Australia’s shark culling policy begins amid environmental outrage

Western Australian government officials on Monday justified a contentious new state government culling policy aimed at curbing fatal shark attacks, a day after the first shark was killed off the west Australian coast.      

The Western Australia government on Saturday began placing baited hooks on drum lines off popular beaches in the state capital Perth and to the south to kill white, bull and tiger sharks over three meters (10 feet) long.                  

The policy is a response to seven fatal shark attacks in Australia's southwest in three years.                  

"The policy will be rolled out as we have a responsibility to protect, where we can, people who use beaches," Transport Minister Troy Buswell told reporters on Monday.                 

The first shark was killed by a government-contracted commercial fisherman on Sunday morning off Castle Rock near the town of Dunsborough, 250 kilometers (155 miles) south of Perth.                           

The shark was longer than three meters (10 feet) and was one of the three targeted species, according to a government spokesman. Once the fisherman had confirmed with fishing authorities that the shark was the required species and size, he shot it and dumped the carcass at sea. The policy has divided the community since it was announced several weeks ago and led to thousands of people demonstrating on Perth beaches against the shark cull.

Activists have threatened to sabotage the drum lines and threatened one fisherman who had accepted a government contract to catch sharks off Perth. He pulled out, citing the threats.

The federal government last week gave state authorities a special exemption from environmental laws to kill white sharks, a protected species. Environmentalists argue that there is no evidence that the cull will reduce shark attacks.        

They argue it could even increase the shark danger by giving water users a false sense of security.       

Jeff Hansen, a spokesman for marine conservation group Sea Shepherd, said the drum lines would make the situation worse.                     

"They're bringing sharks closer to the shore, they are tracking them in, dumping the bodies out to sea, once again bringing more sharks into the area," Hansen said.        
On Sunday, State Premier Colin Barnett was heckled by members of the public over the shark's death as he officiated at a citizenship ceremony in Perth. But he justified the policy to reporters, saying he hoped it would "reduce the risk to beachgoers".      


AP