Shark net cull call by Greens

THE BOOK CLUB P55 THE lives of two dolphins and four sea turtles is the price of keeping Gold Coast beaches safe from sharks, according to figures released by Fisheries Queensland.

The animals were caught in nets or on baited hooks placed off the city’s beaches to snare passing sharks.

According to the figures, 21 marine creatures including the dolphins and turtles were unintentionally killed by the nets and drum lines in the past 12 months.

The figures come after the Bulletin earlier this week revealed the nets trapped 44 dangerous sharks, including nine great whites and eight tigers, both known man-eaters.

Queensland Greens Senator Larissa Waters labelled the controversial nets ineffective “killing fields” and marine scientists have called for different methods to protect swimmers from shark attacks.

A university marine ecologist has also told boardriders it is up to them to stay safe in the water, rather than expecting the government to do it for them.

Senator Waters said there was no evidence that drum lines worked to deter sharks or protect swimmers.

“Actually we’ve seen that distressed animals caught on drum lines can attract predators,” she said.

“The Queensland Government should urgently explore the effective, ecologically sensitive alternatives to nets and drum lines, which protect swimmers without being bycatch killing fields for our iconic marine wildlife.”

Southern Cross University marine ecologist Daniel Bucher said because most shark attack victims were surfers, it was up to them to keep themselves safe.

While the technology was not 100 per cent effective, repellents including electric fields could be a solution, he said.

“Electric fields can act like there is someone yelling in the shark’s ear – although if a sixmetre great white decides to attack, there’s not much you can do,” he said.

“What I’m putting forward is instead of using shark nets and drum lines, we should encourage people to look at other methods that put the onus back on the boardriders.”

Wildlife activists Sea Shepherd earlier this week released footage showing a baby dolphin struggling for life after being hooked in the chest by a drum line.

Sea World’s Trevor Long said the now-blinded animal, named Kyra, took six months to recover.