The ‘Shark Plague’ Myth: A Century-Old Narrative That Refuses to Die
- Ali Be
- 2 days ago
- 5 min read
Just as many older generations seem convinced that “kids these days” are somehow worse than the generation prior to them, many proponents on the commercial fishing side have long repeated another familiar refrain: that shark populations are “out of control”, “in plague proportions”, or in many cases “a menace”.
Like the timeless complaints about youth, the tone often suggests a new crisis, an unprecedented surge in sharks threatening swimmers or fisheries. But history tells a very different story. These claims are not new, not uniquely Australian, and not grounded in long-term scientific reality. In fact, they represent a classic appeal to tradition fallacy - the assumption that because people have long said something, it must be true.
Historical newspapers reveal that fears about shark overpopulation have appeared repeatedly for more than a century. As early as 1904, newspapers were already describing sharks as excessively numerous and dangerous, framing them as a growing menace to maritime activity, with this newspaper asserting that “...the sharks practically exterminate all fish”.
This was decades before any modern conservation debates, industrial fishing pressure, or even reliable marine population science. Yet the rhetoric sounds strikingly familiar today.
By the mid-20th century, Australian newspapers had fully adopted the same narrative. A 1947 Sydney report described “Sharks Menace” at Sydney beaches, feeding and amplifying the public anxiety that populations were booming. The following year, Townsville reporting in 1948 again portrayed sharks as abundant threats, particularly in areas tied to fishing and coastal livelihoods. In 1949, NSW coverage used similar language, emphasising danger and perceived increases in shark presence - a ‘menace’.
This was at a time when knowledge about the oceans and sharks were near to none, with neither of these reports having the benefit of modern population studies. But the certainty with which ‘menacing proportions’ was asserted, mirrors current public debates almost word for word.
The trend continued into the post world war decades. A 1956 Sydney article again raised alarm about “Sharks plaguing Sydney”, reflecting a pattern where periods of heightened sightings or interactions quickly translated into false claims of population explosions. This pattern was not uniquely Australian either. By 1972, Papua New Guinea reporting described sharks as plague proportions and asserting that “...the only fish around are sharks”.
The same pattern persisted into the 1980s. In March 1985, following a fatal shark bite near Port Lincoln, South Australia, local newspapers reported a wave of public alarm and calls for action against the shark. The Port Lincoln Times described efforts to hunt the so-called “rogue” shark, reflecting a familiar reaction in which individual incidents quickly translated into broader fears about shark danger and presence in coastal waters. As with many earlier reports, the language and response suggested a perceived surge or escalating threat, even though such reactions were driven by a single high-profile incident rather than evidence of any wider change in shark populations.
Taking into account the aftermath of Steven Spielberg's Jaws, and fast forwarding to the 2000s and the present, the language remains largely unchanged. Media cycles following shark interactions still produce headlines suggesting unprecedented increases and ‘plague proportions’ of populations.
This repetition matters because it highlights a cognitive bias rather than a biological reality. Humans tend to interpret rare but dramatic events - such as shark interactions and even simply shark sightings - as evidence of broader trends. When fishermen lose gear, swimmers see a fin, or an unfortunate bite occurs, it can feel like confirmation that ‘sharks are plaguing’. Over time, these perceptions become cultural memories, repeated from one generation to the next without rigorous evidence. That is precisely how an appeal to tradition fallacy works: longstanding belief is mistaken for factual accuracy.
The Actual Science behind Shark Populations
It is only logical that some fishers would claim that ‘shark numbers are in plague proportions’. When you're actively chumming the water with bait, it's hardly surprising that sharks are attracted. This causes the illusion that sharks are abundant. Videos of sharks following a commercial fishing boat surface every now and then, presented by fishermen as ‘evidence’ that there is no shortage of sharks, a plague of sharks, or something to that effect. By that same logic, if a dive boat or whale watching boat filmed the complete absence of sharks following it, should we see that as evidence that sharks are extinct?
In reality, shark numbers in Australia, and globally, are in serious decline.
A 2021 global study published in Nature found that oceanic shark and ray populations have declined by over 70% in just the last 50 years, with nearly a third of all shark species now at risk of extinction. In Australia, recent research has highlighted alarming vulnerabilities in Great White Shark populations, particularly along the east coast. Additionally, Dr Smoothey, DPI marine ecologist, has asserted that there is no evidence that Bull shark populations are ‘increasing’, despite the media consistently conveying they are.
The most comprehensive analysis on shark mitigation (Huveneers et. al 2024) makes it clear: Increased human-shark interactions are driven by a mix of variables, not by an explosion in shark numbers. It is disingenuous to suggest otherwise:
“Human population growth, habitat modification and destruction, declining water quality, climate change and anomalous weather patterns, and the distribution and abundance of prey have all been proposed to explain recent increases in the incidence of shark bites at such locations.”
The Narrative that Refuses to Die
Understanding this history is not about dismissing legitimate safety concerns or the real experiences of coastal communities. Sharks are powerful apex predators and deserve respect. But recognising the century-long pattern of exaggerated claims helps separate perception from evidence. It also reminds us that public narratives about wildlife often say more about human psychology and media cycles than about the animals themselves.
Ultimately, the ‘shark plague’ narrative is not a modern discovery, nor is it uniquely Australian. It is a recurring cultural story - one that has surfaced repeatedly for over a hundred years. Acknowledging that history helps us approach current debates with greater perspective, grounding discussion in science rather than inherited fallacies.
The future of beach safety is modern, non-lethal, and backed by science. It’s time for policymakers to stop hiding behind outdated exemptions and finally catch up.
Stay connected with us on our socials and join our broadcasting channel for the latest updates, and - to address the persistent arguments used to justify shark culling, we have compiled a comprehensive, evidence-based e-document that debunks each claim; it is available as a free download!
