Thread: Aus Day 2014 - WA off to a bad start... Shark cull

Originally Posted by newlandyowner

Tracking was offered by a US company but they turned them down

Does tracking have a proven track (excuse the pun ) record. Have seen it used for scientific research but not aware of its use to stop attacks.

Sorry, I missed your answer on corporal punishment.

Originally Posted by beagleONE

no mate, that would just be silly to blame WA's shark cull as being the sole thing responsible for wiping out a species.
But it could be one preventable instance, in a series of events, that could have a huge impact on a delicate ecosystem.

catch and release is always going to be a better option than catch and kill.
here is a quote from one of the previously mentioned links that supports this...

'A different methodological approach to mitigate shark peril off Recife combines bottom longlining and drumlines with comparably better results. This region has been experiencing an abnormally high shark attack rate since 1992, but the protective fishing strategy was developed in 2004 only. Unlike traditional shark control programs, the Shark Monitoring Program of Recife (SMPR) aims at removing dangerous sharks not from their populations but from the hazardous area instead, which is achieved by capturing, transporting and releasing sharks offshore....
...The shark attack rate diminished about 97% while fishing operations were being conducted, whereas no-fishing periods and the period prior to the implementation of the SMPR had similar shark attack rates.'

a new approach to QLD's current methodology could be adopted, and better results may occur. QLD could get lucky and have no deaths in the next fifty years if a catch and release program was adopted. Everyone wins



Also, here is another direct quote from the provided petition. Some of which is Australian research.

'The increase of shark attacks (including those by white sharks) over the last century, are related to human behaviour and not an increase in shark numbers. Increases are very likely a result of human population growth, increased communication of attacks, and more people using the ocean for recreational activities (6,7). They are unlikely caused by rising number of sharks in the area as some of the species implemented in the attacks have declined significantly both locally and globally (8-10).'


What other comment were you unsure of sorry?

Lots of coulds and mays compared to a known result. We know that there has been 1 attack on a netted beach in Qld in 50 years.

With all due respect, your first posted sounded largely like a rant against Goverments whom you would never vote for. The claim of Barnett ignoring "mass" protests is a bit over the top .100 scientists a 30,000 partition and a relative handful of people on a WA beach hardly makes it mass, let alone a majority. As far as I am aware, in a democracy the Premier is not obliged to pander to minorities so he was in fact doing his job by theose who elected him.

The really interesting thing is that those who appear most opposed, even in this thread are not Sandgropers, but Croweaters, Tasmanians and Victorians. It would be interesting to see how many of the online partition signatures are actually from WA and how many are from vested interest conservation groups.

Originally Posted by nugge t

Does tracking have a proven track (excuse the pun ) record. Have seen it used for scientific research but not aware of its use to stop attacks.

Sorry, I missed your answer on corporal punishment.

If you can attach trackers to the big sharks then you know where they are. It wouldn't be hard to create an app for phones. Open your app up, if there is a large shark in the area then don't swim. I realise tagging all sharks won't be possible, but setting drum lines won't catch all the sharks either.

As for corporal punishment, I'm all for its, but that's a discussion for another day.

I wonder if they are going to start culling Crocs in the NT now?

Originally Posted by newlandyowner

If you can attach trackers to the big sharks then you know where they are. It wouldn't be hard to create an app for phones. Open your app up, if there is a large shark in the area then don't swim. I realise tagging all sharks won't be possible, but setting drum lines won't catch all the sharks either.

As for corporal punishment, I'm all for its, but that's a discussion for another day.

I wonder if they are going to start culling Crocs in the NT now?

