Drum lines officially removed from Reef beaches

All shark control equipment has been removed from 27 beaches in the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park, the Fisheries Minister has confirmed.

DRUMLINES have officially been removed from 27 beaches in the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park.

Fisheries Mark Furner issued a statement this afternoon confirming all shark control equipment had been removed, following the Federal Court’s decision this week to uphold the Human Society International’s legal challenge to stop sharks being euthanised in the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park.

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“The new conditions under Federal law would turn the Shark Control program from a ‘catch and remove’ program to a ‘catch and release’ program,” Mr Furner said.

“Our contractors and staff are neither trained nor equipped to handle live sharks, tow them away from where they are caught and then to release them alive.

“We’re talking about sharks here, not whiting. You can’t just kiss them on the nose and throw them back.”

Mr Furner renewed his calls for swift action from the Federal Government to change Federal Laws to allow the return of the drum lines.

“There is no time to waste here. We need to get this equipment back in the water as soon as possible,” Mr Furner said.

“This can be fixed quickly and legally by the Federal Government changing its laws and allowing our Shark Control Program back in to the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park.”

Deputy Opposition Leader Tim Mander described the removal of the drumlines as “grossly irresponsible”.

He insisted the Government should have increased funding to enable them to be monitored more often instead.

“The Palaszczuk Labor Government’s decision to remove drum lines is playing politics with the safety of Queenslanders and is grossly irresponsible,” he said.

“The court didn’t tell Labor to take out the drumlines, Labor chose to do it.

“The drumlines are legal if they are regularly monitored and sharks are removed quickly.

“Labor should put more resources into this program right now, not use the decision as an excuse to scrap it.”

Earlier, the Minister said it was imperatiive drum lines were reinstated amid fears of flow-on effects limiting shark defences in the rest of Queensland.

It comes after a federal court’s ruling to remove shark drum lines at the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park, rejecting the State Government’s appeal earlier this week.

Minister for Agricultural Industry Development and Fisheries Mark Furner has said it’s ‘imperative’ that shark drum lines are reinstated after the federal court’s ruling to remove them in the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park. Picture: Stewart McLean

“It is imperative that initiatives in terms of introducing federal legislation to make sure our drum lines going back into the waters occurs because it is a program that works and served Queensland well since 1962,” Minister Furner said at Brisbane markets on Friday.

The Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries said he is now seeking “urgent” action.

“I’m seeking urgent briefings from my department of the potential flow on effect as a result of what might occur of this decision going outside of the Great Barrief Reef Marine Park,” he told The Courier-Mail.

Environment Minister Sussan Ley previously said Queensland can take measures to immediately protect swimmers after the drum lines removal.

Minister Furner slammed her comments saying “that is not the case.”

“We have been handed down a cruel blow by the federal court that was a result of the Humane Society International’s application to remove the drum lines from the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park.

“By doing that it has not only put swimmers in danger, it has also put our staff and contractors that service those drum lines in danger by that decision...”

Minister Furner said he “encouraged” the federal minister to reinstall the drum lines over a teleconference on Thursday.

“That’s why we have pressed the federal government to change the legislation to allow us to continue an operation that has been well established...” he said.

He now called for Queenslanders to take precautions by swimming in patrolled beaches and following the Smart Shark Initiative. swim safely in patrolled beaches.

“I encourage people to swim in safe conditions by swimming in patrolled beaches (...)

“Don’t swim outside in the hours of dawn or dusk. Don’t swim in dirty waters or with pets and animals. But also importantly make you swim in locations that are patrolled by our excellent surf life saving club of Queensland,” he said.