Shark cull

..So, the West Australian shark cull has been stopped.
I'm curious to know who decided it was a good idea in the first place.
I have spent a big part of my life in the ocean, swimming, surfing, diving, fishing etc ..
(a recent fatal shark attack at my beach prompted this post)
no one I know or none of my friends believe this was ever a good idea..
a mate, who is the editor of a newspaper said even his journos couldn't find anyone to support the cull ..
my question is...is there anyone here who agrees with the cull?

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Originally Posted by underfoot

..So, the West Australian shark cull has been stopped.
I'm curious to know who decided it was a good idea in the first place?

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According to Wikipedia and the WA Premier it was Queenslanders and NSW.

I don't agree with it but in the small circles I move in I'd say most people are for it.

I do not support it and I have never heard anyone speak in favor of it. I have heard many speak against it.

Not in favour of it and don't know anyone who was.

I don't agree with it either, but in fairness to the Premier he was stuck between a rock and a hard place because of the clamour of the press and the public to do something about the spate of shark attacks we've had.

Did the public over there really want it, or was it just the press? Haven't heard anyone east side in favour of it, we all reckon the more sandgropers they take, the better.:D

Whoa there Alex, that's blatant racism, actually the most recent victim here was a banana bender I think. I guess typically it would be the press. Our Premier is not at his most comfortable with a camera in his face and when he announced the cull policy they photographed him holding a shark hook and a smile on his dial. The media have not wasted an opportunity to rerun the happy looking Mr Barnett with the huge hook in his hand.

I don't swim in the ocean!! That's my WPHAS position!!

I have an agreement with the sharks: I stay out of their bathtub and they don't come to the pub!!

Seriously though, this was a foolish decision. We have a fellow here in Hervey Bay - Vic Hislop - who is ( at least was) of the opinion that all sharks ought to be eliminated. Perhaps he could move to WA!!!:D

The Sea of Cortez - Baha California- has had the sharks hunted to extinction, or very close to that point. As a
result the area is now infested with giant squid that are depleting other fish species. They also happen to be
far more dangerous than sharks as they attack in numbers and are ruthless.

I grew up at a beach called Muizenberg in Cape Town, the bay that the beach is situated is called False Bay, it has the highest concentration of big great whites in the world. I surfed there from 8 years old well into my late twenty's. I never saw one although I am sure many swam past me because the helicopter told us to get out the water a few times.

I accept that it is their ocean...not mine! I and my family accept that if i was taken it was meant to be. 99% of cases is mistaken identity so cut them some slack!

If your not to prepared to accept the risk then don't get in the ocean!!

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Originally Posted by Boringgeoff

Whoa there Alex, that's blatant racism, actually the most recent victim here was a banana bender I think. I guess typically it would be the press. Our Premier is not at his most comfortable with a camera in his face and when he announced the cull policy they photographed him holding a shark hook and a smile on his dial. The media have not wasted an opportunity to rerun the happy looking Mr Barnett with the huge hook in his hand.

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Well put Geoff. The premier was in a difficult position and, like the ex treasurer, didn't handle the situation all that well. If the WA govt had adopted the Abbot govt method of doing it and saying little or nothing it wouldn't have got the air time it ended up generating. Like I said don't agree with it but most folks I talk to appreciated that it was done to keep the Govt from being lynched by the friends and family of the next person to be taken. It was purely a political decision - like they all are - eastern staters are not immune.

I did sign a petition against it but 'm not prepared to march in the streets about it.

How about we talk about something closer to MY pocket - i.e. the WA GST rip off by the eastern states :)

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Originally Posted by BobL

but most folks I talk to appreciated that it was done to keep the Govt from being lynched by the friends and family of the next person to be taken. :)

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..the problem here is that no family members of any attack victim supported the cull.
however, after a little more interweb searching...leaked documents indicate that the 107 day cull cost taxpayers $20million dollars:o..(fishermen got $610,000 of that)...:rolleyes:hmm

Stupidity and from the looks of looks of it designed to line someones pockets. Is there an ICAC equivalent in WA?

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Originally Posted by underfoot

..the problem here is that no family members of any attack victim supported the cull.
however, after a little more interweb searching...leaked documents indicate that the 107 day cull cost taxpayers $20million dollars:o..(fishermen got $610,000 of that)...:rolleyes:hmm

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The $20 million includes the cost of aircraft monitoring. Even keep small planes in the air costs big $.

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Originally Posted by BobL

The $20 million includes the cost of aircraft monitoring. Even keep small planes in the air costs big $.

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..exactly...$19.4 million for 107 days...lots and lots of small planes..would love to see the books:rolleyes:

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Originally Posted by underfoot

..exactly...$19.4 million for 107 days...lots and lots of small planes..would love to see the books:rolleyes:

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We'd all like to see the books on deals done by govts maybe stating with those in NSW.

