Fishing industry fears more Queensland shark attacks
Courier Mail -Amanda Watt February 27, 2009.
MORE shark attacks are likely off the Queensland coast if plans to dramatically slash the commercial catch goes ahead in July, experts have warned.
The Queensland Seafood Industry Association this week formally withdrew from a State Government review of the shark fishery because of its opposition to a 40 per cent reduction in the allowable shark catch.
President Neil Green said the changes - under which the total annual inshore shark catch will be cut from 950-1000 tonnes to 600 tonnes and the number of shark fishing licences slashed from 1400 to fewer than 200 - will significantly increase dangers for swimmers and hit the net fishing industry.
Mr Green said the government would have no choice but to beef up existing shark control netting and drum lines as larger sharks move closer to shore.
He said he would no longer be allowing his family to swim in the ocean.
“I would give it 12 months under these restrictions and you are going to see a huge amount of shark interactions with humans and different varieties of shark as well,” Mr Green said. “Anyone who enters the water does so at their own risk.”
The July 1 changes are designed as a precautionary measure for three years to allow the shark catch to be monitored and a better picture gained of the status of the species.
The QSIA agreed to a temporary cap of 700 tonnes a year but pressure from environmentalists led to Federal Government intervening and a 600 tonne limit.
Queensland Department of Primary Industries Fisheries Resource Manager Mark Lightowler said best estimates were that sharks known to attack humans were a very small percentage of the commercial catch.
They believe the predatory bull sharks represent less than 5 per cent, while the equally dangerous tiger sharks are less than 1 per cent. Great Whites are already protected.
James Cook University shark scientist Dr Colin Simfendorfer, who was on the original State Government working group, insisted the new shark fishing rules would have “negligible” impact on bather safety.
“The species that are taken in the fishery are very different to the ones that cause concerns for humans; you are talking about two fairly distinct groups of species,” Dr Simfendorfer said.
“Most of the commercial catch is things like milk sharks, black tips, spot tail sharks and scalloped hammer head, which are relatively small and really don’t hassle the people.”
But commercial shark fishermen say the percentage of tiger and bull sharks hauled up in their nets is far greater than what the Government claims.
Townsville fisherman Greg Radley, 45, whose entire catch is sold and consumed domestically, said that while he accepted most of the sharks he caught were “completely harmless”, common sense said if there were less sharks of any variety being caught, more would be in the ocean.
He said the Government’s “very conservative” estimates of 1 per cent for tiger sharks and 5 per cent for bulls still equated to thousands more predatory sharks off the coast each year from July 1.
“The ramification from this decision is you are putting human life at risk,” Mr Radley said.
“I’m not being an alarmist, I’m just being a realist. People that allow their children to swim in the ocean deserve to know these things so they can make up their own minds about the dangers.”
The QSIA is seeking compensation from the Federal or State government for what it says will be industry-wide job losses and a reduction in fish for sale.
“If you are going to wipe out industry jobs and protect the shark, someone’s going to have to pay,” Mr Green said.
A similar debate is raging in NSW where commercial shark fishermen have an annual quota of 160 tonnes.