15.5 foot Tiger Shark caught in Queensland’s Shark Control Program
Surfers’ relief as monster tiger shark caught off Yaroomba
By Peter Hall, The Courier-Mail,January 11, 2013
A MONSTER tiger shark that has been spooking surfers on the Sunshine Coast has been caught a few hundred metres from shore.
The 4.72m giant was reeled in from a drumline off Yaroomba near Coolum Beach.
Shark catcher Paddy Dimond, doing his rounds yesterday morning as part of the State Government’s Shark Control Program, said it was the largest shark he had caught in the region in his five years in the job.
Mr Dimond and deckhand Lachlan Tuckwell could not drag the 500kg-plus creature aboard.
He said the pregnant female was believed to be the same shark that had sent boardriders racing to shore after recent sightings. “This is the biggest shark I’ve seen up here. It is probably the one local surfers have been talking about.”
The tiger was destroyed, measured and dragged 5km offshore. As guidelines dictate, it had its stomach contents examined, revealing several baby sharks.
Fisheries Queensland’s Shark Control Program manager Jeff Krause said it reaffirmed the need for drumlines and netting.
Source: couriermail.com.au
UPDATE 12. January 2013
Photo credit goes to Glenn Barnes
15.5 foot Tiger Shark caught in Queensland’s Shark Control Program
15.5 foot Tiger Shark caught in Queensland’s Shark Control Program
This is a disgrace. How can we accuse the Japanese for whaling when Australian governments are killing sharks? It is no different. Given the technology and intel we have available, it is barbaric that the only policy solution that governments can come up with is to kill the sharks, destorying our already damaged marine ecosystem in the process.
People call sharks monsters and yet we kill them because we are afraid they might hurt someone? The sharks own the sea. They were here before us.
Why do people think they have the right to kill them for no good reason at all!?
Because the program is so out-dated & Qld fisheries n Government are just as Ignorant/Uneducated as Premier Barnett in W.A. there are far better solutions,the sooner the Australian Governmnet realize that,the better off,ppl & sharks will be! Drum lines are a meat curtain,it’s an open invitation to have more sharks come in closer to shore,ie putting significant potential shark encounters with swimmers/surfers/divers! Baited drum lines are NOT recommended by shark experts/Marine biologists,yet the stupid Gov continues to IGNORE far Better Solutions,I totally agree with Natalie,sharks/marine life belong in the ocean,WE ARE the INTRUDER! it’s called respect & awareness that marine life are in the Natural Enviroment & we should RESPECT that Always! If the government would get their heads out of the sand,& put educational/Awareness programs in place,along with aerial surveillance,spotters/volunteers on the beaches,along with surf life saving club members 7 IF a shark is in close proximity,then WARN swimmers to vacate the water & Close the beach,a sign with a reminder that their are potential dangers in the ocean,eg sharks,RIPS,jellyfish,stonefish etc this would serve as a fresh reminder to ppl to be more aware of the potential risks!STOP being so worried about tourism,put awareness/safety first,ppl will still come to the beaches, I personally know how I felt when the drum lines were here just recently,I felt MORE SCARED to go into the water,as I knew the government had put our lives more at potential risk,as sharks that would normally just cruise by,would come to investigate the baited hooks!The ocean is a privilege to play in,NOT a given Right,if we were meant to be there,we would have fins 7 gills…LEAVE the Sharks & Marine life ALONE in their OWN HOME…STOP DESTROYING OUR OCEANS,THINK ABOUT THE AIR WE BREATH 1/3 OF OXYGEN WE BREATH COMES FROM HEALTHY OCEANS,THANKS TO APEX PREDATOR’S ROLE IN KEEPING THEM HEALTHY…WE NEED SHARKS,EVERYTHING IN THE OCEAN,IS THERE FOR A REASON! If the Government refuses to listen to the Experts,@ least do some research & GOOGLE,as to WHY sharks & other marine life are NEEDED for our very survival…MANKIND IS IT’S OWN WORST ENEMY,Keep interfering with nature & this Earth of our’s will no Longer be viable for our Future generations! 🙁
I love all animals but this shark has scared enough surfers in our area I am glad it’s been destroyed and anyone who says otherwise does not swim here and should look into the facts before they speak. The QLD Shark Control Program only remove sharks that are a threat.
