Shark Numbers At Record Levels

[mrmoshe]

Shark numbers at record levels

IN the same week men were attacked by sharks in Woolloomooloo and Bondi Beach, the state Government banned NSW fishermen from catching them.

Despite overwhelming evidence numbers are at record levels, The Sunday Telegraph can reveal the state's 25 shark hunters last week received a letter from the NSW Department of Primary Industries declaring the ban. The letter stated the restriction was being imposed because the State's annual shark quota had already been reached.

Despite a frightening summer of shark attacks and sightings up and down the NSW coast, fishermen will now be prohibited from taking sharks until July 1.

In the past week, navy diver Able Seaman Paul de Gelder, 31, was mauled by a shark at Woolloomooloo at 7am on Wednesday and lost a hand, while Glen Orgias, 33, was attacked at Bondi on Thursday at 8pm.

Both men were continuing their recovery from surgery at St Vincent's Hospital yesterday. Mr Orgias's right hand has been reattached after 10 hours of surgery.

Under new fishing restrictions imposed last year, NSW fisherman are limited to catching just 160 tonnes of shark a year. In Queensland, fishermen are allowed to take 3000 tonnes.

North Coast fisherman Bill Litchfield described the ban as ludicrous given the increasing numbers of sharks being sighted.

"We consistently get around 100 a night; that's an average catch. So how many of the buggers are out there?" he said.

"The largest we've caught was a 15-foot (4.6m) tiger shark just 200 yards (183m) from Evans Head Surf Club. My skipper took his kids out of nippers the next day."

Mr Litchfield said he had written numerous letters to State Primary Industries Minister Ian Macdonald requesting the quota be reviewed. Mr Macdonald said the shark quotas affected species that were not man-eaters - a claim disputed by fishermen who said it protected bull sharks, which are thought to be were responsible for last week's attacks. The ban also protects dangerous tiger sharks, bronze whalers, hammerheads and black tips.

Mr Macdonald said: "The quotas are based on sound scientific advice. Everyone needs to remember there are no 100 per cent guarantees when swimming in the ocean - sharks are a natural part of the ocean environment."

NSW fishermen also blame a 1995 restriction on salmon beach-hauling for booming shark numbers close to the coast.

"The salmon swim close to shore and bring in the sharks," Mr Litchfield said. "I've seen white pointers chasing them at surfing beaches at Newcastle. It is only time before a surfer gets taken there - it is going to happen."

Bondi fisherman Udo Edlinger also blamed a rise in salmon numbers for a spike in shark sightings.

"I wouldn't be swimming around Sydney during dawn or dusk at the moment," he said.

Fishing websites and live angling blogs are full of shark sightings, close encounters and stories of the day's catch.

Doonside fisherman Peter Brennan said he didn't know whether to laugh or cry when he saw a 4m shark steal the kingfish right off his line on Monday at Clifton Gardens, near Mosman.

Other sightings include Roseville Marina, Woolloomooloo Wharf and Saunders Wharf at Darling Harbour. Professional Sydney fisherman and guide no no no said he's never seen as much shark activity in the harbour in his 25 years of fishing.

He said he had noticed a gradual increase in shark numbers over the past five years.

"I certainly wouldn't be swimming anywhere in Sydney Harbour (now) ... and I wouldn't be going to Balmoral," he said.

Mr McGill identified other hotspots as Chowder Bay, Clontarf and Rushcutters Bay.

Opposition industry spokesman Duncan Gay called for the quota cap to be lifted immediately.

"This is serious ... and needs a Minister who is engaged with his portfolio to make sure our waters are safe as possible."

Shark-hunting can be a lucrative industry, with fisherman earning up to $600 per kill.

The jaws go to WA where they are sold as souvenirs, heads to The Philippines, fins and tails to Asia, spinal cords to the cosmetic industry and the meat to fish and chip shops around Australia.

[stevefish]

a hundred sharks a night!

they must be little sharks.

100 sharks X 5kg each X2nights a week X 40 weeks = 25% of nsw quota

the other 24 licence holders cant be doing so well.

maybe this guy is not the best news source for the front page.

[Davemmm]

North Coast fisherman Bill Litchfield described the ban as ludicrous given the increasing numbers of sharks being sighted.

"We consistently get around 100 a night; that's an average catch. So how many of the buggers are out there?" he said.

Maybe someone should show this boofhead the difference between a shark and a red bream.

[mrmoshe]

A collegue of mine spoke to that shark fisho today and

he said the paper got the 100 sharks a day wrong...it's nothing like that he said..

Plus he's already at his quota and won't be chasing any soon.

Isn't it great the way the sunday rags beat stuff up?

Also today, the Deputy Premier waded into the debate by saying:

No evidence of increased shark numbers in NSW: Tebbutt

February 15, 2009 - 4:35PM

There is no evidence of increased shark numbers in NSW despite cleaner waterways around Sydney, NSW Deputy Premier Carmel Tebbutt says.

NSW shark fishermen are regularly hauling up to 100 sharks per night but they will be banned from hunting sharks until July due to new fishing quotas imposed by the state government, News Limited reports.

The claim comes as a navy diver and a surfer recover in hospital from separate savage shark attacks in Sydney Harbour and Bondi Beach last week.

Ms Tebbutt confirmed Sydney Harbour was less polluted now than it was two years ago, but declined to link the cleaner waters to greater shark numbers.

