A great white shark has been spotted near the location of Aotearoa’s last fatal shark attack at Waihī Beach.
The shark appeared just offshore of Alderman Island near Tairua, shark scientist Riley Elliot said.
The shark, previously tagged by Elliot, had travelled around the top of the north island to 90 Mile Beach, and was now in Coromandel .
“It’s now returned through the Hauraki Gulf, down to the Coromandel mussel farms, back up and around the tip of Coromandel peninsula, and now just offshore of the Alderman Islands.”
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New Zealand’s last fatal shark attack was in the Coromandel region, when Hamilton swimmer Kaelah Marlow was bitten by a great white at the Bowentown end of Waihī Beach in 2021.
A coroner’s investigation into Marlow’s tragic death, released in 2022, recommended more research on sharks into the number of great white sharks in New Zealand waters, and the provision of drone technology for surf lifeguards.
Christel Yardley/Stuff
Waihi Beach and Bowentown has had an increase of shark sightings over the last summers. Flowers left laying on a log at Waihi Beach for Kaelah Marlow, after she was fatally bitten by a shark in 2021
In that report, Coroner Michael Robb, said research should include tagging and satellite monitoring of great white sharks in the North Island to better inform people of the risk.
Marine biologist Elliot, who was an expert witness in the inquiry, embarked on a project in December to attach satellite tracking tags to sharks below water.
“I have tried very hard to deploy more tags but the unprecedented weather and road closures have made it incredibly challenging to do so. I also feel that the flood waters along the harbours and coastline have pushed normal fish life patterns offshore or further north, hence the sharks all moving quite far from tagging locations.”
ANDY JACKSON/Stuff
Shark scientist Dr Riley Elliot is tagging great white sharks in the north island
Another project in collaboration with local iwi is lead by University of Waikato’s marine biologist Phil Ross.
Calls to monitor growing shark numbers have increased in the last summers in the Bay of Plenty and Coromandel areas after members of the regions’ surfing and fishing communities became increasingly fearful for their safety on the water.
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