Three beaches in Auckland are on high alert after sharks and jellyfish were spotted on Saturday.
The Auckland Council's Safeswim website reported the sightings of sharks at Waiwera Beach and Wenderholm in Auckland's North Shore. A 'swimming not advised' warning was issued at 12:47pm.
Bluebottle jellyfish were spotted at North Piha Beach at around midday on Saturday, and a warning was issued at 12:52pm.
Surf lifesavers and the Coastguard will not be patrolling at the North Shore beaches but residents have been advised to avoid the area and remain calm.
This comes as a 19-year-old woman was killed in what was thought to be a shark attack at Waihi Beach on January 7.
Kaelah Marlow died after being pulled from the water by emergency services.
But marine biologists say there is no need to panic. Kelly Tarlton's lead aquarist Felix Berghoefer told Newshub in December most sharks aren't bothered by humans at all.
"Most sharks are literally just out to catch fish and stay away from humans," he said.
"Humans aren't on the spectrum of prey that sharks hunt."
Berghoefer says there will often be a shark within about 200 to 300 metres of swimming.
"There are actually quite a lot of sharks in the water but, like I said, they aren't bothered by people; they keep their distance.
"They don't want anything to do with us. And even if there is one around you, it's probably just going to swim past and you're not even going to know about it."
For more information for live information on water quality and swimming conditions, visit the Safeswim website here.
