Stop The Cull
What is shark culling?
Shark culling is the selective killing of wild sharks in order to reduce their population size in an attempt to decrease the likelihood of a shark bite on a human. Shark culling programs typically use a combination of nets and drum lines to catch and kill sharks.
The most widespread shark culling method is through the use of
'shark
nets', which are placed around popular beaches to reduce the
number of shark bite incidents. However, these nets do not offer
complete protection, but, instead, work on the principle of "fewer
sharks, fewer attacks". The large mesh size of
the nets is designed specifically to capture sharks and prevent
their escape until, eventually, they drown. Due to boating activity,
the nets float 4m or more below the surface and do not connect
with the shoreline, thus
allowing sharks the opportunity to swim over, under and around the nets.
However, not all shark nets are intended to
kill sharks. Netted beach enclosures were placed along
36 Hong Kong beaches following two clusters of shark bites and
shark hunts in 1993 and 1995. Small rings that make up the nets
limit deaths and by-catch. However, the maintenance of this program
is estimated to be cost-prohibitive for most locations. In contrast,
New South Wales and Queensland in Australia as well as KwaZulu Natal
in South Africa use gill nets which are designed specifically to
cull shark populations.
Why is culling not
a good solution
Between 2008 and 2012, fisheries data
showed that 54 'protected' great white sharks had been killed by the netting
program in NSW and Queensland. The nets also killed 13 endangered
grey nurse sharks during the same period. In addition to sharks,
many other forms of marine life are caught and killed in the nets
including whales, dolphins, dugongs and turtles. Reports show that
the majority of marine life caught and killed in the nets is
overwhelmingly “non-target” species. In
2011 in NSW, 61% of the marine life
killed in the nets was “non-target” species; in
2010, that number was 64%. A 2012
independent report by Bond
University into the
appropriateness of ‘shark’ nets in Western Australia found that “due
to the environmental impacts of shark control activities, it is not
recommended that either shark nets or drum-lines be introduced”. The
negative environmental impacts of shark nets also influenced the
government of
Brazil to rule out their use as a shark
control measure even though they had experienced a
large number of
shark attacks. Additionally, in 2011,
New Zealand chose to remove their shark nets
in light of environmental concerns.
Why are sharks important?
As predators at the pinnacle
of the marine food pyramid, sharks play a critical role in ocean
ecosystems. They regulate the natural balance of these ecosystems at
all levels, and so are an integral part of them. As they usually
hunt old, weak or sick prey, they help to keep these populations in
good condition, allowing the healthy and strong animals to reproduce
and pass on their genes. The effects of removing sharks from our
oceans, although complex and rather unpredictable, can be
ecologically and economically damaging. For example,
studies have
shown increases in normal prey species due to the loss of sharks,
which then decimate commercial stocks and cause entire fisheries to
shut down. Coral abundance declines and is replaced by macroalgae.
Species diversity declines. Ecological chain reactions are set in
motion which cannot be undone. Thus, we should fear a world without
sharks far more than one with them.
What is the solution?
If we really want to make
the public safer, the focus should be on education and research.
Public awareness and education about sharks will stop the hysteria,
stop the media sensationalism and turn public opinion from fear to
acceptance of sharks. The solution is not to kill
anything that poses a threat, it is to educate people on how to
minimise
their own risk. There really needs to be some perspective involved as to the
minute risk we take when we enter the ocean, especially in comparison to other
daily activities which hold a
much higher risk to our health and
wellbeing. With the correct information, we can make a informed
decision as to whether or not we accept the risks involved in entering the
ocean.
In recent years, some countries have recognised
the importance of sharks, affording them extra protection by
establishing sanctuaries. But every time that someone is bitten by a
shark, there are immediate calls for a cull to protect human life,
which acts as a sobering reminder that attitudes towards sharks have
not changed enough. The public, especially the friends and family of
victims, are understandably emotional, but it is at these times that
there is an even greater need for educated decision-making rather
than emotionally-driven retaliatory actions.
Join our campaign to
Stop The Cull
and encourage people to protect sharks and better educate themselves
on how to stay safe in the ocean.
