White Shark cull, Western Australia: Someone make a film about this please

[Robert Hart]

Trevor. I had deleted the post and the link before you posted request to leave it. Now the West has culled the link so I cannot now re-instate it. I'll see if I can gouge it up out of facebook.
FOOTNOTE: The article was not culled but no longer on the masthead, taken below decks on the site.

http://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/wa/a/21036468/first-drum-lines-set-off-wa-coast/

 

[Wayne Morellini]

A man parachuted into his job by an newly elected government who's leader is a self professed climate change sceptic. Who in forming his new cabinet to run the country promptly abolished the position of Science Minister. Who within a few weeks of being in power announced a 25% cut in funding to our nations top science institution the CSRIO- who have been doing amazing, AMAZING, work for decades. Stranding about 600 of our best and brightest research scientists without jobs going forward.

As I said, right wing extremities and American political advisors. They probably couldn't get American politicians this far, but over here they are lapping it up.

They cut back on the CSIRO last time too.

how close can anyone local get to the lines? perhaps some gory close ups would sway public opinions? Seems to work for dolphins, whales and wars...

statistically its hard to know people who been attacked even at all

Brian, if you find a dolphin on the line it will be the beginning of the end.

I'm shocked that they estimate so few sharks, but if you don't keep the shark fin soup trade under control that would do it. It probably explains why there are so few deaths, it may be that most sharks simply don't come across people much. SA and WA are where more sharks and attacks seem to go on.

Although culling of sharks may not be the best approach to the shark attacks in WA, there does need to be some action taken. I haven't heard anyone suggest a viable solution other than 'save the sharks'. The decision to cull is based on a desire to 'save the humans.' There have been more shark attack related deaths in WA than any other part of the world for quite some time.

Anyone know of a genuine solution that will protect the 'sharks' and the 'humans'?

Here are a few suggestions, apart from population size aggression alteration etc mentioned before, and reserves:

People are probably not going to like this, but there is no real solution at the moment apart from not swimming or extinction, or population modification.

- Swimming enclosures, and don't open water swim. In populated areas and every 20km elsewhere in lightly populated areas have a large enclosed swimming environment that dangerous predators can't get into. This can be made from rock walls, with small entrance and exit openings for current that wave action can be funneled into. The entrances and exits can be made with slanted bars covering them so people don't get sucked into them and can climb (you can see that I have thought of this before, I am also interested in construction for resort and surfing in bays). The bar or grate can be additionally covered with finer mesh. They can extend from a hundred meters to kilometers (with lots of openings). The wall itself could be used for fishing or boat moring. It is expensive to put in hundreds of these things, but the good thing is that over time communities would put them in themselves. Anyway, on the social and economic side of things, it provides a focal point for people and businesses to serve them in where ever it is located. In most parts of the state this might be a food van on popular days.

- Monitor sharks movements by a sensor net. Individuals can also have devices that detect sharks near them, or from a beach (this is a longterm hightech r&d campaign, but worth the government and environmental groups investing in with good potential sales).

- Devices to repel sharks

- Education of where and when not to go, and what not to do.

Just some ideas. Tagging the population sounds nice, but they have babies. However, tagging larger threatening sharks might be all that us needed. But I've seen stuff about bull sharks off South Africa, where even small ones go crazy quickly attacking people in a foot or two water (hence don't go in the water to keep the attacks low). Any species like that is not worth keeping.

Have been looking into population estimates. I was surprised to find that Tigers Sharks too are considered endangered/at risk. I doesn't seem possible but 3500 tigers sharks worldwide was a recent number I came across a bit. White Sharks are generally considered to be less populous. Maybe around 2000 total. Hopefully its more. Possibly its less.

They have drum lines and nets in Queensland that have been in place for 50 years. Apparently those take between 500-700 sharks a year, mostly Bull and Tiger sharks with a handful of Whites as the warm waters are not really their typical range. Not sure what projections are for WA but clearly it can inflict significant damage to what is a small population of sharks.

It is almost getting to the point, and in South Africa this is already the case due to intensive study, that the number of White Sharks in a population off any coastline are few enough to be identified as individuals. We are spending into the millions of dollars on this cull. I'd be surprised if it wouldn't cost a similar amount to put a GPS tag on every last one of them and manage the threat via live tracking data.

Surprising, considering the numbers years ago and the crack down on sharkfin fishing. I suspected they might not have been stopping it much, as it requires a lot of expensive policing.

But the low numbers in Queensland, makes me wonder if the WA numbers from limited lining are going to be significantly more.

