Shark things out of hand in WA

You are right, they don't, but some of those less informed believe this is the problem right there, soon as the ship pulls away from the warf, they start chucking mega overboard. What a load of bullsh1t these animal libs some times invent to enhance the cause

I agree, the video is quite sanitary, but I posted it to show how shark control actually works - too many people still think of it as a barrier.

I take your point from a green perspective - attack statistics would appear to support the view that that the incidence of attack is so statistically small that any shark control program is little better than a placebo. On the other hand QLD waters have a shark control program and do not appear to have the incidence of attacks that WA is experiencing. (Of course other factors may be at work here - I'm open always open to further information).

A few observations about the numbers of sharks taken by the program: first, totals seem to me to be flat, in that they are stable across time, there is no drop in numbers taken as you might expect from over-fishing or species depletion. Second, the numbers do not appear that high to me - in the last ten years somewhat less that two animals per day have been killed by shark control across the entire Queensland system. Third, I think it is reasonable to compare this with the millions of individual fishes taken by commercial fishing. If you subscribe to a "chain of being" for fishes and rank sharks as far more valuable than, say, Spanish Mackerel or Mullet, you might not find that an unconvincing argument, however. Fourth, if we were to look at shark control as a fishery and compare it with prawning (for example), can we really say that prawning is more legitimate because it provides food while the sharks are simply killed for seemingly no noble purpose? Especially when vast quantities of those prawns will be consumed as ridiculous prawn cocktails at pointless hen's parties and race meetings?

The entire issue always has me in two minds. From an general ethical perspective I am quite uncomfortable with pointless killing of animals: yet I find myself relatively comfortable with shark control as it is practiced in Queensland at this time. The numbers do not support the conclusion that an unmitigated slaughter is taking place, and might be considered slight compared to other fisheries. Furthermore, the results appear to indicate that localised eradication has had some protective effect. This said, I am always ready to consider other arguments.

I think fjdfiend was thinking of something that is an actual barrier, along a small section of beach. As opposed to shark control nets.

www.perthnow.com.au/news/ocean-pools-to-beat-sharks-ng-3201c5d4d2b3dd7bc010138dcc499cfe

What they need is a pulse machine lets out a sonic boom every minute for a 1km radius, I bet that would scare them big nasty GWS !

I don't think it's got a whole lot to do with the shark debate - but actually LOTS of sheep die on every ship. And they don't carry the corpses back to land.

http://www.daff.gov.au/animal-plant-health/welfare/export-trade/mortalities

any one using "shark shields" out there. Would be keen to know how they affect jumping etc?

click it twice to read

I heard today on a news report that the labour leader Mark McGowan who is hoping to take over Col's job after the next election is promising to fix the problem by building 3 new saltwater sea pools so we wont be attacked by sharks.
One at Cottesloe, one somewhere a bit north of that and one in Albany.
What a joke. A 15 million dollar joke, and you're paying for it.
Now comes the mad rush by politicians to throw more and more of your money on things which will make absolutely no difference to the problem in the hope that it will make them appear they have all the answers and will do whatever it takes to fix the problem. Except of course, not the one simple and cheap solution of removing the offending sharks.
How many of the 5 people killed in the last year would have been in any of the proposed pools instead of where they were? Approximately NONE.
If that's any indication of his other progressive policies I think we can forget about giving him a try.

They were planning on building these pools anyway, it's been in the pipeline for a few years and has nothing to do with the shark attacks.

I think the shark problem is over. I surfed twice on the weekend and i wasn't eaten once. The sharks must have moved on

Yeah, I totally agree with you !! This is getting ridiculous !! Are we just going to "hope for the best" or do something about it. I'm OK will a cull, or at the very least removing the "protected species" order, and fishing them close to shore. Like up to 5km ? I've written to The West newspaper with my thoughts - which (tongue in cheek) were - "catch a few for aquariums, stuff a few big ones for museums, and get rid of the rest" !! haha - but seriously that is pretty much how my surfing friends and I feel. When they were almost extinct was there some kind of looming ecological problem?? I don't think so. Less White Pointers means more other fish - isn't that what the world needs?? The ocean is our territory as well, and we are getting an asskicking by something which is in our ability to control . It's us or them - and if we don't kill them they will keep on killing us. I bought a shark shield today, but I'd feel a lot safer if we thinned their numbers if not totally eliminated them. What's the big deal? How many thousands of species has man wiped from the earth?? Sharks are not some cuddly cute marsupial. If any species deserve our attention to eliminate - it's them !!

To quote Arnie Schwartzenegger
"I'll be back!"

If it bleeds, then you can kill it.

It's all under control news is the sharks have gone quite in port Lincoln S.A lucky to find one or two ! More than likely chasing whale calfskin up the east and west coast ! I so wanna work for the CSRIO or the SHARK MEN but to much ego there!