Extra shark drum lines added on The Strand after ones at Magnetic Island pulled due to laws

Extra shark protection measures will be deployed off The Strand in Townsville, just days after the State Government pulled dozens of drum lines from around the region.

EXTRA shark protection measures will be deployed off The Strand in Townsville, days after the State Government pulled dozens of drum lines from around the region.

Fisheries Minister Mark Furner will today announce three drum lines will be added off the Strand, bringing the total number to 12.

It comes after a shock court decision last week caused the State Government to remove all shark drum lines from within the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park area, including 42 off the beaches of Magnetic Island and 3 off Pallarenda.

But according to latest available figures, a total of three sharks were caught on drum lines off the Strand in 2017 including a 2.2 metre tiger shark which was euthanised in December.

A total of 39 sharks were caught in the 45 shark drum lines around Magnetic Island and off Pallarenda Beach between January and May, including 13 tiger sharks and 7 bull sharks.

New restrictions means sharks caught on drum lines in the reef marine park area that were still alive would need to be released.

The LNP have criticised the State Government for pulling the drum lines and for demanding Federal counterparts make immediate legislative changes.

The LNP have instead suggested deploying technologically superior shark drum lines that would have been allowed under the new rules.

Mr Furner said that the government was committed to trialling alternatives but didn’t believe that SMART drum lines, which have been trialled in other states, were appropriate in the Great Barrier Reef.

“In these trials, sharks can be relocated offshore safely but in much of Queensland’s north, releasing sharks offshore is potentially dangerous because many of these areas are important tourism destinations used by swimmers or other water users,” he said.

The additional equipment, according to Mr Furner, is to ensure swimmer safety by increasing protection measures at beaches where the measure is allowed.

Townsville MP Scott Stewart said the three extra drum lines was a sign the government was “100 per cent committed” to swimmer safety.

According to latest available figures, a total of three sharks were caught on drum lines off the Strand in 2017 including a 2.2 metre tiger shark which was euthanised in December.

A total of 39 sharks were caught in the 45 shark drum lines around Magnetic Island and off Pallarenda Beach between January and May, including 13 tiger sharks and 7 bull sharks.

Originally published as Extra shark drum lines added on The Strand after ones at Magnetic Island pulled due to laws