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

I'm no expert, and yes I gotta admit it sounds like a dumb idea to me. And no can't say I'm in love with Colin Barnett. I've known more charismatic Toyotas.

But there is a segment of society that are always agitating or protesting about something and it doesn't matter the cause, you see them all there with their "Makes me ashamed" and their "they're ignorant fools for not doing what I say". It's the same people every time. With me it gets to the point where you just wanna tell 'em to get stuffed.

Looks like gay marriage somehow got boring to this peanut gallery. That was soo 2013. Now it's the poor sharks off the WA coast.

Face it some people just love nagging and tell other people how to think.

Activists, it's not about the cause.

If that is directed at me JamesH, you can save your presumptions
If not, carry on. its hard to measure peopled 'tone' and 'direction' over the internet.
If you actually knew me, you would know that something like this is uncharacteristic behavior.

Like I have said in previous posts, Im happy that this has caused discussion.
I have highlighted and issue, and provided credible information (not just opinion) for people look look into. What they choose to do with this information is up to them.

I just find it difficult to believe that people with no further education or industry experience in regards to a matter, are so quickly to fob off expert opinion/facts.
Thats the difference between adults and children, adults cant handle being told they are wrong.




Any how, here is the letter for those who may be interested in reading it.
Signed by 102 scientist, experts, people with industry experience.

WA Premier, Colin Barnett
WA Opposition Leader, Mark McGowan
WA Minister for Fisheries, Ken Baston
WA Minister for Environment,
Albert Jacob
Dear Premier Barnett,
Mr. McGowan,
Minister Baston
and
Minister Jacob,
Re: Proposal to use drum lines for shark population control and targeting of sharks entering protected beach zones.


The scientific community acknowledges that the Western Australian (WA) shark
situation is a highly emotive issue, in which there has been a great deal of personal suffering. We also recognise that the effects of shark bite fatalities extend beyond the individuals and their families, and impact on the wider community.
However, as scientists and professionals who work with sharks on a regular basis, we are sending this letter because we are deeply opposed to elements of the new shark mitigation policy announced by the WA State Government.

While we acknowledge the need to restore public confidence and provide safe swimming areas for the community, we do not support the proposed use of lethal shark population control measures such as drum lines or targeted fishing of sharks.
As a preventative measure, the proposed solutions go significantly beyond that employed in other areas of the world. For example, whilst drum lines and gill nets are used on the east coast of Australia, there is no additional targeted fishing of large sharks in these areas. In addition, a WA Government funded report into shark control measures found that “due to the environmental impacts of shark control activities, it is not recommended that either shark nets or drum-lines be introduced into Western Australia”
1More over, in response to a fatal shark bite, the identification of even the species of shark responsible is notoriously difficult and it is unlikely that a targeted fishing effort following the event will catch the individual shark responsible.


Shark control programs do not have to be lethal to be effective.
For example, a new approach to shark control recently trialled in Recife, Brazil, involves
capturing, transporting and releasing large sharks offshore, whilst providing an opportunity to tag and monitor the individuals caught. This approach has been
extremely effective in reducing the incidence of shark bites in protected areas but without the indiscriminate killing of sharks and other marine life.


Importantly, such programs should be coordinated by Government fisheries
departments rather than contractors, ensuring a higher level of transparency and accountability as well as a greater opportunity for gathering scientific data on shark abundance and species composition.

We encourage you to adopt fisheries-managed, non-lethal shark control measures (personal and area-based), that will not only reduce the risk of a negative shark encounter, but will also bolster research opportunities for the tagging and monitoring of sharks in WA.


Equally as important, we encourage you to further improve education and communication of knowledge (existing and that obtained through further essential
research) to the community about ways to avoid negative encounters with sharks.


In this regard, we applaud the Government on the elements of the policy that seek to
enhance public education and awareness of sharks and the small risk they pose to human safety.
We take a calculated risk whenever we enter the ocean, but the risk is quite small when compared to other daily activities. Rip currents, for example, are the cause of an average of 21 confirmed human fatalities per year in Australia, compared to 1 for sharks.


There will always be a low residual risk associated with entering
the ocean; however, with better education and increased investment in monitoring and research, we can make an objective judgement as to whether or not we accept these risks. We thank you for taking the time to consider our thoughts on this policy




References

McPhee D (2012)
Likely effectiveness of netting or other capture programs as a shark hazard mitigation strategy in Western Australia.
Western Australian Fisheries
Occasional Publication No. 108, August 2012.
[http://www.fish.wa.gov.au/Documents/...ns/fop108.pdf]


Hazin FHV and Afonso AS (2013) A
green strategy for shark attack mitigation off Recife, Brazil.
Animal Conservation
[http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/1...2096/abstract]


The International Shark Attack File Website
[http://www.flmnh.ufl.edu/fish/sharks/isaf/isaf.htm]

Brander R, Dominey, Howes D, Champion C, Del Vecchio
O and Brighton B (2013) A new perspective on the Australian rip current hazard.
Nat. Hazards Earth Syst. Sci.13 (6), 1687-1690
[http://www.nat-hazards-earth-syst-sc...687-2013.html]

man im going to regret being so opinionated when it comes time to getting help with my land rover hahaha.
101 ways to not make friends, presented to you by mr beagleONE.

