Story by Coastal Watch.
Read Coastal Watch’s full story here
IN A FRESH perspective of the shark net debate, Coastal Watch senior writer, Nick Carroll, has called for an end to the panic that has surrounded the issue.
In his feature article, Nick asks: “SHARK NETS – What do they do? What don’t they? Some facts and figures on the shark meshing program and what Ballina locals can expect from it.
“Last week, after two shark attacks in ten days off Ballina’s beaches, NSW Premier Mike Baird announced a six-month trial of meshing this suddenly very dangerous piece of coastline.
“The announcement came on top of other measures, “smart” drumlines, tagging, and sonar buoys, in a further attempt to reduce a dramatic increase in attacks on local surfers and swimmers.
“It inspired relief among many of Ballina’s surfers and businesspeople, who’ve been dreading the news of another fatal attack and its potential effect on the town — yet it also raised angst among green-thinking people, who dislike the idea of sharks and other sea life dying in human-laid traps.
“Indeed, the whole idea of “shark nets” seems to press some serious buttons for everyone.
“But beyond the relief and the angst: what IS meshing? What does it do? What are its effects on marine life, and on human encounters with big sharks?
Nick went on to say that Coastal Watch has obtained a range of documents that give a full picture of shark meshing programs in both Australian and foreign waters over the past 80 years, since meshing was first introduced off Sydney’s beaches in 1937. We also talked with Liz Volep, author of an honours thesis on bycatch in the southern Queensland shark control program, which has been in existence since the 1950s.