The Shark Control Program on the Gold Coast

Analysing trends of species catch in the Gold Coast Shark Control Program, Queensland from 2000-2008

By Caroline JacksonSouthern Cross University 2009

Outline of Presentation

• Importance of Sharks• Issues• Aims and Objectives• IP Methods• Gold Coast SCP• Catch Trends• Legislation• Future Directions• Conclusion

Importance of Sharks

• Ecologically - top predators in oceans food webs, over 400 million years old (older than dinosaurs)

• Economically – commercial fishers, dive tourism, the aquarium trade

• Ethically – all species have a right to live, majority of sharks (approx. 370 species) are harmless to humans

• For Community – Regarded as spiritual totems/ guides in indigenous cultures

Overview of Issues

Causes of Decline- over fishing- shark finning- Shark Control Programs- loss of habitat- the aquarium trade- late maturity into 20-30 life span and low fecundity rate means slow recovery rate after high fishing pressure- Negative Perceptions and media images of Sharks

SHARK POPULATIONS WORLDWIDE ARE DECLINING(UN IPOA 1999)

Some Figures…

Each year the following number of people are killed by:

• Starvation 8,000,000• Road Accidents 1,200,000• Illegal Drugs 22,000• Execution 2,400• Elephants and tigers 100• Sharks 5

(Sharkwater DVD, 2008)

Focus on Shark Control Programs

3 LocationsQLD, NSW (AUS) and Kwa-Zulu Natal Coast (RSA)

Purpose of SCPsTo protect beach swimmers by catching sharks to reduce the chance of an attack (Adam 2003)

Aims and Objectives

• To investigate the number of sharks and bycatch caught as a result of the shark control program (SCP) on Queensland’s Gold Coast beaches from 2000 to 2008, highlighting any trends within the supplied data.

• To highlight any new SCP methods or research in progress

• To make recommendations for the future direction of the SCP

• To start an online blog at www.removesharknets.com

• To hold a stall at World Environment Day (June 7, 2009) at Currumbin to instigate an investigation into the SCP

IP Methods

• QLD DPI&F SCP Manager Tony Ham - Data provided for catch on GC SCP for 2000 – 2008

• Collected by contractors, every 2nd day if possible:– Date retrieved– Common name– Sex– Length– Condition and – Water temperature

• Data collaborated in Exel

Gold Coast SCP

• 29 km of GC coastline, 24 SCP locations

• Only 1 death in QLD since 1962, 2006 Amity Point (DPI&F 2006)

• GC11 nets and 35 drum-lines

• QLD 35 nets and 344 drum-lines along 84 beaches (usually in front of QLD SLSC) (Adam 2003) (DPI&F 2006)

Gold Coast SCP

Arrangement of nets and drum lines(QLD DPI&F 2006)

Gold Coast SCP

Target Species

On the Gold Coast this entire list of species are targeted however it is only three species marked* that are recognised as dangerous to humans

Blacktip Reef WhalerCarcharhinusmelanopterusBull Whaler*Carcharhinus leucasCommon Blacktip WhalerCarcharhinus limbatusDusky WhalerCarcharhinusobscurusGreat HammerheadSphyrna mokarranHammerhead SharkSphyrna zygaena

LongNose WhalerCarcharhinusbrevipinnaPigeye WhalerCarcharhinusamboinensisSandbar WhalerCarcharhinusplumbeusScalloped HammerheadSphyrna lewiniTiger Shark*Galeocerdo cuvierWhite Shark*Carcharodon carcharias

GC SCP Catch

• Bycatch makes up 45% of the total catch

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

Sharks Bycatch

Tota

l Num

ber

Cau

ght

SCP Catch

Bull Whaler Sharks

7% Tiger Sharks10%

Other Whaler Sharks

37%Great White Sharks

4%

Hammerhead Sharks

42%

Rays45%

Turtles20%

Dolphins17%

Fish6%

Whales4%

Non-target Sharks

8%

GC SCP Nets v Drum lines

• 80% of catch caught in nets

• The nets have a lot of fishing effort (greatest in any fishery?)

