How to avoid an encounter with a shark this summer

Warm weather is finally touching down on Aotearoa – meaning beach trips are on the cards.

But with shark sightings set to increase, shark scientist Dr Riley Elliott has offered tips on how to avoid an involuntary run-in with the predators this summer.

Elliott told 1News his biggest tip for beachgoers this summer is to be aware that the ocean is home to all sorts of creatures.

"If you see a fisherman disposing of fish, stay away," he said.

Elliott said the same principle applied to people fishing ― they should avoid throwing fish into the water anywhere near swimmers.

The most common type of shark people are likely to encounter is a bronze whaler, according to Riley.

He said these sharks are likely to be in knee-deep and murky water – particularly during times where there is low light, as this is great conditions for the predators to stalk their prey.

In the case of this week's shark attack in Southland, Elliot said the incident occurred around 2am, a time when sevengill sharks were likely to be feeding after pupping.

Asked whether there are any popular beach spots which are prone to shark sightings, Elliott said the Coromandel Peninsula, Waihi and Tauranga Harbour tended to have a lot of shark action.

"People tend to know about those areas, but you still see the odd mum and dad with a yacht in the Tauranga Harbour with a six-year-old jumping into the water.

"Unfortunately, those splashes can look quite similar to a fish from the shark’s perspective."

Elliott encouraged people to swim between surf lifesaving flags to help prevent any unwanted encounters with sharks – and remain calm should one be spotted.

In ideal circumstances, he said swimmers should keep calm and maintain eye contact with a shark if one is spotted.

However, Elliott added this is not always possible, particularly when swimmers weren't wearing goggles or when the water was murky.

So instead, he suggested people keep in mind, particularly for bronze whalers, sharks typically "don’t want anything to do with people".

"[They] will turn away most of the time."

Dr Riley Elliott's top shark avoiding tips: