FishDoc said..
After 50 years surfing and diving in the Perth metro area and 30 years working as a marine biologist in WA, I am tired of hearing so much ill-informed rhetoric regarding sharks. So here are the facts as I see them. Sharks were rare during the 70's-80's, whaling had reduced the food available, there was a large commercial shark fishery providing fillets to fish and chip shops and when shark alarms sounded surfclubs rowed out to the shark, if it did not move away from the area the bowman attached a harpoon to the boat reel and the shark was speared and towed to shore.
After the 90's several things happened, whaling had ceased and the migration recommenced along our coast followed once again by large sharks, surfboats changed to IRB's which necessitated the removal of the harpoon for obvious reasons, the shark fishery ceased due to heavy metal concerns in their flesh.
In the 2000's Ken Crew was taken just meters from the shore and people became alarmed. They wanted something done, but a new vocal group arose that demanded protection for sharks citing that the ocean was their territory. In response government protected Great whites in 1999, implemented a non-lethal strategy of tagging sharks and producing a shark smart app so people would know where tagged sharks were. This was later supplemented with subsidised shark deterrent devices, drones and ocean barriers.
So here we are in 2021 and what have we gained. We know roughly where 120 tagged great whites are (about 10% of the adult population), but have no idea where thousands of other sharks are. We know the shark deterrent devices work, but only when the shark comes to within 2 m of you. We know drones and planes can spot sharks up to 3m below the water surface, but cannot see those lurking deeper. We know barriers work until they break under the unrelenting ocean surge. We know surfers and divers are still being killed by sharks.
What do we need to do. Firstly, we need to get rid of this hypocritical idea that the ocean is their territory, if you believe this, then recognise that where you live was originally Dugite or Tiger snake territory, so let them live inside your house and coil up on your bed. Secondly, we need to understand that sharks are fish. Everyday tons of fish are caught both commercially and recreationally off our coast. But for some reason killing a shark that has recently attacked a person is not acceptable. Thirdly, shark deterrent devices need to be critically reviewed, I cannot understand how a shark, the length and weight of a car without brakes, that is moving into attack a surfer at 40-50 km/h, will stop within the 2m distance between when it senses the electrical field before it hits the human. What is needed is a deterrent that works before the shark starts to move in for a kill, or preferably makes the shark avoid the area entirely.
FishDoc, trying not to be a bitch as a local leader of shark huggers are us......but
You are a marine biologist, given the above in bold I take it shark behavior wasn't your field. And the snake analogy sort of invalidates your understanding of environments along with the territory thing really isnt a great look.
Still totally agree re the progressing of deterrents.
Still, good to hear your comments no doubt another raging shark debate will continue
And the waves were better too.
