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❓ A parliamentary question challenges the scientific basis for deploying drum lines to reduce great white shark attacks in WA, questioning their effectiveness given shark behaviour and comparing them to Queensland's approach. The Minister defends the decision based on past fatalities and the perceived success of drum lines elsewhere.

AnsweredQoN 699Legislative Council

Asked

18 February 2014

Member

Hon Lynn MacLaren

Portfolio

Fisheries

QuestionView source ↗

(1) Will the Minister please list all of the sources of scientific research that the Department of Fisheries is aware of to demonstrate that the deployment of drum lines off the coast of Western Australia will reduce attacks on humans by great white sharks? (2) Is the Minister aware that the bull shark is the main species of shark considered a threat to swimmers and surfers off the coast of Queensland where drum lines are currently used? (3) Is the Minister aware that great white sharks are highly mobile, capable of travelling 100 kilometres in 24 hours, whereas research shows that bull sharks are generally found in warm shallow coastal and estuarine waters and are territorial, rather than migratory? (4) Is the Minister aware that because of the highly migratory, as opposed to territorial, behaviour of great white sharks, most shark scientists doubt that the deployment of drum lines off the coast of Western Australia will be effective in reducing fatal attacks on humans by great white sharks?

AnswerView source ↗

Answered

13 March 2014

Responded by

Minister for Fisheries

Response time

23 days

(1)The Government's decision to implement the new Shark Hazard Mitigation Strategy was made on the basis of the seven shark fatalities in Western Australia over the past three years and the successful use of drum lines in Queensland and Natal over a number of decades.
(2)Yes
(3)Yes
(4)The Government's decision is based, in part, on the successful use of drum lines in Queensland and Natal.

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