109 replies to this topic

[Redevilz]

First one was shot off the coast of Donsborough as most of you have probably seen on the news. just barbaric if you ask me.

We come into their territory when we enter the ocean , therefore, we take the risk of a shark attack.

The government are thinking of using a strategy that they have in Brazil. Taking the sharks that come close to beaches and driving them back out to sea and release them again. This is useless because they can just swim back to shore again, I mean it's not rocket science. Atleast it's more humane than culling though.

If we kill them the whole food chain will be stuffed up and killing them is just terrible, they are such amazing creatures.


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[DavidK]

We should be using those safe nets that they have deployed off further south. Meant to be big enough that other marine life can get through but not large enough for large sharks. And use the people time checking the nets instead of shooting the poor animal! (Took 4 shots to the head to kill it)... how "humane" is that...

Edited by DavidK, 27 January 2014 - 04:58 PM.

[malawiman85]

Bait brings sharks closer, right?

Dumping a shark carcass off shore, wouldn't that attract every other shark in the hood???

Now I'm getting too scared to go to the beach!

[sandgroper]

Culling a animal is just wasteful and senseless (why not use it). It should be a last resort anyway as we have other options to try first but as usual it's Barnett's way or the highway.. 

[bigjohnnofish]

send barnett on his highway next erection....

[Redevilz]

They have ruined the lower part of the food chain (fish) so now the sharks have less to eat, therefore they come closer to shore and bump into us. Being hungry they don't think twice about having a little snack.

So they are having to eat us, we just kill them too. It'd be a lot more useful if we work on helping the numbers of fish in the oceans the sharks will eat what they should and not come for us. Without harming the sharks.

Edited by Redevilz, 28 January 2014 - 08:54 AM.

[jeffblack]

Can't help myself, what are your thoughts on the 2 crocodiles dispatched of after the 12 year old was taken? Perhaps discovery channel needs to make some "crocodiles are misunderstood" documentary's.

[Shane-o88]

Animals were here before us, they have more right to be here than us.

[Westie]

I think the Shark Cull is a good idea

Would rather the sharks be processed for fish and chip shops rather than shot and dumped though

[malawiman85]

Kill the dumb ######## parents that let their kids swim In the NT, QLD & WA where crocs are known to be present.
As For sharks, kill the surfers... no more problem.

Edit: sorry about the bad language, bad form.

Edited by malawiman85, 29 January 2014 - 06:06 AM.
Language

[dazzabozza]

The next protest @ Cott Beach looks like it's going to be massive! - https://www.facebook...08706465993734/

[BristledOne]

Bait brings sharks closer, right?

Dumping a shark carcass off shore, wouldn't that attract every other shark in the hood???

Now I'm getting too scared to go to the beach!

 

The stupid thing is we're baiting them in order to cull them, if they were that much of an issue we wouldn't need to try to bait an animal with the ability to "smell" food from half a kilometer away. Then we're going to dump the carcasses which in turn will bait more marine life to the area which in turn will bring more sharks...

This would make discussions regarding whaling tougher, not that they seem to happen anymore on the international stage...

Edited by BristledOne, 28 January 2014 - 09:36 PM.

[MrOrange]

Government's are judged on their actions as well as their inactions. It's a very complicated topic that has serious flow on effects to tourism in this state and our economy.

I see plenty of people blindly calling for "more research" but we already have a very comprehensive research program into sharks, one which dates back many decades yet we are still no closer to understanding shark behavioural patterns fully. Certainly not to the point to prevent attacks. Shark nets are also indiscriminate and have a lot of by catch, they are trialling a new type down south which I think is great.

It's all too easy to say this is wrong but what is the solution? You can't just say don't go in the water, WA is known for its beaches. I met an English bloke a few weeks ago here on holiday. Loved the weather, the beaches but wouldn't go in the water because of what they see reported back home.

Also QLD have operated nets and drum lines for decades, so why all the sudden international attention on WA?

We've had on average about 1 death per year for the last few years so I guess we'll see soon enough if this has had any impact.

I'd be interested in people's ideas on how else to tackle the problem too. Aerial patrols have surely saved a few lives IMO so they should definitely be continued

P.S - I cringed when they shot the animal. I believe it could be done a lot better. If they're going to do it, they need to at least make sure it is quick, and humane.
 

Edited by MrOrange, 28 January 2014 - 10:17 PM.
Removed dupe and tapatalk crap

[Kleinz]

It is complicated. Ecosystems are complicated. There is far more money being spent on spotter planes and drumlines than on research. I don't think anyone else would call it comprehensive. Characterising it as "Blindly calling for more research" is like saying "stupidly wanting more science", or "idiotically wanting to know more about the consequences of your actions".

 

It is not too much to expect the government to have a good idea of just what effect their actions will have before committing to them.

 

QLD does indeed have a shark killing program, and it has reduced the numbers of some quite innocuous sharks close to the point of extinction, so there's that to consider. NSW is the same, I believe.

