Since seven people have been killed in shark attacks off the coast of Western Australia the government has implemented a controversial culling program.
The government program uses hooked lines attached to floating drums to capture sharks so they can later be killed.
Australia’s federal environment minister granted Western Australia an exemption under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act which has allowed them to hunt sharks like the normally protected Great White.
Conservationists are obviously upset, with a Sea Shepherd (the famous anti-whaling vessel) spokesperson saying:
“To think this shark had been in the water for 12 hours, possibly with a big bleeding hook in its mouth suffering, is just ridiculous.”
Though any animal dying is pretty awful, people being killed by animals is worse.
Western Australia’s premier, Colin Barnett, said:
“I get no pleasure from seeing sharks killed, but I have an overriding responsibility to protect the people of Western Australia, and that’s what I’m doing.”
Apparently his words are falling on deaf ears: activists have been removing bait from the government fishing lines.
Thankfully, the Western Australia Department of Fisheries is working on a system of tagging and satellite tracking sharks.
That means near real time shark warnings could be available in the future! That certainly seems better than just killing them all!!
Way to go, Western Australia!
[Image via WENN.]
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