Actually I haven't said I support the system or not. I have questioned the approach of the people involved.

I wasn't referring to your specific invovlement but the total movements. People have been protesting about whales, dolphins etc for years but netting has only become in vogue in the last months. Why?

Sorry, You appear to only be reading the material from one side and ignoring the stats of the system which has been proven to work. I have not said I wouldn't support a catch and release, just that as you presented it that it "might and could" doesn't it is better than a system which "has".

I would be more than happy for them to trial a catch and release at some one elses home break

Chucura, I think the bugger the planet claim is beneath even you. If the future of our planet revolves around a few sharks, we are doomed anyway

As jamesH said..."Activists, it's not about the cause"

Originally Posted by nugge t

.................................................. ...............
Chucura, I think the bugger the planet claim is beneath even you. If the future of our planet revolves around a few sharks, we are doomed anyway

As jamesH said..."Activists, it's not about the cause"

Do not be cheeky you know that I am referring
not only to the sharks issue......

Originally Posted by nugge t

Actually I haven't said I support the system or not. I have questioned the approach of the people involved.
FAIR ENOUGH. LIKE I SAID PREVIOUSLY, IF YOU WERE TRULY INVESTED IN THIS YOU WOULD JUDGE WHAT SIDE OF THE FENCE YOU SAT ON, BASED ON FACT ALONE. NOT WHO WAS PRESENTING INFO TO YOU, OR IF IT WERE NEW OR OLD ISSUE.

I wasn't referring to your specific invovlement but the total movements. People have been protesting about whales, dolphins etc for years but netting has only become in vogue in the last months. Why? MEDIA ATTENTION.

Sorry, You appear to only be reading the material from one side and ignoring the stats of the system which has been proven to work. I HAVE NEVER DISPUTED IF THE TRACK RECORD YOU MENTIONED HAS WORKED, HAVE ONLY SUGGESTED PROVEN, ALTERNATE NON LETHAL OPTIONS. I have not said I wouldn't support a catch and release, just that as you presented it that it "might and could" doesn't it is better than a system which "has".
REFER TO PREVIOUS POSTS. THE ALTERNATE I HAVE SUGGESTED HAD A BETTER REDUCTION IN SHARK ATTACKS (97%) IN COMPARISON TO NON REMOVAL.


I would be more than happy for them to trial a catch and release at some one elses home break
HAHAHA TOUCHE SALESMAN.
ID BE HAPPY TO TRY IT LOCALLY, BUT THAT DOESNT SURPRISE ANYONE SEEINGS AS IM HAPPY TO JUMP IN THE WATER WITH OUT ANY SHARK PREVENTION


Chucura, I think the bugger the planet claim is beneath even you. If the future of our planet revolves around a few sharks, we are doomed anyway I SHALL LET YOU GENTLEMEN DEBATE THIS

As jamesH said..."Activists, it's not about the cause"
PRESUMTIOUS, WORD OF THE DAY

if we're not careful, theyll adapt to protect themselves

isn't every one forgetting that man has been fishing before the birth of Christ and they would have caught shark , man has been eating fish before the birth of Christ and that would have included shark every, Christian around the world is suppose to eat fish on Fridays and some of that would have been shark. professional fishermen bring in their catch every day around Australia and that would include some shark so why are they not protesting at them every day ?? why don't they protest at the Sydney and melbourne markets every day ? why don't they protest at every fish and chip shop every day ? why don't they protest at coles and woollies where they sell shark fillets every day ? why don't they protest at every church every day because Christians eat fish on Fridays ?

Originally Posted by richard4u2

isn't every one forgetting that man has been fishing before the birth of Christ and they would have caught shark , man has been eating fish before the birth of Christ and that would have included shark every, Christian around the world is suppose to eat fish on Fridays and some of that would have been shark. professional fishermen bring in their catch every day around Australia and that would include some shark so why are they not protesting at them every day ?? why don't they protest at the Sydney and melbourne markets every day ? why don't they protest at every fish and chip shop every day ? why don't they protest at coles and woollies where they sell shark fillets every day ? why don't they protest at every church every day because Christians eat fish on Fridays ?

Let's not even get started about over fishing and exhausting our fish stocks...