"Our waterways in general are much cleaner. We know there are more fish in the harbour because commercial fishing hasn't been allowed since we had the dioxin issues. So, there is a view that the greater number of fish in the harbour may mean that more sharks are coming into the harbour," Ms Tebbutt told reporters in Sydney on Sunday.

"There's no evidence that there's an increase in shark numbers in general in NSW but it's something that the minister for primary industries and fisheries (Ian Macdonald) is looking at very closely."

She said the government needed to be "guided by the science" in relation to shark issues.

Environmentalist and Clean Up Australia founder Ian Kiernan said fish numbers were increasing with the ban on fishing in Sydney Harbour.

"Sharks have always been here, you've only got to go back to the Aboriginal history of the colony," Mr Kiernan said.

"It is their territory."

However, he said, beachgoers needed to take responsibility for their actions in the water.

"The irresponsibility of surfing at dawn or dusk is that you're asking for trouble."

[Robbielites]

"Our waterways in general are much cleaner. We know there are more fish in the harbour because commercial fishing hasn't been allowed since we had the dioxin issues. So, there is a view that the greater number of fish in the harbour may mean that more sharks are coming into the harbour," Ms Tebbutt told reporters in Sydney on Sunday.

Let's keep that little gem under our hats for the NPA debate.

[puppydawg]

unfortunately, nothing anyoe says or does will make a difference as long as desk jockey politicians are making the decisions!!!

ask these pollies when was the last time they hit the harbour with a rod in hand and watch them skip the subject!

politicians are so out of touch with reality it isn't funny! sharks are out in ever increasing numbers, people are being attacked and sharks are even brazen enough to take kingies boatside?!?!?!? if you ask me, the sharks are doing quite well.

does this ban apply to rec fisho's as well or is it just commercial guys only?

[mrmoshe]

In Japan, it's not the sharks that are the problem...try

Cheers,

Pete.

[urchin]

it sure is a problem having the sharks in the harbour but what can you do.. I dont think its the best idea to go and catch then kill them all. Afterall, we DO jump up and down when the Japs kill whales and many asian countried kill sharks for their fins.. now howcome WE can kill them but they can't? They atleast want to use the sharks for something.. we just dont want them in the harbour! haha

Maybe nets should be installed in more beaches for swimmers?

Edited February 15, 2009 by urchin

[thesquidking]

Hi guys,

Yesterday evening when i was watching the news i heard Ian Mcdonald say that they are going to be reviewing commercial fishing in sydney harbour as since the trawlers were banned there is a increase of fish and sharks, as we all know.

My question is would they allow the commercial fisherman back as a way to stop or slow down the incease of sharks in the harbour?

As anglers we all know that there will always be sharks in the harbour regardless of the commercial guys back or not but the non anglers and general public might think the goverment should bring the commercial fisherman back so there will not be a incease in sharks in our harbour.

Remembering all that has been written in the press is that "sharks numbers in the harbour are in record numbers due to the ban of trawlers in the harbour" which is true but can this back fire on us?

Just my thoughts.

thesquidking.

[pjbink]

I doubt that the trawler ban has much to do with the perceived increase in shark nos in the Harbour. I would think it would be due to an increase in salmon and kingfish nos due to State wide reductions in commerical fishing over a number of years.

[daleyboy]

Maybe nets should be installed in more beaches for swimmers?

Maybe swimmers should start realising that the ocean is Shark territory ... go to the pub instead ppl!

[urchin]

Maybe swimmers should start realising that the ocean is Shark territory ... go to the pub instead ppl!

lol not everyone is 18 or over and I wouldnt say the pub is an ideal location for a family outing now is it

[jewgaffer]

lol not everyone is 18 or over and I wouldnt say the pub is an ideal location for a family outing now is it

Nothing to worry about urchin, if you know how to swim the best way to handle the shark situation is don't swim in the saltwater, if you have to swim whether you how to or not........ Pubs have air conditioning now and areas for my grand kids to play while I give the salvation army ladies a bit of help with the war cry delivery.

Cheers

jewgaffer

[fishguts]

25 pros x 4 sharks each a night!....now that sounds better.

..cheers!..stevo!..

[austwave]

In Japan, it's not the sharks that are the problem...try

Cheers,

Pete.

Maybe the whale knows something, seen them in the supermarket the last time I was there.

The missus would not tell me what it was until pressed her.

Edited February 16, 2009 by Austwave

[GregL]

Remove the Green zones that line the coast!

Imagine how much bait Sydney would hold if it was a total green zone and it's bad enough now!

Greg

[troutcod]

These kind of crap debates about killing more sharks and reintroducing commerical fishing and increasin catch qoutas particulary for Kings and Salmon are so frustrating. Guys please be very careful with what you say to media and on open forums about shark numbers etc. Media love to twist words around to imply that we are being invaded by sharks (it sells papers) pro fisherman love to hear media reports about invasions by sharks because it helps lift bans and increases qoutas. BE CAREFULL when talking up shark numbers it will back fire on us all

[urchin]

ditto to the above post.

we do have to put in mind that they are not in OUR waters but we are rather in THEIRS. We must tolerate them and be more mindful of where we swim, what time of the day it is we are swimming and swim with others.

Our best bet would I guess either be not to swim ( hard to resist!) or swim in the enclosed baths (which we all hope are well maintained and dont have holes in them)..

In the end we just gotta be careful and not go too deep where we are essentially vulnerable to an attack...

hopefully these attacks cease before a life is taken before us.