Fisheries Minister Dave Kelly has refused to back down on implementing SMART drum lines of WA’s coastline because data from NSW was yet to be scientifically proven.
Federal environment minister Josh Frydenberg released a proposal for the state government to take more rigorous and proactive measures to protect people against shark attacks.
Mr Freydenberg said the state government could roll-out 176 SMART drum lines at a cost of $5 million to $7 million for a six month period at key locations across Perth and the South West.
The plan would cover approximately 260 kilometres of coastline with about 80 per cent of WA’s population living within 30 kilometres of the proposed protected areas.
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In the last 25 years, Mr Frydenberg said there had been 17 fatal shark attacks in WA, more so than any other state in Australia.
However, the cost of deploying SMART drum lines would need to be borne by the WA Government, as Mr Frydenberg said, shark management was the primary responsibility of state governments.
”SMART drum lines have been trialled with great effect in NSW where more than 200 target sharks were captured over a 12 month period,” he said.
“Following the success of its plan, the NSW Government has offered WA the use of five SMART drum lines.”
Mr Frydenberg said NSW and QLD had extensive measures to manage shark attacks for a number of years, with only one fatal shark attack at a protected beach in more than 50 years.
“Given the high incidence of shark attacks in WA and the recent release of a CSIRO report into great white shark numbers off the west coast of Australia, now is an opportune time for the WA Government to take further steps to protect is citizens from shark attacks,” he said.
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On 6pr Fisheries Minister Dave Kelly said the CSIRO report found there was no significant increase in adult great white sharks which were counted from Victoria to Exmouth.
Mr Kelly said SMART drum lines had been used in NSW for 18 months and he wanted the NSW Government to give the state government their data so they could apply scientific processes to prove if they were effective.
“The public have a right to ask, where is the evidence that SMART drum lines worked,” he said.
“There is no scientific evidence.”
He said it would cost taxpayers $14 million a year to use SMART drum lines, and more if they were deployed in Albany and Esperance.
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In May this year, the NSW Department of Primary Industries gave all the data they had collected from SMART drum lines to the WA Government.
A DPI spokesperson said they had fully co-operated with the WA Government by providing all SMART drum line data currently available to the WA Government back in May.
“We will continue to share our research with them,” the spokesperson said.
“We also reiterate our offer to provide the WA Government with five SMART drum lines to trial the technology in their state, as well as expert staff to begin the trial.
“Preliminary trial results show that SMART drum lines are successful in catching target sharks and allowing us to tag and release them along with any non-target animals,” the spokesperson said.
“Our DPI scientists are currently analysing the data from the trials to inform how we use this new technology in future shark mitigation activities in NSW and elsewhere.
“NSW is leading the world in trials of SMART drum lines, which are both a shark mitigation tool and a research tool, and do both while minimising the impact on marine species.”
In NSW, DPI were currently tracking 253 white sharks, 61 bull sharks, and 37 tiger sharks as a result of their SMART drum line trial.
The spokesperson said preliminary results from white sharks with satellite tags suggested after sharks were caught, tagged and relocated one kilometre offshore that their immediate response was to move away from the coast for up to several weeks.
“Tagged sharks can travel as far as WA and New Zealand,” the spokesperson said.
“The NSW Government is undertaking a suite of trials around tagging and tracking target sharks for research and community information.
“SMART drum lines are part of this larger body of activity that includes: tagging, VR4Gs, research scientists and technical support, community engagement, and communication systems, including the SharkSmart app and Twitter.”
The NSW Government continue to trial SMART drum lines on the North Coast with up to 35 SMART drum lines being deployed daily.
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The opposition urged the McGowan Government to commence a trial of SMART drumlines in light of new estimates which show a trial could cost twelve times less than the figures previously quoted by the WA Government.
Shadow minister for tourism Libby Mettam said federal estimates have shown the real cost of a trial would be approximately $5 million to $7 million, much less than the politically inflated estimate of $75 million.
Ms Mettam said the state government had “fobbed off” a SMART drum line trail without explanation and without discussion with stakeholders.
"The NSW SMART drum line trial is currently tracking 251 white sharks, 60 bull sharks, and 36 tiger sharks,” she said.
“The preliminary results from the white sharks that have been caught, tagged and relocated one kilometre under the SMART drum lines system show their immediate response is to move away from the coast for several weeks.
“This issue is too important to ignore and must be taken seriously by the McGowan Government in the interest of public safety.”
Ms Mettam said it was important for the government to consider every measure to address public safety issues and provide beach goers confidence.
"The presence of sharks, shark attacks and the publicity of these interactions have a significant impact on tourism and events,” she said.
“This is a public safety issue, it is having a significant impact on our way of life and it is time the McGowan Government took the issue seriously."
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O’Connor MP Rick Wilson welcomed Mr Frydenberg’s announcement to protect ocean users from shark attacks in WA.
Mr Wilson said he put the case to Mr Kelly that O’Connor be included in these measures after a spate of shark attacks and a tragic loss of life along the Great Southern coastline.
“I have felt the frustration of communities who are fed up with the reality of shark attacks and the alarming increase of shark sightings in and around their waters,” he said.
“These frequent shark sightings are not only having a detrimental effect on people’s recreational pursuits, they are potentially reducing tourist numbers, which impacts people’s businesses and their livelihoods.”
In August last year, Mr Wilson participated in the Esperance Ocean Safety Forum, organised by local surfer Mitch Capelli.
“Mitch told me that the main topic on the agenda was the ‘”countdown to October” – an especially dangerous month to be in Esperance waters due to frequent shark attacks over the past few years,” he said.
“In December 2014, Albany resident 17-year-old Jay Muscat, was spearfishing at Cheyne’s Beach, 70km east of Albany when he was taken by a shark.
“He later died of his injuries.
“In February 2015, Sean Pollard lost his left arm and his right hand to a shark at Kelp Beds, near Esperance, while in April 2018, 17-year-old Laeticia Brouwer, died after being attacked by a shark at the same location.”
Mr Wilson said he wrote to Mr Kelly in May this year to inform him that the Esperance community was becoming increasingly frustrated by the state government’s inaction and wanted to know why nothing was being done to protect them and their visitors from future shark attacks.
“I also asked Mr Kelly to work with the NSW Government and take up its generous offer to utilise its SMART drumlines, as evidence shows this technology offers protection to ocean users without harming marine life.
“Today, I asked Mr Frydenberg to back my call for SMART drumlines to be installed in critical locations along the O’Connor coastline.
Mr Frydenberg said as advocated by the O’Connor MP, the WA Government should give consideration to the deployment of SMART drumlines in a targeted way across key beaches on the south coast.
“On average 10 SMART drum lines could cover 15km of coast at a cost between $290,000 - $400,000," Mr Frydenberg said.
“Such measures deployed by the WA government would not only be good for the public safety but enhance tourism, jobs and the well-being of the local community.”
Have your say: Should the state government spend millions of taxpayers money on shark mitigation strategies to help protect beach goers? Why or why not? Email editorial.bdmail@fairfaxmedia.com.au.
