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In
light of the most
recent shark bite fatality
in Western Australia (WA), the WA Government announced
new measures
to reduce the risk of shark attacks.
The measures proposed go significantly beyond that employed anywhere
else in the world.
The proposal includes the
establishment of
monitored areas of the WA coastline
where any shark larger than 3m will be killed if they enter,
including endangered species and species not even considered to be
dangerous to humans.
Given the lack of consultation with shark experts, Dr. Ryan
Kempster, shark biologist and Founder of
Support
Our Sharks,
drafted an
open letter
to the WA Government calling on them to reconsider this policy in
favour of a non-lethal approach to shark management. The letter has
since gathered the support of over 100 shark scientists and
professionals who work with sharks, all of whom
are opposed to the WA Government’s shark cull policy. In addition,
a public petition,
started by shark biologist Dr. Barbara Wueringer, has since gathered
the support of over 33,000 people opposed to the new policy.
In the open
letter, Dr. Kempster highlights an alternative approach that the WA
Government can take, which involves capturing, transporting and
releasing large sharks offshore and away from popular
beaches and surf breaks,
an approach recently trialled in Recife, Brazil.
This approach has been extremely effective in reducing the
incidence of shark bites in protected areas, but without the
indiscriminate killing of sharks. Furthermore, it is recommended
that such programs should be coordinated by Government fisheries
departments rather than contractors, ensuring a higher level of
transparency and accountability as well as a greater opportunity for
gathering scientific data on shark abundance and species
composition.
Finally, Dr. Kempster
acknowledges the WA Government’s commitment to
improve education and communication of knowledge, and encourages
more efforts to enhance public education and awareness of sharks and
the small risk they pose to human safety.
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