The document summarizes Western Australia's shark culling policy which aims to reduce shark attacks by deploying drum lines to catch and kill sharks over 3 meters. It has faced global outrage for targeting protected great white sharks. Critics argue non-lethal deterrents would be safer and that humans should take precautions in shark habitats rather than culling sharks, which are important to ocean ecosystems. The policy was introduced by Premier Colin Barnett after recent fatal attacks, despite scientists' warnings against lethal measures.

1. Everything
you need to
know about
the Western
Australian
Shark Culling
bill.
www.animalsaustralia.org -

2. Contents
•
A brief history
•
What are drumlines?
•
What does the culling
bill entail?
•
The Premiers behind
the policy
•
Global Response
•
Environmental
Damage
•
How to help
www.australiansforanimals.org.au
www.greenleft.org.au

3. A brief history
•
In the last few years, Western Australia has had several shark
attacks off its coastline.
•
July 2012: Ben Linden (24) was attacked while surfing 135 km
north of Perth.
•
Aug 2012: A Bond University study was published. The WA was
recognised as a hotspot for shark migration. potential shark
hazard mitigation measures for WA were published. The report
was against the use of drum lines.
•
Nov 2013: Chris Boyd (35) was attacked by a shark, believed
to be a Great White. He was surfing at the popular surf break
Umbries. A "catch and kill" order was issued to kill the shark.
•
Dec 2013: More than 100 shark scientists signed an open letter
to the WA Government requesting for non-lethal measures in
order to protect humans that would mean investing in more
shark research and monitoring.

4. What are
drumlines?
•
A drum line is an unmanned
aquatic trap used to lure and
capture large sharks using
baited hooks. (Wikipedia)
•
They are usually placed near
beaches known for swimming
and other waterborne activities
to minimise the shark population
in the area and, in turn,
incidents of shark attacks.
•
Drum lines are often used with
shark nets (which protect by
enclosing the swimming areas)
and have been effective in
catching the Great White Tiger
and Bull shark species.
•
Image: www.watoday.com.au

5. What does the Shark Culling policy
entail?
•
It authorises and funds the deployment
of drum lines. The drum lines are baited,
mid-water hooks that are able to catch
and kill Great White, Bull and Tiger
sharks. Any sharks found hooked, alive
and measuring over 3 m in length must
be killed and disposed of in the sea.
The rationale behind the policy is to
reduce the amount of sharks in the
areas where humans are most likely to
be after there were 7 fatal shark
attacks off the WA coast in the last
three years. Australia's Federal
Environment Minister, Greg Hunt,
allowed the WA Government a
temporary exemption from national
environment laws protecting Great
Whites for the policy to be
implemented.
•
The use of 72 drum limes to bait
and hook large sharks in WA
(western Australian) waters was
implemented in January.
sharkhugger.tumblr.com

6. The Premiers behind the
Shark Culling Policy
•
The policy was developed and led
by Premier Colin Barnett and
Fisheries Minister, Troy Buswell
(since replaced by Ken Baston).
Colin Barnett: theconversation.com
Ken Baston: www.getfarming.com.au
Troy Buswell:
www.watoday.com.au

7. Response
•
The response has been
one of worldwide outrage
and protest to sharks being
brutally killed as a solution
to attacks rather than
working on policies to
reduce human activity in
the areas. The policy also
states that any sharks
larger than 3m on the WA
coast must be hunted and
killed by professional
fishermen, funded by the
WA government.
http://www.theguardian.com/

8. Thousands gathered at events
around Australia in Perth, Manly,
New South Wales, Adelaide,
Melbourne, Hobart and Broome.
Protests were also held in New
Zealand and South Africa.

9. The environmental damage caused by
the policy.
•
The target of the policy is to
kill Great Whites who are
already on the IUCN Red List
as "vulnerable".
•
Besides sharks, other marine
life are being killed by the
drumlines.
•
Great Whites are apex
predators needed to
balance the ocean’s food
chain and seal population.
•
“The outcome is
inevitable: the great white,
now down to an estimated
3,500 individuals, will move
from being “vulnerable to
extinction” to
“endangered with
extinction”, to extinct”
-Bob Brown,
theguardian.com, Friday 7
February 2014 00.50 GMT

10. Heard from around the
world:
•
“The ocean isn’t a hotel swimming pool, it’s a wild place ... we
don’t have an unassailable right to feel safe in the ocean, we
can’t just exterminate every animal that we see as being
dangerous.”
-
shark expert Chris Black
•
“We can't exterminate every creature we believe dangerous.
We need to modify our behaviour and take into account
dangerous creatures exist and should be allowed to prosper in
their own habitat.” - http://www.themercury.com.au/

11. Celebrities who are against the culling policy include
Kelly Slater, Ricky Gervais, Richard Branson and Stephen
Fry.
sharkdivers.blogspot.com
www.veggiefans.net
www.theguardian.com

12. What you can do to help save the
sharks:
•
Sign the petition to end the
cull and use the money to
fund shark conservation and
research:
•
Educate yourself and your
loved ones about the
importance of sharks and
their place in the ocean.
•
http://ccwa.org.au/action/n
o-shark-cull-wa
•
Support shark-oriented
businesses:
•
Do not eat shark fin soup or
buy shark curios such as
teeth or jaws.
•
Shark cage diving is a great
way to learn about sharks
and see for yourself how
magnificent they are:
•
http://www.sharkbookings.co
m/shark-trips/great-whiteshark-cage-diving/

13. Shark Bookings in Gansbaai: a
unforgettable adventure.
Call us now: +27 82 466 4519 or Email us:
enquiries@sharkbookings.com