Australian surfer eaten by Great White!

That is a tragic story. It is also very unfortunate of the number great whites that will be killed just in an attempt to find that one great white.

it is a very tragic situation but once you enter the ocean you become part of the food chain. i have a friend who lives in aussie and she said they are talking bout maken guides buy a tag thats 650.00 american dollars to take a shark with that it goes to scientist to help study, also all the meat will go to those that need it. i just hope that they let them be maybe put a tracking tag in them and that way they can moniter them in the water

This is undeniably a heart-breaking situation for the victim's family and loved ones. We must not let this happen to one of us. FWC reports that 67 people died on boating accidents yearly (here) and that another 10 Floridians are killed by lightning each year.

Thank God this wasn't a child or a elderly person who stood no chance against a great white shark. From my limited understanding, I had a question for other people on this website. My question is whether a life jacket may have helped keep the guy safe from the shark by any chance? Maybe a bright orange life vest (like for deer hunting) may have helped the shark break apart the black outline of an all-black wet suit?

Has anybody here been attacked by an aggressive shark while shark fishing? I heard they try to flip over jet skis, because that worries me about the true safety of a kayak. I'm glad to see this topic being discussed because I was about to open a new thread regarding this unfortunate tragedy. Maybe if we can find a way to prevent these things from happening, the next generation of shark fisherman will be safer than our current generation.

" Maybe a bright orange life vest (like for deer hunting) may have helped the shark break apart the black outline of an all-black wet suit?"

If my memory serves me right, and I'm beginning to question that at my age, because of the rods and cones balance in a shark's eyes, they see contrast more than they see color. They can see that contrast in almost near darkness. Dr. Eugene Clark did some experiments with color and sharks and I don't recall much of it, only that they refered to yellow, as Yum Yum yellow. I think you catch my drift. I believe the title of her book with that info was The lady and the Shark, but don't hold me to that.

I suspect bright orange would be a similar contrast. Even though yellow and orange life vests are great to be seen from the air, they also present a great contrast for the toothy critters. Don't think the orange life vest would have made a positive difference.

Just to clarify, 4-5 meters means a shark that's between 13.1ft to 16.4ft long great white. That's not a fish - that's a freaking 2,000lbs average monster. I can hardly imagine how terrifying would be just to be circled by one - in daylight - i don't wanna even wanna think about at night while paddling shark baits out. There is a limit in life, that would definitely be mine. A situation like that, would make me rethink - if surviving the harassment - the whole shark fishing adventure.
All my condolences to surfer's family. This is a sad story.

I'm pretty surprised they mentioned killing the great whites to thin them out a little. Ridiculous. Its a wild animal, just like a croc. You cant kill them for doing what they're made to do.