Nine deadly man-eaters caught off our beaches

JUST nine sharks of the three “man-eater” species were caught off Gold Coast beaches in 2017, according to Queensland Shark Control Program figures obtained by the Bulletin.

A great white, two bulls and six tiger sharks ranging from 1.7m to 2.5m were among the 35 targeted predators caught off the Gold Coast.

Sea World marine science director Trevor Long said many sharks caught last year were not big enough to be considered dangerous.

“A white shark under two metres isn’t going to be a problem,” Mr Long said.

“If you look at the data, we’ve got 150 sharks under 2m long. Those animals should be released alive.”

On the Gold Coast, 80 nontarget species were caught, which included five dolphins, a humpback whale and a green turtle that died in the nets.

A total of 215 non-target animals were caught across Queensland – an increase on 2016 when fisheries data reported 56 animals were caught across the state.

“What’s also interesting is the amount of target compared to non target, what it identifies is that we pay an awfully high price,” Mr Long said.

Mr Long called on the state Government to work with scientists to find ways to limit the bycatch, a call he said had fallen on deaf ears for decades. He said shark nets could be replaced by drum lines in some areas off the Gold Coast.

He said a 1985 replacement of nets with drum lines at North Stradbroke Island had been successful.

“You could say North Stradbroke is more sharky (than the Gold Coast) because of the offshore reefs and it is closer to the continental shelf,” Mr Long said.

“The nets were removed and replaced with baited hooks.

“We haven’t had an attack at (the island’s) Main Beach or Cylinder Beach since 1985. Now that’s a pretty good record.”