......and when they are in a roll may as well start culling snakes as well

KarlB have a spot on post, we humans are the biggest killers who not only wipe off fauna from this planet but also kill each other.

all this is just a beat up by the greens , qld have been doing this shark thing for 50? years but no beat up , why ? because they don't have any green senators in the NT they shoot crocks again no beat up , why ? . the situation in w.a. at the last elections the last green senator was booted out but there was a recount called but a large number of votes went missing and now it is in the hands of the high court who will make 1 of 2 decisions, the vote before the call for the recount or we have to go back and vote for the senate again so what the greens are doing is using the shark bit to get all the free publicity they can with the hope that if we have to go back and vote they may get more votes and the senator back in. they have hit twitter and facebook and failed so now they are hitting forums like us

Originally Posted by richard4u2

all this is just a beat up by the greens , qld have been doing this shark thing for 50? years but no beat up , why ? because they don't have any green senators in the NT they shoot crocks again no beat up , why ? . the situation in w.a. at the last elections the last green senator was booted out but there was a recount called but a large number of votes went missing and now it is in the hands of the high court who will make 1 of 2 decisions, the vote before the call for the recount or we have to go back and vote for the senate again so what the greens are doing is using the shark bit to get all the free publicity they can with the hope that if we have to go back and vote they may get more votes and the senator back in. they have hit twitter and facebook and failed so now they are hitting forums like us

Or Colin Barnett is using the sharks as a way to get voters confidence back after the Perth Arena blow out, Elizabeth Quay problems, Stadium stuff up/s, Ellenbrook train line etc etc.

Originally Posted by nugge t

Lots of coulds and mays compared to a known result. We know that there has been 1 attack on a netted beach in Qld in 50 years.

haha, that is because i cant say with 100% certainty there will never be another attack in qld if they were to adopt a new shark control method. that would be naive at best.

there is also the other known result of
"The shark attack rate diminished about 97% while fishing operations were being conducted, whereas no-fishing periods and the period prior to the implementation of the SMPR had similar shark attack rates"

Proven improved results, from field studies, conducted by experts.


I can see how my original post may have come across as politically biased, but honestly that has probably stemmed from the immense frustration that I feel with the situation. Regardless of Liberal, Labor or Greens being in power (what is the difference these days anyway ), I would be opposed to this policy.

And I believe the term 'masses' is a fair call, when compared to those who who actively support the culling...
You dont see 100+ scientist, and 100,000+ electronic signatures (30,000+ from greenpeace website, 70,000+ from change.org petition) actively supporting the cull.

Really, who cares where the opposition is coming from.
Sharks are travelers, the white pointers that hang out in WA waters visit SA waters too. What is done in WA can affect the eco-systems other states.. And other countries!

Originally Posted by BMKal

Actually - I'd call it the height of hypocrisy as previously posted. And as also posted - does absolutely bugger all for the credibility of one side of the argument.

Don't know if you read elsewhere or not - but I don't agree with baiting the sharks either - but I'm not hypocritical enough to just get up and only bag what is being introduced in one part of the country, when exactly the same practice has been going on elsewhere in the country for years.

If you're serious about the issue - be critical of it wherever it occurs - that's if you want to have any credibility.

Fair enough BMK, you are entitled to make the call of me being hypocritical.
Ill try and expand on my previous explanation for focusing soley on WA at the moment.

I believe to completely eradicate this practice, there must be a series of small victories. I dont believe that we can simply get rid of all bait and kill shark programs, in Australia, in one hit.
There is a lot of media attention for WA at the moment, making it easier to draw peoples attention to this practice. If people are on side for revoking WA's policy, it will be easier to get them on side for changing the practices in QLD.

It would be too overwhelming to highlight the terrible things that humans do to sharks world wide. It would be an information overload, which in turn would turn people away from actively supporting change.


I have read that you are opposed to the culling of sharks in previous posts.
But to suggest that the information that I have provided in not credible, simply because I did not mention QLD in my initial post is questionable.

I would rather be called hypocritical for focusing on WA, and actively promote information on why it is a terrible practice/alternate options;
than say I dont agree with it, and do nothing about it
To me, that would be the height of hypocrisy.

edit - out of interest BMK, did you sign any petitions or are you planning on taking any sort of action against the shark culling?

Also, lets keep the politics out of this lads

Simple fact is sharks are being unnecessarily killed, when there are alternate methods of shark control, with proven results, that could be employed nation wide.

We need to focus on minimising negative human impacts on this planet where possible...