Shark Drumlines: Queensland Government will install new shark drum lines to target great white shark at Palm Beach on Gold Coast

New drumlines will be installed off one of the Gold Coast’s busiest beaches after numerous sightings of a large great white shark

NUMEROUS sightings of a large great white shark off the Gold Coast have prompted the State Government to ramp up the use of controversial drumlines to protect swimmers.

The Bulletin can reveal the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries has approved between 4-6 new temporary drum lines off Palm Beach after the 4m shark was repeatedly spotted.

A great white shark swimming with a slight smile on its face just below the surface. The environment is the deep blue ocean. The shark looks to be in hunting mode.

Surf Life Saving Queensland (SLSQ) closed the popular beach for several hours on December 21 after the shark was seen about 200m from shore by the Westpac Rescue Helicopter.

The marine predator has also been seen taking fish while they were hooked at nearby Palm Beach artificial reef and by surfers out on the waves.

Shark nets (red) and drum lines (yellow) on the southern Gold Coast. Picture: QLD Government

Contractors on the Coast will install the new drumlines first thing Tuesday morning.

The government will install the drum lines as a precautionary measure because the big shark appears to be hanging around the artificial reef.

SLSQ has been informed and the government was also speaking to Gold Coast City Council.

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A total of 24 beaches across the Coast already have shark control equipment installed, including netting and drum lines.

Shark nets (red) and drum lines (yellow) on the northern Gold Coast. Picture: QLD Government

The Coast was not affected by a Federal Court decision last year which forced the government to strip equipment from the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park, including Cairns, Townsville, Mackay and the Capricorn Coast.

In June last year, Sea World Gold Coast Marine Sciences director Trevor Long said drum lines were a “nasty piece of work”.

A Great White shark observed off the coast of northern NSW. The image was captured by a research drone. Picture: Southern Cross University/NSW DPI.

He said he was concerned about dolphins and turtles becoming hooked, but insisted drumlines were still preferable to netting, which have higher kill rates.

Drumlines catch feeding sharks using natural bait attached to fishing hooks suspended from a large plastic float anchored to the sea bed.

Last year, 100 animals were caught on Coast drumlines and 2058 have been caught since 2001.

Beaches in northern NSW have no shark control program in place.

The NSW Government’s Shark Meshing (Bather Protection) Program only includes beaches between Newcastle and Wollongong.

SHARK CONTROL EQUIPMENT – GOLD COAST

• Broadbeach
• Burleigh Beach
• Bilinga Beach
• Coolangatta Beach
• Currumbin Beach
• Elkhorn Avenue
• Greenmount Beach
• Kirra Beach
• Kurrawa Beach
• Main Beach
• Mermaid Beach
• Sheraton Mirage Beach
• Miami Beach
• North Burleigh Beach
• Northcliffe Beach
• North Kirra Beach
• Narrow Neck
• Nobby Beach
• Palm Beach
• Rainbow Bay
• Staghorn Avenue Beach
• Surfers Paradise Beach
• Tallebudgera Beach
• Tugun Beach