Minister caught in nets needs to fly higher - 6 March 2009

“It’s a tragedy that Primary Industries Minister Ian McDonald has said that he will not increase the aerial shark surveillance system in NSW and that he is ducking for cover in stating he is interested in “science based responses, not knee-jerk reactions”,” says Greens MP Ian Cohen.

“It is hypocritical that Ian McDonald continues his unscientific commitment to shark meshing on NSW beaches, when meshing clearly does not work. Why are we spending $800,000 a year on a system that doesn’t work?”

“Meshing was started in the 1930s when the Homebush abattoir spilled its run-off into Malabar Bay. This was a shark attractant and shark populations were high. Since then there has not been any proper scientific review of the meshing system and no real consideration given to other forms of protection such as fixed wing aerial surveillance.”

“Today’s aerial media photos of a shark near a surfer at Bondi only reinforce the uselessness of the nets. It should be noted that the surfer at Bondi was not attacked. We need to realise that we swim in sharks’ habitats all the time without incident and most of the time without the ‘protection’ of meshing.”

“NSW has 721 beaches and 93% of them are not meshed yet the two attacks we’ve had this season are at meshed beaches – Bondi and Avalon. You would have to conclude that meshing serves no purpose but to give the people of NSW a false sense of security, evidenced by these recent attacks.”

“Of the sharks that have been caught in the netting, nearly 35% per cent are on the beach side of the net. People should realise that there are three metre gaps between the water surface and the top of the net that allow most sharks to avoid capture, except the harmless bottom feeders”, says Ian Cohen.

“If Ian McDonald wants to do something that actually works to help prevent shark attacks he should reinstate a fixed wing aerial surveillance program at peak swimming times on our more popular beaches, upgrade beach observation facilities and properly investigate electronic deterrence devices.”

“Most importantly, if we want a perfectly shark safe environment, we should swim in a swimming pool. Tragically, the reality is that the dangers are much higher — especially for children who drown too regularly drown in them.”