SHARK diver William Winram has condemned suggestions from Australian politicians to kill any sharks near the coast.

A free-diving world record holder, Winram is one of several people who swims with and tags sharks in Great White Shark 3D, a documentary narrated by Bill Nighy.

After two deaths on opposite coasts of Australia, the idea of culling sharks has again arisen.

While Western Australian Premier Colin Barnett "doesn't know if it's a cull as such", he says he's in the same camp as those who want sharks in popular coastal areas to be destroyed.

Prime Minister Tony Abbott says the problem is finding "the guilty one".

Winram, a free-diving world record holder, has been swimming alongside sharks including great whites for nearly 30 years and says killing sharks is not the solution.

"Honestly I think calling for a cull is stupidity," he says.

"It's an emotional knee-jerk reaction and it's impossible."

Winram says the likelihood of catching the shark responsible is very slim, but it also means people are adopting a mentality that the shark is like a human and must be punished.

"Like a mugger in the street, who mugs your grandmother and winds up killing her in the process - you want to hunt this guy down. Sharks are not like that," he says.

"The problem between sharks and humans, is a problem of us being in the wrong place at the wrong time and particularly for surfers, they don't have eyes in the water."

He says the best response is education.

"If it's politicians calling for the culling, perhaps they can call for legislation to amend something to your educational process," he says.

"I understand you teach children about rip currents, things like that.

"Start teaching them about sharks - the different species of sharks, and the risk that may take when they go to play in the sea, so they can make an informed decision, because it's impossible to sterilise the ocean, and it would be a serious and grave mistake."

Originally published as Shark diver condemns suggestions of culls