Authorities say capture of bull and tiger sharks necessary to protect lives as environmentalists launch urgent legal challenge
Some beaches in areas of New Caledonia are closed to swimming and the authorities have begun shark culling off the capital, Nouméa, after a fatal attack in the popular tourist spot – prompting a legal challenge to stop the operation and reigniting debate over public safety and marine conservation.
The culling operation began on 23 February, after a man from New Caledonia riding a wing foil in a recreational area was attacked and killed. Preliminary investigations indicate the victim was attacked by a tiger shark that measured at least three metres.
The cull targets tiger and bull sharks in off Nouméa’s coastline, which is heavily used for swimming, boating and water sports by residents and tourists.
The authorities said the operation was necessary to “protect human lives” in the face of increasing threats from sharks. Swimming and water-based activities outside protected areas have been banned along a 300-metre coastal strip, with the restrictions due to remain in place until the end of the culling campaign on Wednesday.
