Shark Alarm and Surfrider Perth share similar views on recent changes to the Western Australian governments shark policy.

Shark Alarm's press release.

Shark Alarm is outraged at the decision made by the West Australian Government today. It is such a disappointing outcome. This could cause more damage then good. People who love the ocean, and who respect that this species is endangered will now most likely refuse to report the sighting at all, in fear that the shark will be killed by the government. The government have gone from one extreme to the other, and it seems they are trying to minimise reports from the public. In fact the shark that was involved in the most recent attack on a surfer at Red Bluff, (north of Carnarvon in the Gascoyne) on the 28th August 2012 was being tracked by Fisheries W.A for weeks prior  - yet Fisheries had given no warning to the public and no information to Shark Alarm. This is a trending pattern as the sharks that were involved in the last four shark attacks have been sighted days/weeks prior to the attack, many not reported to authorities or Shark Alarm.  The ocean is not just for humans to enjoy, its a home for marine life. There are alternative ways to reduce shark attacks... killing them just isn't the answer! The Government should invest more time and all that money in to the research strategies they have proposed.

Surfrider Perth Shark Cull Press Release.

"Our surfing community knows all too well the pain and tragedy of losing an ocean brother or sister to a shark attack. We also understand more than anyone that is the risk we take when we enter the ocean's domain.

We are killing and destroying our oceans enough as it is. The answer is not more killing and destroying.

The Surfrider Foundation Perth supports the tracking, monitoring and research of sharks   and applauds the WA government for investing money into this.

But we do NOT condone the killing of endangered and threatened marine animals (sharks or otherwise) and do NOT support completely disrupting our ocean ecosystems by culling apex predators and key-stone species like the GWS.

If we kill sharks, we kill the ocean. We need to move forward, not backwards on this issue."

"Our surfing community knows all too well the pain and tragedy of losing an ocean brother or sister to a shark attack. We also understand more than anyone that is the risk we take when we enter the ocean's domain. We are killing and destroying our oceans enough as it is. The answer is not more killing and destroying. The Surfrider Foundation Perth supports the tracking, monitoring and research of sharks   and applauds the WA government for investing money into this. But we do NOT condone the killing of endangered and threatened marine animals (sharks or otherwise) and do NOT support completely disrupting our ocean ecosystems by culling apex predators and key-stone species like the GWS. If we kill sharks, we kill the ocean. We need to move forward, not backwards on this issue."




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