❓ A parliamentary question from Hon Ken Travers regarding the Western Australian government's shark mitigation program, specifically the deployment of baited drum lines, costs, and rationale for targeting tiger sharks. The Minister's response provides details on the program's implementation and justification.
AnsweredQoN 106Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
SHARK DRUM LINE PROGRAM
106. Hon KEN TRAVERS to the
Minister for Fisheries:
I refer to the government's shark mitigation program.
(1) What method was used to determine 72 as the correct
number of baited drum lines to be deployed?
(2) How many
target sharks over three metres of each species did the government plan to
catch this summer and how many have been caught to date?
(3) What is
the estimated cost of a full summer of operation based on the costs incurred so
far this summer?
(4) Of the seven fatal shark attacks in the past three years,
how many involved a tiger shark?
(5) Upon what research did the government base its decision
to include tiger sharks in this program?
106. Hon KEN TRAVERS to the
Minister for Fisheries:
I refer to the government's shark mitigation program.
(1) What method was used to determine 72 as the correct
number of baited drum lines to be deployed?
(2) How many
target sharks over three metres of each species did the government plan to
catch this summer and how many have been caught to date?
(3) What is
the estimated cost of a full summer of operation based on the costs incurred so
far this summer?
(4) Of the seven fatal shark attacks in the past three years,
how many involved a tiger shark?
(5) Upon what research did the government base its decision
to include tiger sharks in this program?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the honourable member for some notice of the
question.
(1) The
government committed to the use of up to 72 baited drum lines on the basis of
coastline to be covered, the need for a less extensive program than the over
300 drum lines in place in Queensland, and materials available for the
construction of the drum lines, specifically the specially designed hook, to
minimise bycatch as far as possible, which was not readily available.
(2) A number
was not identified on the basis that this program had not previously been
implemented in Western Australia and therefore it would have been impossible to
identify this number in advance.
(3) The
deployment of drum lines in the south west commenced on 25 January 2014 and it
is anticipated that the full cost for 2013–14 will be approximately
$500 000. On this basis, and pending the review to be undertaken following the
initial implementation of the program, the costs for 2014–15 are likely
to be in the range of $1 million to $1.3 million. As for the metropolitan
deployment of drum lines, a final cost for 2013–14 will be determined
at the end of the initial implementation and this, along with the costs
associated with the south west deployment, will inform us what the indicative
costs are for 2014–15.
Hon Ken Travers : Sorry—you don't have an
idea?
Hon KEN BASTON : It has not been done before. This is it.
We are doing it now.
(4) Of the
seven fatalities in Western Australia in the past three years, it is understood
that several were confirmed white shark attacks and the remainder were
suspected white shark attacks. However, tiger sharks have been associated with
shark attacks in Western Australia and fatalities in the rest of Australia.
(5) Tiger
sharks are clearly recognised by shark scientists and researchers as one of the
species most responsible for shark attacks around the world and in Western
Australia. They are prevalent along the Western Australian coast and known for
their aggressiveness.
question.
(1) The
government committed to the use of up to 72 baited drum lines on the basis of
coastline to be covered, the need for a less extensive program than the over
300 drum lines in place in Queensland, and materials available for the
construction of the drum lines, specifically the specially designed hook, to
minimise bycatch as far as possible, which was not readily available.
(2) A number
was not identified on the basis that this program had not previously been
implemented in Western Australia and therefore it would have been impossible to
identify this number in advance.
(3) The
deployment of drum lines in the south west commenced on 25 January 2014 and it
is anticipated that the full cost for 2013–14 will be approximately
$500 000. On this basis, and pending the review to be undertaken following the
initial implementation of the program, the costs for 2014–15 are likely
to be in the range of $1 million to $1.3 million. As for the metropolitan
deployment of drum lines, a final cost for 2013–14 will be determined
at the end of the initial implementation and this, along with the costs
associated with the south west deployment, will inform us what the indicative
costs are for 2014–15.
Hon Ken Travers : Sorry—you don't have an
idea?
Hon KEN BASTON : It has not been done before. This is it.
We are doing it now.
(4) Of the
seven fatalities in Western Australia in the past three years, it is understood
that several were confirmed white shark attacks and the remainder were
suspected white shark attacks. However, tiger sharks have been associated with
shark attacks in Western Australia and fatalities in the rest of Australia.
(5) Tiger
sharks are clearly recognised by shark scientists and researchers as one of the
species most responsible for shark attacks around the world and in Western
Australia. They are prevalent along the Western Australian coast and known for
their aggressiveness.
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