Really Sue? “this shark has SCARED enough surfers” ? How does that justify the need to kill it. If you have a dog, leashed or not, and it scares a few children , does that mean animal control should kill your dog ?
Sharks arent a threat, they were put in the ocean for a reason, they keep the ecosystem in check, feeding on the old and weak so that only healthy populations survive, if a surfer gets eaten that is his/her own fault as surfers know the dangers of surfing yet they still go out into the surf and have the audacity to get a shark killed because it scared them?
Maybe,but does that mean ALL sharks have to pay the price,do some more research on shark behavior before commenting,you will find out a lot more than you know about sharks,I’m sorry,checking baited meat curtains every other day,is just putting ppl more at potential risk& killing other marine life unnecessarily,do yourself a favour,come visit our face book member’s page,ask Any/All questions you need to, to understand why drum lines are NOT the answer,even shark experts/marine biologists 1005 agree,that drum lines are WRONG! If you lived in W.A. & witnessed what a lot of us witnessed day in day out for the last 3+ months,you’d be surprised at what you discover,if ANYONE thinks baited drum lines are keeping you safer,you are deluding yourselfs,N PLEASE,the odd few who say ”they work in Qld” have got blinders on,just because there has been reduced numbers of Encounters with sharks,it simply means,that Most sharks are just NOT interested in humans,as we ARE NOT on their food chain menu! 😉 PLEASE,I invite you to come & talk to our members on #noWAsharkcull f/book page,I’m sure you will be Enlightened & totally surprised,after-all,what have you got to lose,other than taking some time to be more educated on sharks etc! 😉 (^^^) That invitation is extended to Everyone on this page,including Government bodies & Jeff Klause 😉 xxx
kill all sharks that are able to attack humans and reclaim the oceans for our pleasure! oh, and forget about that ecosystem blabla.
BTW…We even Have shark survivors,who are against the killing of sharks,I personally had a friend taken,but as sad as that is,does NOT mean they should be killed for living in their own environment,my friend always told his wife n children,if ever anything happens to me in the ocean,please do NOT let them hunt the animal down,I’m the intruder & I RESPECT that,we make a conscious decision to enter their home,we should be aware & responsible for any encounters! We have ‘Kelly’ famous surfer who is anti-cull & broke off all sponsorship with quicksilver,as they were pro-cull,we have a navy diver,who lost his arm & leg,he is anti-cull,surely if these survivors can see why we need sharks etc,then why can’t Government & others see it?
@Nomdedieu, that is just Ignorance & Arrogance at its BEST! You do realize,how ridiculous that statement is,how silly it makes you look? To keep ppl Safe from Sharks(in their natural domain,we do NOT own the ocean,they do)Governments world-wide,would have to kill every single shark in the ocean (you do know they migrate thousands of km’s?) hence,this is not feesable,but hypothetically,let’s just sy we could,sharks all gone,what about Box jelly fish,stone fish,blueringed octopus, venomous sea snakes,whales,dolphins,( which I Love,but they too can be a potential risk to humans 😉 ) then there’s RIPS,large swells,drownings,potential to be hit in the head from a surfboard,the list of risks/dangers are many! So you see Nomdedieu,sharks are the least of our problems,they do NOT attack instinctively,but if & when they approach a human,it is mainly because of curiosity or mistaken identity, they are NOT the moster the fear monger Media exploit them to be,do yourself a favour,that is,if you are not too ignorant/selfish to learn more about why the ocean NEEDS ALL marine life,as they ALL play a vital role to keep our Oceans healthy,n’ we NEED Healthy oceans if we want to survive for now & future generations,please I invite you to come & ask any questions you like on our #noWAsharkcull f/book page & then whilst you’re there,you can take a look @ photos & videos footage,that the fear monger tatics that the Media portray & the very reason WHY the government wants to cover-up their ludicrous policy,you know why? Because they will be made to look very silly,they will be embarrassed,they just want to be seen like they are doing something to keep beach goers safer,when in reality,it’s just the opposite,even our premier knows & has admitted on t.v. & in the papers,that baited drum lines,attract more sharks? Please accept my invitation & Learn some truths,before making any more ridiculous staements,surely you don’t want to come across AS IGNORANT OR EMBARRASSED,DO YOU? 😉 (^^^)