Nouméa closes its beaches for at least eight months after shark attacks

The beaches of Noumea (New Caledonia) will be prohibited for swimming for several more months. The decision was taken in February, following the fatal attack of an Australian tourist by a shark. The mayor of Nouméa has just decided to extend it until the beaches are secured with anti-shark barriers. We will have to wait at least until November.

Restaurant closings?

Residents and tourists alike, although understanding, are divided around this decision. Attendance at Jean-Claude Da Costa’s restaurant in Baie-des-Citrons has already dropped. The owner is worried about a long closure. “[Pour] the restaurateurs (…), it’s catastrophic. In the afternoon, we no longer have any customers”, laments the latter. In addition to securing the beaches, Nouméa has launched a campaign to capture tiger and bulldog sharks.