[Greens-Media] Greens call on Government to abandon shark hunt

[Morton, Arran]

Greens call on Government to abandon shark hunt 
Media release Wednesday 1 June 2016
 
Greens MLC Lynn MacLaren says the current hunt for a shark off Mandurah is an expensive waste of time and effort which does nothing to improve ocean safety and risks killing an endangered species.

"The setting of drum lines off Mandurah following yesterday's shark bite will do nothing to improve ocean safety and they should be removed." 

"There is no way of knowing whether the drum lines will catch the shark responsible for the bite as that shark could be 50 kilometres away by now," Ms MacLaren said. 

"Even if, by some fluke, the same shark was killed, it achieves nothing for safety in the water because a shark that has bitten someone once does not suddenly become inclined to bite another person - that concept is pure fiction. 

"It is deeply disappointing to see the Fisheries Department, which claims the high moral ground in WA for responsible interaction with our aquatic resources and even prosecutes people for killing marine life unnecessarily, going down this path again. 

"The Imminent Threat policy has been roundly condemned and proven to be ineffective." 

"The Greens oppose these nonsensical acts of revenge and call on the Government to make a far more serious focus on preventing shark bites through the wide range of technologies and innovation available, designed to suit a wide range of ocean conditions and activities."



Arran Morton
Electorate Officer
P/T: Monday, Wednesday & Thursday
arran.morton at mp.wa.gov.au
 
Office of Hon Lynn MacLaren MLC
Member for South Metropolitan Region
Legislative Council 
Parliament of Western Australia
 
Unit 7, 142 South Terrace 
Fremantle, Western Australia 6160
Tel: +61.8.9430 7233
Fax: +61.8.9430 7207