Police are warning people to take precautionary measures when out swimming in the Deuba, Navua area.

This is after members of the public sighted sharks in the area.

Police spokesperson Ana Naisoro said it would be best if people took the necessary precautionary measures for their own safety and avoided swimming if there were any more sightings.

Officers in Navua who were alerted on Sunday about the sighting went to the area.

“As a precautionary measure, they warned members of the public to avoid swimming,” she said.

University of the South Pacific Professor of Marine Science, Ciro Rico said the sighting was nothing new.

“The ocean is the home of sharks, they live there all the time. Whether we see them or not, they are there. Humans are not part of the diet,” Professor Rico said.

“Shark attacks do occur around the world. But people should not be worried about that because the chances of being eaten by sharks is much lesser than being involved in a car accident.”

Professor Rico also brushed aside suggestions that with no tourists booked for shark feeding activities, sharks are starting to move closer to shore in search of food.

“Sharks do not depend on what’s being fed to them. They are hunters, they will get their food,” he said.

He reiterated that sharks lived in the ocean and whenever we entered the ocean, there was a high chance that we would see a shark.

Professor Rico’s advice: “If you see sharks around, you should not be in the water. Stay away from the water. Avoid dangerous situations like spear gunning at sea that attracts sharks.  If you spear a fish, the fish will make a lot of movement when it is hit by a spear and releases blood and that attracts sharks. So, avoid that type of situation.”

Edited by Ranoba Baoa

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