Culling sharks is good for Queensland tourism, state government says

SHARK culling in the Great Barrier Reef helps bolster the state’s tourism industry and is vital in the public perception of the reef’s safety, the state government says.

SHARK killing in the Great Barrier Reef helps bolster the states tourism industry and is vital in the public perception of the reef’s safety, according to the state government.

The ongoing legal challenge by conservationists from Humane Society International against the Queensland Government and the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority entered its final day with oral submissions given before the tribunal.

Humane Society International drum lines to cost $100k a day

Should we cull sharks or is there another way to keep people safe?

Not safe to go back in the water

Issues of shark education and public perception has been the forefront of the debate surrounding Queensland’s controversial shark cull program.

The Administrative Appeals Tribunal is receiving written submissions by the respective parties involved and will make a decision in the next coming months.

The State Government told the court that a shark cull program creates a perception of a safe marine park, helping to support the economic importance the reef plays to the state economy.

The State Government told the court that a shark cull program creates a perception of a safe marine park. Picture: Glenn Barnes

The reef brings in “$5.2 billion” into Queensland, and the UNESCO world heritage site is a major draw card for domestic and international tourists.

State Government also argued that there was not enough data to say that smart drum lines are more effective than traditional methods of shark mitigation programs, like the one that is established in Queensland since 1962.

The court heard that new technology did not have adequate historical data to prove that they will reduce shark encounters, and what may work in other parts of the world may not be appropriate for the reef.

Environmentalists are arguing that culling sharks threatens the biodiversity of the reef, and that there is no evidence that killing the apex predator will lower the probability of an attack.

The court was told that shark encounters are “random” and culling them would not necessarily make swimmers safer at Queensland beaches.

Conservationists also expressed concern that the these programs are threatening the existence of the reef’s Tiger Shark population which has decreased by 64 per cent, according to Humane Society International.

The group are advocating for a non lethal program with a catch and release program, combined with a government led tagged monitoring system.

Non lethal shark management programs have been set up in New South Wales and South Africa, using new technology to track and lessen the chance of shark attacks.