Shark drumlines removal has led to surge in Far North shark sightings

Far Northern lifesavers are blaming a surge of shark sightings and beach closures in the region on an ill-fated government decision. HAVE YOUR SAY

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FAR Northern lifesavers blame a surge of shark sightings and beach closures in North Queensland on the ill-fated decision to remove baited drumlines.

Local identities fear the latest spike in shark activity poses a threat to human safety and the tourism industry.

“They need to put those drumlines back in right now,’’ Cairns councillor Brett Olds, a volunteer lifesaver, said.

Yorkeys Knob local Harley Lyons swims at the beach every week, and believes that its unlikely that a shark would attack swimmers. PICTURE: BRENDAN RADKE

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“It’s not panic, it’s common sense.

“Why dice with death?”

Eight patrolled beaches have been closed because of sharks at Port Douglas, Cairns, Townsville and Magnetic Island since the removal of drumlines just over 20 days ago.

On Sunday, a giant hammerhead shark swam about 10m off the beach through a patrolled area at Yorkeys Knob.

Signs stored under the Yorkeys Knob Surf Lifesaving hut warning of sea snakes, crocodiles and sharks. PICTURE: BRENDAN RADKE

About 28 swimmers, most of them children, had to be called from the water and the beach shut for an hour.

The same day an almost 3m-long shark was caught by fishers off Palm Cove jetty.

Palm Cove Surf Life Saving Club vice-president Rob Pattinson said there was heightened anxiety about the looming shark threat.

“We didn’t expect to see this increase in shark numbers so quickly,” Mr Pattinson said.

“We’ve rarely had to close beaches because of sharks.

A Department of Fisheries sign that has been installedat Yorkeys Knob this week. PICTURE: BRENDAN RADKE

“Now we’ve got big signs up on the lifeguard huts warning of stingers, crocodiles and sharks. Soon, no-one will go in the water. Why not continue with a shark control program that has worked for more than 60 years?”

The Queensland Government pulled shark drumlines last month on a Federal Court order after a legal challenge to protect sharks in the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park.

Since baited drumlines were introduced in 1962, there’s been only one fatal shark attack at a protected Queensland beach. Prior to that there were 36 recorded cases of shark attack, and 19 deaths, dating back to 1912.

Yorkeys Knob beach was closed to swimmers on Sunday after a hammerhead shark estimated to be 3 metres long was seen swimming close to shore. PICTURE: BRENDAN RADKE

A Surf Life Saving Queensland spokeswoman said they had no evidence of a direct link between drumline removal and shark sightings.

Cairns and FNQ Fishing Group administrator Dan Hammersely said the shark caught off Palm Cove jetty was a 2.7m tawny nurse — a relatively docile species.

But large bull sharks, tiger sharks and other aggressive species were known to frequent the area, he said.

“It’s a big shark to catch. It’s a known shark area. But with protection of sharks it will become an ongoing issue.’’

Originally published as Shark drumlines removal has led to surge in Far North shark sightings