Sharks being killed in Western Australia:

Arequipa

Hi! I keep in touch with Aussie news & have been quote shocked to hear that the Western Australia government have hired people to set up baited druns along a large stretch of coastline. All Great Whites, Bull & Tiger Sharks 3 metres + will be killed... And they will try and attempt to free smaller sharks... These smaller ones will probably die anyway.
Many people are protesting in the area, but the government cull is to go ahead from this weekend...

I think this is rash & cruel response to concerns about sharks. Baited drums may in fact attract sharks into coastal areas. I believe that sharks are more entitled to be there & are essential to a balanced ecosystem..

What do you think?

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ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

It's hard to comment without knowing the full story, however I believe there has recently been a series of fatalities following shark attacks. I believe the EPBC Act recognises that state governments may cull sharks through an exemption under the Federal Act for issues of national interest. I suspect the deaths, and the impact on tourism in the area, are seen as contrary to the national interest.

Culls are always emotive issues but I try at least to appreciate both sides of the story.

Arequipa

I take your point.. It is an emotive issue.. But the reaction is out of panic...
100's if not 1000's of people drown in rips etc off Aussie beaches & a handful of people have been taken by sharks..
Often there are other factors at play, whether it is a change in movement of their prey (seals, whales etc) pollition etc.. But this should all be researched..
A cull will take out the big sharks and many smaller ones too..
They play a huge role in keeping sealife & our seas balanced..
I know this is happening thousands of miles away,, but sharks species are under such threat...
We need to adapt to them & not the pther way around...


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dodderangler

Here's an idea.
If sharks are attacking people GET OUT OF THE WATER!!!
It's not rocket science. That's their world not ours. I certainly wouldn't go swimming in water were sharks are. It's not like people are being attacked in waters were sharks aren't present. They know sharks patrol the area and yet still go in it.

Arequipa

Yea, often there are conditions that are unsuitable for swimming...
-cloudy water ie poor visibility
-at estuaries
-when there are lots of bait fish in the area/ seals etc...
-at dusk & dawn when sharks are most active

Many large sharks have already been satellite tagged & when they swim anywhere near a beach: the lifeguards are notified.. I think you can check the shark movements on your smart phone..
Latest technology includes sound mufflers off beaches to muffle the noise/ splashing noise from the beach
& devices you can wear or attach to your board, which sends out a wave/signal which repels any shark... So the technology is out there.

dodderangler

I know what you mean but the biggest problem is these people have been warned. There's warnings posted on beaches and yet these people still go in.
I don't mean to sound frank but I've no sympathy for the people attacked. They've been warned. Not much more you can do. If they take the risk going in the water then that's their problem. Killing sharks isn't the answer.

Birdnuts

Just when we've had some success at convincing the Chinese to ease up on consuming shark fins then this nonsense comes along. There are plenty of beaches in Australia that are safe and the ones that have large sharks have warning signs. Same with areas that have large crocs. A lot more people have been killed in Aussie waters by jellyfish and speedboats - a cull of idiot officials would be more beneficial in this case.

Arequipa

Just to update.... the government licenced fishermen are setting the bait drums this weekend off Perth's beaches: Meelup, Castle Rock, Dunsborough & Gracetown beaches.
Large baited drums with huge hooks and buoys.
The fishermen have been offered police protection as some protesters have said they will interfere/try and stop them.
A 165,000 dollar shark barrier has been installed at Dunsborough beach, but in spite of this the cull will go ahead.
Ricky Gervais joined the many people speaking out against these actions.
I think the government of West Australia dont realise, that they are killing a protected species of OUR oceans. These fish regularly swim right across the Indian Ocean and are not just confined to Aussie coasts.

Australia has a lot of dangerous wildlife, but these species were there long before the country was colonised.
Just because they are dangerous doesnt excuse us killing them...

I am still so annoyed about this...

dodderangler

I'd say more people are killed by spider bites each year than shark attacks.
More people probably bitten by baracudas aswell

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

dodderangler wrote: »

I'd say more people are killed by spider bites each year than shark attacks.
More people probably bitten by baracudas aswell

Then you'd say wrong! Just for the sake of accuracy - Nobody has died of a spider bite in Australia since 1979. There were 5 deaths from shark attacks on the west cost alone 2013.

Poll Dubh

Demi Modern Gift wrote: »

I suspect the deaths, and the impact on tourism in the area, are seen as contrary to the national interest.

If this is for the sake of promoting tourism then it is having the opposite effect on me. The culling is turning me off from going there.

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

Poll Dubh wrote: »

If this is for the sake of promoting tourism then it is having the opposite effect on me. The culling is turning me off from going there.

I agree from my own perspective as a nature lover and someone who spent over 40 years full time protecting nature. If you read what I said, I said I suspect the impact on human life and tourism will be given as a reason. Not that it was correct to do so.

Mickeroo

Most of the 5 deaths that happened in Oz last year were surfers as far as I know yet there's no way the majority of surfers would support what is happening. Crazy stuff.

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

Mickeroo wrote: »

Most of the 5 deaths that happened in Oz last year were surfers as far as I know yet there's no way the majority of surfers would support what is happening. Crazy stuff.

Again, I agree with you. I only posted about the 5 deaths because someone posted the erroneous comment that more probably died from spider bites than shark attacks. Such supposition and inherently incorrect arguments weaken otherwise sound arguments and are best exposed as the false exaggeration they are. Anybody I have communicated on this with in Australia so far is against the action and rightly so. But in order to counter the arguments in favour we must at least reply with facts not fallacies.

Mickeroo

Demi Modern Gift wrote: »

Again, I agree with you. I only posted about the 5 deaths because someone posted the erroneous comment that more probably died from spider bites than shark attacks. Such supposition and inherently incorrect arguments weaken otherwise sound arguments and are best exposed as the false exaggeration they are. Anybody I have communicated on this with in Australia so far is against the action and rightly so. But in order to counter the arguments in favour we must at least reply with facts not fallacies.

Yeah, my comment wasn't directed at you or anyone in particular at all. Was just my view on the whole fiasco.

Here's a blog post from a surfer on the whole thing: http://www.ultimate-animals.com/surfer-wa-shark-cull-order-african-shark-eco-charters/

St. Leibowitz

The current Federal Australian Government under Tony Abbot is based on anti science. Unfortunately, any scientific arguement put up against any policy will actually be seen by them as justification for the policy. "If the scientists think we're wrong, then we must be right" seems to be their thinking.

Maybe the arguement to take to them is that God wants them to stop. Although, as God is firmly on their side, they'll probably burn you.

It's unfortunate that the damage that they do could be irreparable.

Advance Australia Fair indeed. More like back to the Dark Ages.

Arequipa

Hey! Yesterday a 3 metre Tiger shark was hooked & then the fisherman shot the shark 4 times in the head & dragged the shark to the deep water within the 3 mile territorial waters to dump the body..
I listened to an interview with the fisherman concerned...
He said he will continue until the end of April..
Meanwhile some conservationists have been successfully interfering with the cull.. 'Allegedly' divers successfully removed bait from some of the drums..
These guys are very brave as they risk arrest & severe penalties for doing so.

I also listened to an interview with the mother of the last shark victim: she is against the cull & feels that it is wrong & there are much better research & preventative measures which could be implemented.... Given her son was killed from a shark bite, this was a honorable and honest opinion...

I hope bigger International conservation agencies get involved & governementak pressure is applied on the WA Governent.
In polls conducted in WA, most people are against this cull; another protest is planned for Cottesloe beach next Saturday...

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