Understanding shark safety

Most shark incidents occur when humans engage in risky behaviour around sharks. To coexist safely with sharks, it’s crucial to observe some basic rules. Avoid swimming in areas with known shark risks and be cautious about the time of day when entering the water.

In New Caledonia, the authorities closely monitor shark alerts, carry out surveillance rounds and advise users which beaches to avoid. Generally speaking, we advise against swimming:

• In ports, near boat moorings and marinas.
• In turbid waters, near pipes or river mouths.
• In the Nouville peninsula area of Nouméa.

For even greater safety, we recommend that you take advantage of supervised beaches. These adopt a flag system:

• Green flag: supervised swimming and no particular danger;
• Orange flag: supervised but dangerous swimming;
• Red flag: swimming prohibited.

In Nouméa, the beaches of the Baie des Citrons and Anse-Vata have lifeguard surveillance from 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. every day, from December to the end of February, during the April, September and November school vacations, and, between these, on all long weekends.
Nouméa’s restricted nautical zones are regularly monitored by drone (Baie des Citrons, Anse-Vata and Magenta).

Certain times of the day pose a higher risk of shark encounters in New Caledonia. It’s advisable not to swim after heavy rain (or other weather events causing murky water) and during dusk or dawn.

• Do not throw food into the water (avoid feeding fish).
• Refrain from swimming with your dog.
• Avoid disposing of fish remains near islets, anchorages, or swimming areas (for fishermen).
• Do not keep fish in your belt (for fishermen).
• Engage in water activities like kitesurfing, scuba diving, or windsurfing with company, not alone.

If you encounter a shark, stay calm, maintain eye contact, and do not turn your back on it. Hold up a solid object (snorkel, mask, fin) to deter it. Most sharks will lose interest upon realising the object is inedible.

The protection of biodiversity is written into New Caledonia’s territorial DNA. The shark is an important animal in Kanak custom and for the ecosystem. It has always been part of the Caledonian environment. Here, people and sharks must be able to live in harmony. As the shark’s reproductive rate is adapted to its status as a super predator, it has a low reproductive rate, making it particularly vulnerable and threatened worldwide. Increasing fishing pressure is making the shark even more fragile in the face of human intervention. This is why, since 2013, all sharks are classified as protected species in New Caledonia. Apart from occasional “shark sampling” operations conducted by the authorities for regulatory purposes, fishing, transporting, trading, cutting up, holding and consuming all or part of the shark are therefore prohibited.

To ensure the protection of residents, holidaymakers and at the same time preserve the animal species, several preventive actions are being implemented by the authorities:

• Surveillance of Nouméa bays during busy periods;
• Ban on shark-feeding;
• Set-up of “hydrophone” beacons to track shark movements;
• Repelling sharks offshore;
• Temporary closure of swimming areas in the event of reports;
• Selective sampling to regulate overpopulated species or those presenting an immediate danger.

The use of the term “shark” actually masks a wide diversity of specimens in New Caledonia. In fact, biologists have reportedly counted 49 species of shark, many of which represent no danger to humans if you are content not to pester them. This is the case for most of the sharks we typically spot on a snorkelling or scuba-diving trip, including:

• Blacktip sharks
• Whitetip sharks
• Sleeper sharks
• Lemon sharks
• Gray reef sharks

The movement of sharks in the lagoon is the subject of numerous studies by local authorities and environmental associations, enabling us to learn about their main habitat zones and indicate them via signs to sea users. The largest specimens, such as the mako, tiger, hammerhead and great white sharks, are found further offshore, on the other side of the coral reef, and rarely make incursions into the lagoon. Their natural prey is not man, although a few attacks by tiger sharks have been observed. The bulldog shark requires greater vigilance, as some have settled near the coast and can be more aggressive towards humans.

By following these few recommendations and exercising a minimum of vigilance, you’ll be able to swim in peace in New Caledonia. It would be a shame not to take advantage of our UNESCO World Heritage lagoon and its exceptional biodiversity!