I'm sure I've read somewhere that sharks aren't keen on the taste of humans so I can go along with the statement that most attacks are a case of mistaken identity (I think Milo said that). Of course it is very unfortunate if you are one whose identity they mistook.

One of the statistic gurus can probably find some figures to say it is still more dangerous driving your car than swimming in the sea.

Regards
Paul

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Originally Posted by Bushmiller

One of the statistic gurus can probably find some figures to say it is still more dangerous driving your car than swimming in the sea

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It has actually been proven that 79.67% of all published statistics have been made up and are not the result of any statistical analysis. With the posting of this message, that percentage just went up a fraction higher.

Cheers

Doug :2tsup:

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Originally Posted by Bushmiller

One of the statistic gurus can probably find some figures to say it is still more dangerous driving your car than swimming in the sea.
Regards
Paul

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..Well that's easy..
..Australian road fatalities in 2012...1310 deaths
..Shark attack fatalities since 1791...228 deaths
( stats include 12 deaths from "provoked" attacks):o
even our pollies couldn't spin those stats in their favour.:rolleyes:

Anyways, everyone knows that 27.5% of white Australian male woodworkers don't believe in statistics

And half the others don't know what statsawhatsits are.
:wink:

You should take the statistics on shark fatalities with a pinch of salt. There are a lot of folks who disappear every year in Australia and are never sighted again. Some of those are known to have disappeared while swimming (and there is probably a percentage of others whose last whereabouts were unknown who also went for a swim) - but if there is no evidence of a shark attack (eg. damaged remains) it cannot be recorded as a shark attack. So there are a large number of disappearances while swimming in the ocean that could well have been shark attacks that are not recorded as such. Of course I accept that there are other reasons why people may die while swimming in the ocean and their bodies never found.

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Originally Posted by Poppa

So there are a large number of disappearances while swimming in the ocean that could well have been shark attacks that are not recorded as such. Of course I accept that there are other reasons why people may die while swimming in the ocean and their bodies never found.

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Poppa

Such as box jelly fish, Irucandji, stone fish, blue-ringed octopus, sea snakes and many other nasties lurking in the deep and the shallows. I think it would be a little unfair to lay the blame for unexplained disappearances (know and unknown) at the the shark's doorstep.

It seems to me a very telling phenomena that the families and friends of shark attack victims rarely want to seek retribution. Perhaps there is a tacit acknowledgement that we are invading their environment and not the other way around.

I guess the lesson is that you mess with the environment at your peril. I was most interested to hear Arthur's comment that where sharks had been eradicated, the squids have taken over.

Shades of Jules Verne there.

Regards
Paul

There is a primal terror thing that happens with sharks. Remember Jaws? a bit like a twisted Moby dick story except with sharks. Its not rational, ask Bob Katter.

The brutal truth is that the bulk of the worlds large marine animals are now gone. Top level predators have their place in maintaining the eco system and the oceans will be reduced to Cambrian conditions in the next century or so. Jellyfish will rule. I dont know what people are worried about.

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Originally Posted by Bushmiller

Poppa

Such as box jelly fish, Irucandji, stone fish, blue-ringed octopus, sea snakes and many other nasties lurking in the deep and the shallows. I think it would be a little unfair to lay the blame for unexplained disappearances (know and unknown) at the the shark's doorstep.

It seems to me a very telling phenomena that the families and friends of shark attack victims rarely want to seek retribution. Perhaps there is a tacit acknowledgement that we are invading their environment and not the other way around.

I guess the lesson is that you mess with the environment at your peril. I was most interested to hear Arthur's comment that where sharks had been eradicated, the squids have taken over.

Shades of Jules Verne there.

Regards
Paul

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Yes, Art's story is like getting rid of the wolves from YellowStone and then as the Elk/Deer/Moose/Bison numbers rise they then overgraze all the grass/shrubs/trees (upto a certain height) and change the environment, with the reintroduction of the wolves the park is returning to as before as evidenced by leaf growth on the trees/shrubs down to the ground.
The animals and critters on this planet don't need us but we need them and too often we muck with the status quo and inflict our will on them to our combined detriment.



Pete

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Originally Posted by pjt

The animals and critters on this planet don't need us but we need them and too often we muck with the status quo and inflict our will on them to our combined detriment.



Pete

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Wow. Profound!

May I have your permission to trot that statement out at every available opportunity? Except, again with your permission, I would like to substitute a more forceful word for "muck." I suspect you were being diplomatic :D.

Regards
Paul

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Originally Posted by Bushmiller

Wow. Profound!

May I have your permission to trot that statement out at every available opportunity? Except, again with your permission, I would like to substitute a more forceful word for "muck." I suspect you were being diplomatic :D.

Regards
Paul

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As far as I can see you can trot that out anytime you like Paul with suitable "force " as you see fit. I can't claim the words to be solely mine tho, it was Paul Watson from the Sea Shepard on Adam Hills in Gordon St that said we need the animals, they don't need us for without them we wouldn't last too long.



Pete