He added that medical facilities in these areas may not be developed enough to provide treatment in emergencies of this type.

In addition to the influx of tourists, the effects of global warming have meant sharks migrating to regions where they were not normally seen. Last August, authorities even reported three non-fatal shark attacks in Russia's far eastern Primorye region - not a normal location for the predator.

The United States experienced the most shark attacks last year with a total of 29 out of 75 reported around world, but suffered no fatal cases, Burgess said.

"In the US, and in Florida, where the most shark attacks occur in the US, we have seen a decline over a 10-year period," he said of the fatalities.

According to Burgess, this could be a result of the economic crisis of recent years, which has reduced the number of tourists visiting Florida.

He noted that the United States had done a "good job" to ensure safety in areas where sharks and humans meet.

Burgess said the reduction in the number of fatalities had been made possible due to professional beach safety personnel, reliable emergency care, and the availability of many good hospitals and other medical facilities.

"As a result, when trauma occurs, when there are serious injuries in the water, we can get the people to the hospital quickly," he said.

Still, the number of fatal shark attacks remains very low compared to other causes of death, Burgess observed.

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