[Submariner]

I noticed that some of the beaches on the south side have what appear to be nets that enclose the swimming areas. Is there an issue with shark attacks in HK and the outlying islands?

[grandcider]

Several people were killed by tiger shark attacks some years ago, mostly at beaches around Sai Kung.

[Pekkerhead]

to find a shark in HK these days. Unless it is on the menu.

The last attack was in 1995 in Sai Kung and the nets were put up a little after.

There were some baby silky sharks caught in the Shek O net last month but these are a pelagic species and only really grow up along the coast before moving out to deeper water. Whether they attack humans is open to debate.

As a scuba diver I am interested, as I would like to see some sharks but seems as though it is almost impossible. After speaking to locals it seems that apparently there have been tiger sharks in the past but where they are most likely to be seen is unknown.

Most of hong Kongs marine life is fairly sporadic due to combination of over fishing and pollution. There is some decent underwater life but only in specific areas that don't attract to many fishermen with nets and dynamite, oh yeh, and cyanide

[Submariner]

Interesting stuff. Was wondering about swimming at some of the more sparsely-populated beaches, but perhaps this might not be such a good idea.

[discobay]

Most of the sharks can be found selling mobile phone accessories that don't work!

[grandcider]

Years ago, I spotted quite a large dorsal fin from a distance while riding the ferry to Lamma island.

[Pekkerhead]

i wouldn't worry about swimming inside a netted area - don't forget since they went up there have been no attacks at all, so even if there are dangerous sharks out there, the nets have proven to be an effective precaution.

[Andrew W Scott]

In the USA in the 30 years 1970-2000 approximately 12 people died from shark attacks, in this same period approximately 1,500 people died from lighting strikes in coastal regions. These figures are only from coastal regions so as not to inflate the number of deaths from lighting strikes.

Each year worldwide there are approximately 10 deaths attributable to shark attacks compared with approximately 150 deaths worldwide caused by falling coconuts.

More people each year are killed by elephants, crocodiles, bees, and wars and many other dangers that confront us, than by sharks.

Compare the number of deaths by shark attack with death as the result of a motor vehicle accident.

Remember there are approximately 10 deaths attributable to shark attacks worldwide each year.

USA: approximately 45,000 deaths by motor vehicle (pop approx 280 million)
Thailand: approximately 60,000 deaths by motor vehicle (pop approx 60 million) - having ridden motorbikes in Thailand quite a bit I can totally understand this statistic
Australia: approximately 1,500 deaths by motor vehicle (pop approx 20 million)

So if you are a regular beach swimmer, all this makes for comforting reading, (unless of course you are one of the unlucky ones attacked and killed by a shark!) I am sure shark nets all around the world have helped reduce the level of shark attacks substantially, but even without shark nets it still is a REALLY unlucky way to die...

[discobay]

More people each year are killed by elephants, crocodiles, bees, and wars and many other dangers that confront us, than by sharks.

I hear that dying by laptop battery fires is moving up that list fast!

[Andrew W Scott]

Originally Posted by discobay

I hear that dying by laptop battery fires is moving up that list fast!

Check it out:

http://gadgets.elliottback.com/category/notebooks/

...scroll down the page a bit, 4th and 5th pictures from the top. "When did I last do a backup?!"