A great white shark. The sharks may live for more than 70 years.

Most Australians don't fear shark attacks, feel safe in the sea and don't support killing sharks to make beaches safer.

According to a new poll by UMR research, 83 per cent of Australians haven't changed how often they swim, surf or take part in other recreational activities in the ocean because of the risk of shark attack.

UMR found that 78 per cent of 500 adults interviewed feel safe from shark attacks when going into the ocean, 82 per cent don't think that sharks should be killed and say people enter the water at their own risk.

Nine per cent of those interviewed say they have cut back their beach going activities "a little bit", while 5 per cent say they have reduced their time in the water "by a lot".

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However, there is significant support for using nets or meshing to protect beaches from sharks, with 25 per cent of people saying all beaches should be protected, while 60 per cent favour protecting "some beaches".

But only 15 per cent favour hunting down and killing sharks to make beaches safer.

Anxiety about shark attacks appears to be slightly higher among people who live in major cities than those who live in regional Australia, and may be significantly higher among West Australians, 22 per cent of whom say they had reduced their beach activities, although this figure is based on a comparatively smaller number of interviews in that state.

The West Australian government last week began a controversial culling program that has drawn angry reactions from conservationists.

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80% of Australians oppose shark cull