 

[Marc Thorpe]

I carried out an interview with the Natal Sharks Board in southern Africa a number of years ago during a six month embed to film Tiger sharks on the Aliwal Shoals for Nat Geo. I had the admission, on camera, from their top scientist that the license of the NSB is as that of a fishery due to their selling of body parts to offset running costs back in the 70's. It was something that was never questioned so they felt no need to change it. With that said I hate to see these animals getting destroyed but I've tried getting this out on Twitter to move for the inclusion of video evidence at the point of disposal of each animal to make sure the fishermen / WA Govt. are not engaged in finning. Great White, Tiger and Bull shark fins being the creme de la creme for the Asian fin industry.

Who know what these guys are doing?

Cheers,
Mark.

 

[Tom Hamilton]

That is a shocking thought Marc, if this cull is just a cover-up for a profitable finning operation, someone needs to follow the money trail, definitely needs to be exposed. Question for the Oz mates here; who is considered to be the most aggressive investigative reporter in Australia, and has s/he been contacted?

 

[Trevor Emmerson]

Question for the Oz mates here; who is considered to be the most aggressive investigative reporter in Australia, and has s/he been contacted?

Ummm.. Julian Assange?

 

[Joe D'Arcy]

The cull is not a cover up for shark finning it is in direct response to the locals who live in fear of swimming in the ocean and to business owners who survive off tourism during the summer months.

 

[Trevor Emmerson]

This is actually THE news story of the minute, pretty much everyone is covering it. TV News was up and 6am to follow the shark boats out to inspect the lines, hence footage captured of the first shark being dissevered, hauled up, shot 4 times etc. in the News all day. Personally I don't think there is any hidden agenda to make a buck selling fins going on here, just a case of ignorance and arrogance on behalf a handful of right wing conservative politicians. WA is pretty much the richest state on the face of the earth right now, Collin Barnett is hardly going to risk his career selling shark fins to the Chinese for thousands when he's trying to get deals wrapped up worth billions for natural gas.

 

[Marc Thorpe]

I can understand the defense of the local government, it is after all a radical suggestion, but not impossible. I still think video evidence of the disposal of the sharks should be filmed. Fishermen are fishermen, nothing to stop them lopping off fins a couple of KM offshore and selling to the local restaurants.

Cheers,
Mark.

 

[Tom Hamilton]

The ocean as swimming pool, made safe for human recreation by destroying its natural inhabitants. That is an astonishingly egocentric mindset.

All that's missing now are the diving board and deck chairs.

 

[Trevor Emmerson]

The cull is not a cover up for shark finning it is in direct response to the locals who live in fear of swimming in the ocean and to business owners who survive off tourism during the summer months.

Joe I don't think this is the response locals were calling for at all, its a highly unpopular move and the Premier himself has acknowledged it is something he has resolved to do in spite of the fact it will make him unpopular.

As to the so called business owners who are suffering the primary example I have seen quoted on this is that there has been a supposed 90% drop in people learning to scuba dive. I could be wrong here but isn't there a code among the dive community that the ocean should be preserved? That sharks are sacred? The though of a person operating a business around teaching people to dive and experience the wonder of the underwater world being pro the destruction of a species as iconic and important as White Sharks is.. well.. unlikely? Marc, Tom, have you guys come across any dive operators like this? As far as I am concerned if you are in the business of working in the ocean but condone shark culling you don't deserve to be in the business in the first place.

And one does not have to look far in the world to see how an abundance of White Sharks could be used to drive a tourism boom. Anyone heard of South Africa? Animals as spectacular as these are assets, its pretty weak for someone to be saying we've got a problem losing tourists because we've got too many of one of the most iconic species on the planet thriving in its natural habitat. Thats called an opportunity, not a curse.

 

[Tom Hamilton]

Trevor, I can cite numerous examples around the world where the presence of large numbers of sharks attract huge tourism $$$, the mystique of the White and Tiger sharks are one of the most powerful draws. To suggest killing them helps tourism leaves me speechless. As a side note, this particular Tiger was a real sweetheart, posed for the camera numerous times, never once became threatening. All a matter of perception really...

[/URL] F005_C068_1128FI by Red Sea Pictures, on Flickr[/IMG]

 

[Trevor Emmerson]

Looks a lot like a shark I saw take a few shells to the head on the news today. I think its worth repeating that Tiger sharks have been implicated in none of the attacks we've had in WA, but are likely to suffer heavier losses than GWS due their greater numbers and scavenging nature.

