News last week that a 3 metre shark had been found snared on a baited drumline set off North Sradbroke Island, east of Brisbane with massive bites on its side has sparked interest worldwide.
Experts estimated the size of the predator at 5 metres though that has increased to 20 feet (6 metres plus) in some British web sites.
The attack underlines the debate on how to best protect beaches in the area. The State Government, which issues licences for shark nets and drumlines, had been under pressure recently to scale back the program after five migrating whales were trapped in nets off Queensland’s coast. However Tim Mulherin the Fisheries Mimister said the capture of the 3m shark ”and the indication of a larger one feeding in the area ” bolstered the decision to keep shark nets and lines in place.
Darren Kindleysides director of the Australian Marine Conservation Society had said recent figures on the number of sharks caught showed the nets were working but at huge cost to whales, dolphins and turtles.
Hervey Bay shark hunter Vic Hislop believes sharks nets are too damaging to the overall marine environment. He thinks methods should be explored to scare away sharks rather than capture and kill them.
The shark net and drumline program was introduced in Queensland some 47 years ago during which time there has been only one fatal attack on a protected beach. That was on the Moreton Bay side of Stradbroke Island when 21-year-old student Sarah Kate Whiley was killed at Amity Point in January 2006.
It has been reported that the numbers of sharks had increased in the area recently. Preservation Society of Queensland president Simon Baltais said the dumping of whale carcasses in the area was providing a huge meat tray for such big predators.
Three whales that died in southeast Queensland waters in recent months had been towed to Mud Island in Moreton Bay. “The whale carcasses are taken up the shoreline (of Mud Island) and rot away…,” Mr Baltais said.
“It would certainly attract a lot of predators and scavengers – white pointers love dead whales.” He said the carcasses should be towed out to sea away from populated beaches and bays.
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