Shark Fears and the Media

The increased number of shark attacks on the East Coast of the United States is concerning for surfers in California as the great white shark continues its seasonal migration along the Pacific coast. Unprovoked attacks on humans, however infrequent, tend to draw exaggerated attention from the media and general public. Pressure is often placed on local governmental organizations (public safety, law enforcement, fisheries agencies, etc.) to respond in some manner to prevent further attacks although, from a statistical point of view, shark attacks are at the lowest end of the spectrum of harm inflicted upon humans by wildlife.