$24m to mitigate shark attack risk

Environment Minister Greg Hunt has pledged $23.9 million for research to mitigate the risk of shark attacks and to look into whale conservation.

The federal government is providing $23.9 million to mitigate the risk of shark attacks. (AAP)

Prompted by the recent spate of shark attacks the federal government is providing $23.9 million to research ways to protect ocean swimmers from the predators.

Environment Minister Greg Hunt on Wednesday announced the funding for Hobart's Marine Biodiversity Hub to develop ways to reduce encounters between sharks and swimmers.

It's part of the $145 million National Environment Science Program and will also go to researching whale conservation and repairing threatened marine-life near the Australian coastline.