equivalent of a dog bite", says Burgess.
Global attack totals may have remained near-constant over the past two years but, over the past 20, they have risen appreciably from 493 through the 1990s to 646 through the new millenium’s first decade.
There are many possible explanations for the increase, from improving recording systems to increased human populations and affluence, leading to more leisure time at the sea.
Shark populations may have grown too, although all the evidence collated by the IUCN and other conservation campaign groups suggests otherwise.
The consensus is that overfishing has sent populations sliding, with many species now listed as endangered.
Related links
International Shark Attack File
Spearfisherman attacked
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