ABC News Daily
ABC News Daily
ABC Australia
What caused the surge in shark attacks?
15 minutes Posted Jan 20, 2026 at 3:00 pm.
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It’s a busy time of the year at Australian beaches, but a stretch of the NSW coast has been shut down after a surge in shark attacks. 
A cluster of shark bites in Sydney has been linked to a surge in bacteria and faecal matter washed into the harbour and the ocean by recent rain. 
Today, Chris Pepin-Neff, an expert in shark policy from Sydney University on what led to the uptick in shark activity and what we can do to improve safety for swimmers and surfers. 
Featured: 
Chris Pepin-Neff, Associate Professor of Public Policy at the University of Sydney and a shark policy expert