Authorities in South Africas KwaZulu-Natal province are rushing to fix damaged shark nets at some of the countrys most popular beaches before thousands of summer holidaymakers flock to the coast.

Heavy swells forced the provinces Sharks Board to lift protective nets from beaches, leaving them open to sharks prowling the waters and boat-based teams have been working around the clock to restore them. Their efforts have been complicated by damage to some of the barriers, said Sharks Board Operations Manager Mike Anderson-Reade.

They were torn and twisted, so that takes time to sort out, he said. Anderson-Reade said the damage was caused when nets were left in the water as bad weather pounded South Africas east coast.

Three species of potentially dangerous sharks -- the bull shark, white shark and tiger shark -- inhabit the warm, shallow waters off KwaZulu-Natal. Beach tourism in 2013 accounted for 63 percent of the provinces tourism revenue, an industry that in turn contributed about 30 billion rand ($2.7 billion) -- or 10 percent -- of the provinces economy.

KwaZulu-Natal has 23 kilometers (14 miles) of shark-safety measures at 38 locations, the only ones in South Africa. Five beaches are waiting for nets to be restored after the recent damage, Anderson-Reade said.

Shark nets and drumlines have reduced the number of attacks to less than one a year at protected beaches, Anderson-Reade said. There have only been two serious attacks at protected beaches in the past 30 years, both involving great whites, according to the Shark Board.

With about eight weeks to go until the peak end-of-year holiday season, local businesses are concerned that perception the beaches are unsafe may deter visitors.

Annie Smith, a lodge owner in the resort town of Margate, said her trade is based on a good beach experience.

Feeling feel safe in the sea is very important to my guests, and I know if theres a problem, theyd go somewhere else, she said.

The regions beaches draw large crowds during the holiday months, particularly in Durban, South Africas third-largest city. More than 30,000 people visited Durban beaches on New Years Day alone this year, East Coast Radio reported at the time.

Excerpt from:

Snarled Shark Nets Spur Repairs at South African Beaches