 

 

Aerial patrols have surely saved a few lives IMO so they should definitely be continued

 

 

So, you don't like research but your opinion which is completely free of evidence is worth something? pfft.

 

People who avoid the water due to possible shark attack are just not thinking clearly. Their chances of dying while driving to or from the beach are higher by a magnitude of about 100. The whole thing is a massive overreaction to a problem that doesn't really exist. It's just a bogeyman.

 

ps: If your pommy mates are too scared to go in the water, then it's probably not their weekly bath day yet.

[MrOrange]

my point was, people have been studying sharks for decades the world over, they still don't understand them. Saying we should "just do more research" as in start now, like it hasn't already been occuring. I'm referring to facebook 1 line comments saying "more research".

 

Also I never said research should be discontinued so I don't know why you linked the cost of research to the cost of aerial patrols like one is more important to the other. Also I don't think it's too much of a stretch to to conclude that spotting sharks close to shore, closing beaches and removing people from danger has the potential to save people from shark attacks.

 

I'm comfortable with a combination of further research into shark behavior, breeding patterns, stock levels, aerial patrols AND *some* targeted removal of sharks.

 

You still haven't offered any alternative solutions other than "do nothing"? What suggestions do you have to try and prevent further shark attacks in the immediate term?

Edited by MrOrange, 28 January 2014 - 10:43 PM.

[kamalau]

I think the Shark Cull is a good idea
Would rather the sharks be processed for fish and chip shops rather than shot and dumped though

Sorry but how can you be a fish enthusiast and think it's a good idea?

Do you truly understand the ramifications this could have on the ecosystem?

I doubted I'd see anyone on this forum in support of the cull.

Edited by kamalau, 28 January 2014 - 11:08 PM.

[Pat]

It's just politics. The Federal Liberal government (Abbott) is making the illegal boat arrivals it's Great White Shark while our economy stares into the abyss.... Fear is the politicians best friend. The great distractor.

 

One thing I did find interesting that I read somewhere and it relates back to using the road v shark attacks. Due to the times when we roamed the plains of a much more dangerous world, we are designed to feel a natural sense of anxiety based even on a low percentage chance of an encounter with a large predator. Yet we put our lives in the hands of each and every person (and some total morons) that zip past us at a combined speed of 160km plus hundreds of times a day on the road and we think nothing of it.

 

Evolutionary psychology..... very interesting subject.

Edited by Pat, 28 January 2014 - 11:12 PM.

[sandgroper]

Perhaps all the protesters should start a Barnett cull, after all he's a serious threat to society. They could stick a huge hook threw the side of his mouth, drag him along side of a boat , pump 4 rounds in his head then cut his guts open to spill into the ocean, drag him out to sea and dump him like garbage. After all he's not much good for anything either and say sorry Colin it had to be done you were being a nuisance.

[bigjohnnofish]

I think the Shark Cull is a good idea

Would rather the sharks be processed for fish and chip shops rather than shot and dumped though

 

any shark over 2m is not recommended eating as the mercury accummulation in the shark is considered to be at unsafe levels for human consumption....

 

although i have been told by a commercial fisherman grey nurse sharks are an exception to the 2m rule......

[MrOrange]

Not much of a fisherman then; grey nurse sharks are a protected species, you're not allowed to kill them.

(yes I realise the irony in my comment given the topic is about killing GWS, another protected species)

 

Sorry but how can you be a fish enthusiast and think it's a good idea?

Do you truly understand the ramifications this could have on the ecosystem?

I doubted I'd see anyone on this forum in support of the cull.

 

No we don't fully understand the ramifications, which is also why you cannot claim as fact that these actions will have a significant detrimental impact to the oceanic ecosystem off WA's coast either.

 

Also just because I am a fish enthusiast I should feel bad about killing some sharks? Should I also feel bad about catching and killing snapper, tailor, crayfish, crabs and prawns (insert other aquatic creature here). Hell why stop there, might as well just go vegan! You might say "that's different, they're for eating", but yet the ornamental fish hobby is largely founded on the unregulated harvesting of fish from their natural habitats to be shipped all over the world. Why isn't Ricky Gervais holding up signs in support of the poor fish from the great lakes of Africa? I'm damn sure the ornamental fish hobby has been responsible for more than its fair share of extinctions or depletion of wild stocks to endangered levels. 

 

If you want to be up in arms about an indiscriminate shark cull, maybe you should focus your attention on Indonesia? Responsible for catching and finning more sharks than any other country in the world. What's happening here is nothing like that, sharks under 3m and all but 3 species are returned. Unfortunately due to the size of the shark they can't be used for human consumption which is a shame.

 

The topic of Sharks will soon join the list of Religion and Politics of topics to avoid round the dinner table, you're either OK with it or VERY against it, there doesn't seem to be much middle ground.