Shark attack risk on Reunion Island: Emphasis on local media construction

Abstract

Since 2011, a series of fatal shark attacks have occurred at Reunion Island, a French overseas territory, and led to an institutional and social crisis related to political risk management. To assist political decision-making, political authorities funded an ecology research program from 2011 to 2015. As shark attacks continued, the program was strongly contested by sea users at risk. The local media coverage of shark risk management strategy in Reunion Island was intense and raised issues related to media representation of stakeholders. The place of scientific experts’ discourses in the media construction of shark risk meaning can be particularly questioned. The current study explores from a sociological and communicational perspective, how the interactions between journalists and stakeholders participate in the media construction of shark attack risk. Semi-directional interviews were conducted with local journalists, scientists, sea users and environmental activists, concerned by the shark risk management. Interviews were led on open-ended thematic questions about their perceptions of journalistic and scientific work, stakeholders’ interests and expectations. The study concludes that to enhance communication and mutual understanding between stakeholders, the objectives and limits of scientific research programs in shark risk management should be discussed by a plurality of stakeholders, including a few local journalists as consultants from media with different editorial lines. In order to include all the parties in shark attack risk management strategy, a democratic debate on the operationalization of the values carried by stakeholders related to the management of living beings should be established by political authorities.