Tiger shark stabbing death off Sunshine Coast beach deemed to be ‘correct procedure’

The repeated stabbing and disembowelling of a tiger shark off a Sunshine Coast beach that was captured in a graphic video has been ruled as “correct procedure” by a Queensland government department investigation.

Animal rights groups have slammed a Queensland government department investigation that has ruled the repeated stabbing and disembowelling of a tiger shark caught off a Sunshine Coast beach was “correct procedure”.

On December 20 last year a 2.8-metre tiger shark caught on a drum line off the Caloundra coast was brutally killed by a contractor as a drone took video footage from above of the animal thrashing around in its death throes.

The footage horrified animal lovers, sparking an internal investigation by the State government’s department of agriculture and fisheries.

However, that review has now concluded, with investigators finding correct procedure was followed and “no further action was required”.

A shark caught on a drum line off Kings Beach in Caloundra was caught on camera being brutally stabbed to death. Photo: Supplied

That ruling has further angered animal groups, with the Envoy Foundation – which lodged an official complaint with the RSPCA, calling the practice barbaric and inhumane.

The technique of “pithing”, essentially jamming a metal object into the brain of an animal to promote a quicker death, is viewed by the CSIRO as the most humane method for euthanising large sharks.

Envoy Foundation founder Andre Borrell said there was nothing “humane” about the tiger shark’s death.

“It took minutes to die, and when all else failed it was eventually cut open and had its heart removed while still alive,” he said.

“If this happened to a land-based animal, it would not get swept under the rug like this.

“Queenslanders would be shocked to see departments investigating themselves and covering for each other like this.”

Tiger sharks are commonly caught in the Queensland shark control program. Picture: iStock

A spokesperson for the RSPCA said the organisation had no powers to investigate the incident further, but continued to call for the end of lethal shark control measures.

“These programs should be using nonlethal methods to deter sharks from high-risk shorelines,” the spokesperson said.

“The target species are being ‘killed’ under a control program and are not being euthanised, a term which is used when death is induced for welfare reasons such as to alleviate suffering.

“The RSPCA believes that there should be a dedicated, independent statutory authority, accountable for overseeing the enforcement of animal welfare legislation and other legislation dealing with the accountability of the public sector.”

A spokesperson for the Queensland department of agriculture and fisheries said “the shark was dealt with in accordance with Shark Control Program protocols”.

“Outside the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park, target shark species are euthanised using a method know as pithing,” the statement said.

“This method is widely considered best practice for euthanising large sharks as the animal is euthanised quickly and as humanely as possible.”

Tiger sharks are commonly caught off Australia’s east coast.

Jonathan Clark, Queensland co-ordinator for Sea Shepherd’s shark defence campaign, said the department’s explanation didn’t stack up.

“There is a clear conflict in Fisheries investigating their own contractors,” he said.

“When a lay person watches that video it’s obvious.

“That shark gets stabbed five times over 50 seconds and it would have felt every one of those wounds.”

He also repeated calls to end the shark control program.

“They are telling us this is standard practice and they are dispatching hundreds of sharks in this way,” he said.

“Our position is to end the program altogether.

“If they have to release sharks in the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park, why not do that everywhere?”