If you took a snapshot of the worlds media content over 2015 and focused in on those relating to the sport of surfing, the overwhelming proportion would be shark related. Shark was the buzz word of 2015, thanks in part to the high profile attack on Mick Fanning in South Africa during a live broadcast of the WSL, in which video footage quickly spread around the internet racking up millions and millions of views.

It wasn't just the Fanning frenzy that struck up the Jaws theme music in every surfers minds, there was a string of attacks on surfers along the Far North NSW coast, and a steady stream of reports from Florida in the US, where there was more than a couple each month on average.

This week a study from the ISAF 2015 Shark Attack Summary was released, in which it investigated 164 incidents of alleged shark attacks, counting 98 of them as 'unprovoked' attacks on humans. That's 10 more than the previous record setting year in 2000 (88 shark attacks), but there is good news! You were less likely to die from an attack in 2015, with the fatality rate being only (!) 6.1% compared to 12.5% back in 2000.

Most likely not a case of the sharks going all 'Fish are friends, not food' on us, the cause of the increase in shark attacks during 2015 had more to do with us, than them.

"The numerical growth in human-shark interactions does not necessarily mean there is an increase in the rate of shark attacks; rather, it most likely is a function of the growing human population. Explains the study, "The actual rate of attack likely is declining owing to the ever-increasing amount of time spent in the sea by humans."

While it would be great to hear the world is surfing more often, the increase is two-fold. Worldwide population as a number is growing exponentially, and with more people, come more swimmers, surfers, divers etc, all of which are sitting out there waiting to get nibbled on (but not so much killed this year) by a shark. Secondly, those people who are near the coastlines of the world are actually spending more time in the water, which is great to hear! So where did Australia stack up in the list of most shark attacks? We're on the podium, in second place behind the US (with 52) scoring 18 attacks in 2015. Then came South Africa with 8, Hawaii with 7, and Reunion, Canari and Galapagos bringing up the rear.

Finally, we'll leave you with this. Surfers were the most common group to be targeted by sharks, with just a bull sharks tooth short of 50% of the attacks. Don't worry though, think about all the hours spent around the world surfing! You'll be fine on your next surf session…

Read the full report from the ISAF 2015 Shark Attack Summary here.

#News #Surfing #North