New research from Adelaide University has found people who have more realistic understanding of shark behaviour, have a more positive view towards their conservation.
PhD candidate Juliana M. Gleaves, School of Psychology, analysed 171 peer-reviewed papers exploring the human dimensions of shark conservation.
Across several studies, Gleaves said those who understood sharks' ecological roles and had a more realistic understanding of shark behaviour tended to hold more positive attitudes towards sharks and their conservation.
"Shark tourism participants, a population that already holds more positive attitudes towards sharks, also expressed a desire for more education regarding the threats that sharks face, and particularly the steps that they could take to help.
"Ocean-users such as surfers often reported relatively low levels of fear and said sharks were not their primary concern in the water."
The findings were published in the journal Biological Conservation.
"Research into sharks and shark conservation is rapidly growing, especially given how contentious the topic of sharks can be," Gleaves said.
"Although there is some research exploring the human dimensions of sharks, this research is scattered and had not yet been comprehensively reviewed.
"A large portion of the papers we analysed were published in the late 2010s to 2025, reflecting a growing recognition that the human dimensions of shark conservation are critical to protecting shark populations."
Gleaves said the review highlighted common or key findings, as well as identifying gaps in literature that can be addressed in the future.
"Human impacts on sharks are widespread, and understanding how different participant populations, like tourists, fishers and the general public, view, value and understand sharks will inform future research and hopefully lead to more sustainable and equitable shark conservation."
Public preferences often differed from public awareness in the studies, Gleaves said.
"Ocean-users frequently supported non-lethal shark management over lethal approaches, but many were unaware that some existing management measures, like shark nets, actually result in shark deaths," she said.
"This finding highlights a clear need for better public education and communication about shark management, including which strategies are lethal and which are not.
"Essentially, people who know more about sharks tend to fear them less, support their conservation more and favour non-lethal approaches to managing shark risk."