‘Large, dangerous’ sharks set for release in State Govt trial

Dozens of large and dangerous sharks are set to be released off four popular Queensland beaches following a legal victory by greenies.

‘Catch and release’ shark control equipment will be trialled on four Queensland beaches after greenies took the Palaszczuk Government to court and won.

The government has been forced into the trial after the culling of sharks in the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park was effectively banned two years ago.

Baited drumlines in the marine park were pulled up in 2019 after the government lost an appeal in a Federal Court case brought by Humane Society International against the state’s shark control program.

Large sharks will be caught and released under the new trial.

Fisheries Minister Mark Furner warned at the time that the ‘catch-and-release’ approach would expose Capricorn Coast beachgoers to dozens of large and dangerous sharks which were being caught on the drumlines.

The equipment was later reinstalled but the Administrative Appeals Tribunal ordered the government to trial ‘smart’ drumlines, which send an alert to Fisheries officers when a shark is hooked, so it can be released.

Several people were mauled by sharks on the Great Barrier Reef following the tribunal ruling, one fatally.

Mr Furner said the ‘catch alert’ drumline trial would begin at Mullambin Beach, Tanby Point, Fishermans Beach and Emu Park Beach this month and run until mid-2022.

“These drumlines work the same way as traditional drumlines but have a satellite-linked GPS communications unit which send a real-time alert allowing a rapid response to attend to

a captured animal,” Mr Furner said.

Deckhand Josh Pols baits a shark drum line off the Gold Coast. Photo: Lyndon Mechielsen/The Australian

“We’ll be replacing some of the existing traditional drumlines at these locations, but overall,

the same number of drumlines will remain in place at each beach.

“Because the catch alert drumlines enable contractors to respond rapidly when an animal is

captured, they will help improve the chances of releasing captured animals alive where safe

and appropriate to do so.

“We need to assess the performance of catch alert drumlines for possible future use in the

Federal Government-controlled Great Barrier Reef Marine Park, where our permit

to operate requires us to avoid, to the greatest extent possible, the lethal take of sharks.”

A Great White caught off Maroochydore as part of the State Government’s Shark Control Program

Mr Furner said human life and safety remained the government’s ‘number one priority’ and there would be no changes to the shark control program on state-controlled beaches.

“Neither traditional drumlines nor catch alert drumlines provide an impenetrable barrier

between humans and sharks,” he said.

“Traditional drumlines target dangerous sharks to reduce the risk to people in the water at popular beaches.”

Mr Furner said the government would seek community feedback on the trial.