Ban shark fishing

Ban shark fishing

Jim Douglas

Shark fishing from Adelaide’s metropolitan beaches goes back almost 100 years. However, our story commences in the year 2000 when the community became concerned that a number of recreational fishers were throwing heavy lines, blood bait and burley off the end of Henley Beach Jetty, with the intention of catching a shark.

Members of our residents’ association raised their concerns with various authorities and the media without too much attention being taken, until a very graphic image appeared in the local Weekly Times Messenger newspaper with a story about a group of young men landing a two-metre bronze whaler shark from the Henley Beach Jetty. On screen, media images showed a large shark being dragged onshore. Later we witnessed the release of that same shark into shallow waters amongst swimmers. This incident prompted WACRA and local surf life saving club members to make a call to Ban all Shark Fishing from metropolitan jetties and beaches. Soon after this incident, we wrote to two ministers of the state government: Michael O'Brien (Agriculture) and Gail Gago (Environment). Then WACRA members arranged a meeting with the local member for Colton (Henley and Grange), the federal MP for Hindmarsh, and Charles Sturt local government personnel to outline our concerns and seek support for a shark fishing ban.

Levels of public administration and MPs were in agreeance that shark fishing was hazardous. Promises were made to further investigate the dangers of shark fishing so close to our shores. Undertakings were made to change fishery regulations. Charles Sturt Council investigated the installation of shark nets around Henley Beach Jetty. This trial, not supported by WACRA, was abandoned after it was found that such nets could cause harm to other species.

Whilst WACRA members were calling for a shark fishing ban, a major incident happened off the Normanville Jetty during a junior life saving championship that caused community outcry and a direct call on the SA Government to ban jetty shark fishing. Recreational fishers fought back, arguing it was a ‘safe practice’ and the community was unnecessarily alarmed.

WACRA members sought evidence to show the dangers surrounding shark fishing near our shores. We contacted an internationally recognised expert who was a senior research fellow at the South Australian Research and Development Institute. Dr Scoresby Shepherd confirmed that there were significant dangers in shark fishing in metropolitan waters. He pointed out the need to ban jetty shark fishing not only because of the dangers but also to protect various shark species. The bronze whaler or copper shark is recognised as a threatened species by the international United Nations (UN). When Dr Shepherd’s scientific evidence was made available, we circulated it to the SA State Government, surf life saving clubs and the media.

Very soon after this information became public, a significant incident was reported in Adelaide’s Sunday Mail (January 2012). It was the story of a fisherman dragging a two-metre bronze whaler shark at Henley Beach from the end of the jetty onto the shore through a group of schoolchildren who were playing in the shallow waters. Fortunately, their teachers saw the shark being pulled through the water and immediately called for the children to