Advertisement Authorities in Queensland and NSW are signalling a shift away from describing encounters between sharks and humans as “attacks”, a move scientists say is both welcome and well overdue. A senior Queensland official told a Noosa shark symposium in May the state’s communications would preference “bites” over “attacks” based on social research, three scientists attending the meeting have told The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age. Its SharkSmart website lists how to minimise risks “of a negative encounter with a shark”. In NSW, the Department of Primary Industries has also gradually moved from dubbing shark-human contacts as “attacks” in its annual reports. It has worked closely with Bite Club, a support group for survivors to inform its language.