According to the International Shark Attack File, there have been 870 reported, documented shark bites worldwide since 1990. In that time, the three most popular locations for bites are Florida (with 341), Australia (74), and South Africa (72). Of those locations, fatalities numbered 4, 18, and 9, respectively. Consequently, I was intrigued with the article IOL ran recently featuring a hook reading, "Of the 99 Great White shark attacks worldwide since 1990, nearly half have occurred in South Africa." From what I can tell, both halves of this clause are inaccurate. That said, however, the news piece refers to a meeting that took place in South Africa recently in which shark experts gathered to discuss various strategies to deal with shark conservation and recreational safety. Their findings, published in an excellent, albeit long (200-page, PDF) report called Finding a Balance, claims, among other things:

• The number of shark-related fatalities has dropped from 13% in the 1990s to 8%, attributed largely to advances in safety practices, medical treatment, and greater public awareness.
• In 2005, surfers and boardriders composed 54% of victims worldwide; swimmers 37%; and divers 5%.
• There appear to be "no causative factors" for bites.
• The average depth in which bites occur is 20 feet and average distance offshore was 330 feet.

Some of the group's recommendations include:

• The media should use the term "shark bite" instead of "shark attack" -- something the IOL reporter covering the meeting failed to do.
• The media should report non-shark bite stories.
• In the event of a shark bite, call emergency personnel first -- not the media.
• Enhance the shore-based shark spotting program.
• Use images of sharks that do NOT feature gaping jaws. Oops.
• Shark capture devices like shark nets are inappropriate, mainly due to huge accidental bycatch.
• And most interestingly, I thought, was this nugget: Although some degree of conditioning can occur between sharks and cage diving boats, this happens when operators do not comply with regulations and allow sharks to feed on the bait. However, this conditioning occurs between the shark and cage diving boats and cannot be linked to any conditioning with bathers as potential prey items. Consequently, users should patronize shark operators that are experienced, knowledgeable, and licensed.

Two hundred pages is a lot to sift through, but for anyone interested in learning about balancing human and shark use of the sea, this is an excellent resource.