Sharks keep champ away from Ballina

AAP

11 Nov, 2015 04:00 PM3 mins to read

Mick Fanning had his own close encounter with a shark in South Africa in July. Photo: WSL / Cestari

Mick Fanning may have fended off a shark by punching it but the world champion surfer says he's been avoiding the waters off the NSW far north coast.

His comments come after young local surfer Sam Morgan on Tuesday became the fifth person to be attacked by a shark in the area this year.

Morgan, 20, who has a World Surf League junior ranking of 33, was mauled by what was believed to be a bull shark at Lighthouse Beach in East Ballina on Tuesday evening but managed to make it back to the beach where he was helped by beachgoers.

He suffered serious wounds to his left thigh and was flown to the Gold Coast University Hospital where he was in a stable condition in an induced coma following surgery.

Fanning, who famously fought off a shark in South Africa in July, says his thoughts are with Morgan.

"I used to go down to Ballina all the time. I haven't been down this year because of those reasons, because there's so much activity down there," Fanning told Nova 96.9 breakfast show hosts Fitzy and Wippa.

Fanning admitted that shark nets don't really make him feel safe.

"They get in and around them, the shark net doesn't cover the whole beach," he said.

Ballina Shire Mayor David Wright is demanding the state Government implement more aerial patrols in the region but admits solving the shark problem will take time.

"We need the state Government to help us out with helicopter flight patrols," Wright told AAP yesterday.

"The state Government has reacted to our problem by having the shark summit and implementing new technology, but the trouble is the rollover of that technology is going to take time."

The council had met with the Department of Primary Industries on Monday to discuss a shark netting trial to enclose all of Lighthouse Beach, he said.

Ballina helicopter pilot Tim Latimer and his helicopter business Air T&G are on the front line of efforts to prevent more attacks. He has voluntarily assumed the role of chief aerial shark spotter, calling in sightings whenever he's in the air on the training and scenic flights his business runs over NSW's far northern coastline.

He said he had lost count of the number of times he's spotted great white sharks lurking metres from oblivious surfers and swimmers.

"It does give you chills, yeah. Especially because you know the people down there in the water have no idea a shark is that close."

At least 14 shark attacks have been recorded in NSW this year, including the serious attack on bodyboarder Mat Lee in July and the fatal attack on Japanese surfer Tadashi Nakahara, 41, at Shelly Beach in February. "This is the fifth major attack in less than a few kilometres of beaches this year," Wright said.

Le-Ba Boardriders president Don Munro said Morgan was lucky to be alive. "He's been a very lucky boy in the way the shark attacked, the bottom jaw hit the bottom of his surfboard instead of the top of his leg," Munro told ABC TV yesterday. "I know Sam well enough to know he will get straight back on the bike and be out surfing again as soon as he's able."