• Turtles are the only species caught more in drum lines than nets

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

160

180

200

Bull Whaler Sharks

Tiger Sharks Other Whaler Sharks

Great White Sharks

Hammerhead Sharks

To

tal n

um

ber

of t

arg

et s

har

k sp

ecie

s ca

ug

ht

Target Species

Nets

Drumlines

0

50

100

150

200

250

Rays Turtles Dolphins Fish Whales Non-target Sharks

Tota

l num

ber

of b

ycat

ch c

augh

t in

SC

P e

quip

men

t

Species Groups

Nets

Drumlines

GC SCP Female v Male Catch

• More female sharks are caughtthan males

• The overall catch of target species is declining

• Strong relationship of female catches declining over time

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

160

Bull Whaler Sharks

Tiger Sharks Other Whaler Sharks

Great White Sharks

Hammerhead Sharks

To

tal n

um

ber

of t

arg

et s

har

ks c

aug

ht

Target Species

Female

Male

y = -5.6x + 11260R² = 0.8457

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

1998 2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010

To

tal n

um

ber

of f

emal

e ta

rget

sh

ark

spec

ies

cau

gh

t

Year

GC SCP Mortality Rate• Target species,

most are deceased, if alive are euthanised and discarded at sea

• Many turtles andrays are found alive, the survival rates after catch and release are still uncertain

• Most dolphins are found deceased

0

50

100

150

200

250

Bull Whaler Sharks

Tiger Sharks Other Whaler Sharks

Great White Sharks

Hammerhead Sharks

To

tal n

um

ber

of t

arg

et s

pec

ies

cau

gh

t

Target Species

Alive

Deceased

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

Rays Turtles Dolphins Fish Whales Non-target Sharks

To

tal n

um

ber

cau

gh

t

Species Caught

Deceased

Alive

Legislation

• NPOA-Sharks, developed in Australia in 2004 (UN IPOA-Sharks prompted)

• In my view the SCP and SMP go against Objective vi: To contribute to the protection of biodiversity and ecosystem structure and function(DAFF 2008)

• NSW Dept Environment and Climate Change recognise that NSW SMP is key threatening process to species listed in the NSW EPBC Act 1999 list for threatened, rare and endangered species (Grey Nurse, Great White, Loggerhead Turtle, Green Turtle, Dugong, Humpback Whale, Leathery Turtle, Australian Fur-seal) (Adam 2003)

Future Directions

• QLD - Pingers (electronic warning systems to dolphins and whales –picture bottom right is a deceased baby humpback whale found caught in the SCP on the Gold Coast), deflectors and soft hook coverson drum lines (for turtles)

• Trialing different bait (mullet / shark)

• Educating public through SLSC’s to nippers/ swimmers to swim between the flags, more people drown that die of shark attack

• Personal shark barrier devices –research still in progress to implement into larger scale use(DPI&F 2008)

Recommendations• Remove Shark Nets, “reducing the chance of an

attack” can be done in more effective ways

• Educate swimmers and beach users (locals and tourists), best times and locations to swim

• Encourage swimmers to swim between the flags, life savers can monitor the water from towers, water craft

• Swimmers need to understand that there are inherent risks when entering the water

• Teach people about sharks all the 370 species not just the 3 potentially harmful ones.

Conclusions• Shark populations around the world are declining

– UN IPOA Sharks• Most sharks are harmless to humans• There is more risk getting in a car of dying than there

is of being taken by a shark • Non-target catch is almost equal to the amount of

target catch in the SCP• SCP is key contributor to mortality of marine

species• Shark nets have the largest catch rates on both target

and non-target species• Female shark species are caught more often than

male applying extra pressure to populations• Effects of removing top predators to the entire

ecosystem are not yet well known.

Questions?

References

Adam, P (2003). “Death or injury to marine species following capture in shark control programs on ocean beaches - key threatening process listing”. NSW Government Department of Environment and Climate Change, retrieved from http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/determinations/SharkControlKtp.htm 23 March, 2009.

Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, (2008). ‘National Plan of Action for the Conservation and Management of Sharks (Shark-Plan)’. Retrieved from http://www.daff.gov.au/fisheries/environment/bycatch/sharkplan 06 March, 2009.

Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries, (2006). A Report on the Queensland Shark Safety Program. Queensland Government, Brisbane.

Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries, (2008). Shark Control Program: About the Program. Queensland Government, Brisbane. Retrieved from http://www2.dpi.qld.gov.au/fishweb/2920.html#equipment23 March, 2009.