The Wire

The myth of the fierce man-eating shark, which surfaced in horror films such as Jaws, did serious damage to the reputation and preservation of all shark species. That’s the argument posed by conservationists at a public forum held at Sydney University recently. They say that shark numbers are in decline, and worry that this trend will continue if the man-eater stereotype isn’t dispelled. Only last week 24 year old Lisa Mondy was attacked by a great white shark at Port Stephens, but shark experts insist public opinion has been skewed by the view that sharks hunt humans deliberately.