Despite growing public pressure to use non-lethal strategies for managing predators (e.g., sharks) in marine ecosystems, the response of many governments remains largely lethal. This article examined recreationist support and understanding of approaches for managing sharks in two of South Africa’s marine areas. Questionnaires completed by 575 ocean recreationists at beaches near Cape Town and Durban showed they strongly disagreed with lethal management of sharks. The non-lethal Shark Spotters program was the most strongly supported strategy, followed by heat sensor cameras to detect sharks. Other non-lethal strategies (exclusion nets, personal repellent devices, deterrent cables, camouflage wetsuits) were supported by fewer than 50% of respondents, but were still more strongly supported than specific lethal strategies (shark hunts, drumlines, shark nets). Shark Spotters was more strongly supported near Cape Town, whereas the lethal strategies and a few of the other non-lethal approaches (personal electric repellent devices, electric deterrent cables, exclusion nets) were more strongly supported near Durban. Few respondents understood that shark nets and drumlines are designed to catch and kill large sharks. Understanding the function of shark nets correlated negatively with support for their use and positively with support for temporary exclusion nets. Implications of these results were discussed within the framework of a global transition from lethal to non-lethal management.

尽管使用非致命策略管理海洋生态系统中的捕食者（例如鲨鱼）的公众压力越来越大，但许多政府的反应在很大程度上仍然是致命的。本文研究了休闲主义者对南非两个海域鲨鱼管理方法的支持和理解。在开普敦和德班附近的海滩上，由 575 名海洋休闲爱好者完成的问卷调查表明，他们强烈反对对鲨鱼进行致命管理。非致命鲨鱼观察者计划是最受支持的策略，其次是热传感器摄像头来检测鲨鱼。不到 50% 的受访者支持其他非致命策略（排斥网、个人驱虫装置、威慑电缆、迷彩潜水服），但仍比特定的致命策略（鲨鱼狩猎、鼓声、鲨鱼网）。Shark Spotters 在开普敦附近得到更强烈的支持，而在德班附近更强烈地支持致命策略和其他一些非致命方法（个人电驱避装置、电威慑电缆、隔离网）。很少有受访者了解鲨鱼网和鼓线旨在捕捉和杀死大型鲨鱼。了解鲨鱼网的功能与对其使用的支持呈负相关，而与对临时排除网的支持呈正相关。这些结果的影响在从致命到非致命管理的全球过渡框架内进行了讨论。排除网）在德班附近得到了更强有力的支持。很少有受访者了解鲨鱼网和鼓线旨在捕捉和杀死大型鲨鱼。了解鲨鱼网的功能与对其使用的支持呈负相关，而与对临时排除网的支持呈正相关。这些结果的影响在从致命到非致命管理的全球过渡框架内进行了讨论。排除网）在德班附近得到了更强有力的支持。很少有受访者了解鲨鱼网和鼓线旨在捕捉和杀死大型鲨鱼。了解鲨鱼网的功能与对其使用的支持呈负相关，而与对临时排除网的支持呈正相关。这些结果的影响在从致命到非致命管理的全球过渡框架内进行了讨论。