Key Points
- Visitors to Nouméa won't be allowed to swim in the coastal city's waters until 30 November.
- The ban has angered some locals, tour operators and holidaymakers.
- It was introduced after a series of shark attacks earlier this year, one of which was fatal.
It's a tropical tourist hotspot, renowned for its crystal blue waters.
But visitors to Nouméa who plan to take a dip in the ocean any time soon are out of luck.
The beaches in New Caledonia's capital have been closed to swimming since March, and will remain so until 30 November.
Why has swimming been banned in Nouméa?
Nouméa City Council made the decision to close its beaches in response to a series of shark attacks earlier this year — the most recent of which was the fatal mauling of Australian man Chris Davis in February.
The 59-year-old was attacked near a pontoon around 150 metres from Château Royal beach, just weeks after another swimmer was seriously injured by a shark in a similar spot.
While the swimming ban was initially put in place "until further notice", local authorities announced last month that it would last until 31 December, before the end date was brought forward to 30 November.
The ban applies to Baie des Citrons (Lemon Bay), Plage de l’Anse-Vata (Anse-Vata Beach), Îlot Canards (Duck Island), Îlot Maître, Îlots Sainte-Marie et Uere (Sainte-Marie and Uere Islets), Kuendu Beach and Magenta Beach.
The islets of Amédée, Goéland, Signal and Larégnère, which are located off the coast of Nouméa, aren't affected by the ban.
The ban has angered some locals, tour operators and holidaymakers, many of whom believe the measure is disproportionate.
New Caledonia ranks 13th in the world for the total number of shark attacks, according to the Florida Museum of Natural History. Australia is second on the list, behind the United States.
Tiger and bull sharks are responsible for the majority of attacks on humans in New Caledonia.
Bull sharks have been known to attack humans. Source: Getty / Brent Durand
Supervised swimming area opens
A supervised swimming area opened on 5 May at Baie des Citrons (Lemon Bay).
Every day between 8.45am and 4pm, four lifeguards patrol the beach and waters.
Outside of those hours, swimming isn't allowed.
What is the Australian government's advice?
Australian tourists should be aware that mitigation measures like shark nets "are not currently in use" in New Caledonia, government service Smartraveller warned.
Beach evacuation procedures in the French Pacific territory may also be less developed than those back home, it added.
Where swimming bans aren't in place, Smartraveller advised Australians to "be alert to warning signs and follow the advice of local authorities at all times".
"A red flag with a shark logo means beaches have been closed due to a shark sighting or shark-related incident," it said.
