Tiger shark photos from Coffs Harbour fishing competition spark controversy

Photos emerging from a two-day fishing competition in Coffs Harbour have outraged some groups but event organisers say they are operating within the law.

A photo from the competition showing a large tiger shark hauled in.

Photos emerging from a two-day fishing competition in Coffs Harbour have outraged some groups including the local branch of the Animal Justice Party, which is calling for a halt to such events.

But organisers of the Under Tow Hotcurrent competition say they haven’t broken any laws, and the event brings visitors and income to town.

It is hosted by the Coffs Coast Game and Sport Fishing Club with action centred around the Red C (old deep sea fishing club).

Various prizes were up for grabs on Friday and Saturday including $2,000 for the largest Spanish mackerel.

A photo from the competition showing a large 150kg tiger shark hauled in.

Animal Justice Party Coffs Harbour Regional Group Leader Tess Hawkins says a broad cross section of the Coffs Harbour community has been appalled by the brutality of the photos, including the one of a dead 150kg tiger shark, emerging from the competition.

“This tiger shark will most likely have had his mouth ripped open with a hook, before being hoisted out of the water and suffocating slowly to death,” Ms Hawkins said.

“Tiger sharks are already considered near threatened due to deaths by fishing, finning and shark nets.

“They have been on the Greenpeace International Red List since 2010. Continuing to encourage their slaughter at sea is not only cruel but unsustainable.”

It is illegal for fishers to take, harm or possess threatened or protected species so while Ms Hawkins says tiger shark are “near threatened” the Coffs Coast Game and Sport Fishing Club stands by the competition citing the Department of Primary Industry’s current list of threatened species.

The Coffs Coast Advocate attempted to contact the club for comment but nobody returned calls or messages.

The old Coffs Harbour deep sea fishing club now operating as RED-C Events, Bar and Dining.

The club did respond to a person who commented on their Facebook page who expressed concern that large apex predators, like tiger sharks and yellow fin tuna caught during these competitions, are important for the overall health of our oceans saying:

‘As a club we are vigilant with adhering to the rules set by the DPI (fisheries) and Game Fishing Australia.’

The Animal Justice Party says it will continue to lobby to put an end to the competition.

“Like trophy hunting on land, there is nothing tough about killing sharks passively going about their daily lives in the ocean,” Ms Hawkins said.

“Sharks are intelligent apex predators that are critical to our ocean ecosystems, yet globally their numbers have already declined by 71 per cent over the past 50 years. By encouraging shark fishing competitions like this we are contributing to that decline here in Coffs Harbour.

“Animal cruelty is not a sport.”