 

[Trevor Emmerson]

If there was a cage diving industry here people would be lining up around the block to learn to scuba dive, and flying in from all over the world to catch a glimpse of the worlds deadliest predator. But over the years the government has repeatedly rejected applications to license such operations.

 

[Tom Hamilton]

Discovery Channel's Shark Week is an immensely popular broadcast here in America, huge money maker for the network, the Great White features in the majority of the week-long programming.

 

[Ketch Rossi]

BTW...

 

[Wayne Morellini]

That is a shocking thought Marc, if this cull is just a cover-up for a profitable finning operation, someone needs to follow the money trail, definitely needs to be exposed. Question for the Oz mates here; who is considered to be the most aggressive investigative reporter in Australia, and has s/he been contacted?

There are a lot of Jerks, not worth it. But 60 minutes might have a aggressive reporter, they used to have Richard Carlton before he died (famous for bashing African security/police or something, with his umbrella when they interfered with his mono shot outside the gates of an oficial residence.. But if you want non aggressive balance, 4 corners is the way to go, but though I suspect they are already doing a story, you are unlikely to attract their attention unless there is a real conspiracy, they are the cream of the crop here.

I think it would be wrong to waste the carcass. They are unlikely to recover costs by finning.

 

[Tom Hamilton]

I think it would be wrong to waste the carcass. They are unlikely to recover costs by finning.

An unsavory trade with unsavory characters, and very profitable, this from Wiki;

According to Ramsay, shark finning in Costa Rica is "A multi-billion dollar industry, completely unregulated. We traced some of the biggest culprits to Costa Rica. These gangs operate from places like forts, with barbed wire and gun towers."[4] In response to poor incomes and pressure, local fisherman are forced into harvesting shark fins, despite only getting about one dollar per pound on an average, less than a third of its total retail value.[5] Corrupt politicians are silenced with a fee to ignore government regulations.[6] The practice involves sharks being caught by a horizontal drag line with many baited hooks, known as longline fishing. According to biologist Jorge Ballestero of the Costa Rican Sea Turtle Restoration Project (Pretoma) “Costa Rica has become intricately linked to this trade for two reasons: It has the biggest longliner fleet in the hemisphere, and it allows international vessels dedicated to the exploitation and trade of shark fins to land here.”[3]

The Taiwanese mafia dominate the shark finning industry in Costa Rica, although Indonesian gangs also have a foothold in the market.[3] The Taiwanese and Indonesian mafia operate private docks in the Puntarenas area, notably Inversiones Cruz Dock and Harezan Dock and several others where some 95% of all catches are brought in, transported by truck to San José and flown mostly to Hong Kong.[3] According to the Costa Rican customs adviser Omar Jiminez, at least three boats full of shark fins enter the ports in Puntarenas every week.[7]Kaohsiung in Taiwan is one of the biggest ports in the world for importing shark fins. They are brought in from overseas and are placed out to dry in the sun on residential rooftops near the port.

However, it should be noted that various shark cartilage industries in the country exist, depending on the import of cartilages from other countries.[8][9] Costa Rica is mentioned as one such country where a leading processing plant is said to be purchasing raw cartilages from any source in the world to carry out semi or primary processing before exporting it, particularly to the USA.[9] The USA then markets it worldwide in the processed shark cartilage powder form, in four or five brand names.[9]

 

[Ketch Rossi]

Shark Fins, go for $350 to $500 per POUND with some exceptional HIGHER pre ices, especially the dried ones... This is what drives this absolute disastrous overbruatiliztion of the killing of Sharks every were...

Each boat load can be worth MILLIONS!!

Just google Shark Fin drying Hong Kong rooftops and look at the images that pop up... SICK!!

 

[Ted Parkes]

I read more people die from Coconuts falling on their head each year then shark attacks on Scuba Divers. Surfers are another story. I have been diving for many years .. all over the world and encountered sharks on many of the dives but would never do a Shark dive that involved chumming the water.. Its just wrong!

 

[Marc Thorpe]

The numbers are huge indeed in this insidious industry but it's not the fishermen who benefit, far from it. I've spent a month or so recently to shoot a pilot and get some stock photography of the issues around Indonesia. The place is lawless but I managed to work my way in with some local characters on the island of Lombok. Am planning a return to shoot the main project later this year. There are aspects of the project that I won't discuss due to having stumbled into something which, for this neck of the woods, hasn't been documented yet.

This is not an item to demonize the fishermen themselves, more the industry that forces their hand.

Cheers,
Mark.