Drumlines catching sharks and protecting surfers

Dom Vukovic
Swellnet Dispatch

A six-month trial of SMART (Shark Management Alert in Real Time) drumlines along the New South Wales Mid North Coast has shown the devices are "removing the threat of great white sharks from popular beaches" and protecting swimmers, researchers say.

In August the Department of Primary Industries (DPI) deployed 20 devices in two areas including beaches at Forster and Tuncurry and also further north around Coffs Harbour and Sawtell.

The DPI said a total of 64 sharks were caught off Forster and Tuncurry during the trial, with as many as 16 great white sharks over two metres snagged on devices there in just the first month alone.

Researcher Paul Butcher from the DPI's Fisheries Conservation Unit said the latest data from the trial showed the devices were effective in reducing the threat of an interaction between the sharks and swimmers, by effectively removing target sharks that came too close.

"It can reduce the likelihood of an attack or incident with a dangerous shark," he said. "We are catching animals on those beaches that are being used by the public and after capture and tagging they're nearly 15 to 20 kilometres offshore in the next two days.

"But at the same time we're getting that scientific data to tell us where they are on those beaches and when they're moving along our coastline."

Mr Butcher said there was a good reason to explain the high number of great white sharks caught off Forster and Tuncurry compared to Coffs Harbour and other parts of the coast.

"In the Port Stephens Hawkes Nest area we know there's a juvenile nursery area for great white sharks and basically that Forster area is an extension of that nursery," he said.

In contrast Coffs Harbour's catch was far less, with only 15 sharks caught during the trial.

A whale and sharks swim through a baitball at Tuncurry, September 2017

Forster local and surfboard designer Jada McNeil said it was apparent there were more sharks and described a recent close call she had at popular One Mile Beach with her daughter.

"As the wave formed in front of me it was like looking into an aquarium," she said. "We were diving right into it, and my reaction was to get my daughter out as quickly as possible.

"We were actually shocked that it was captured on film, no-one else had seen it, but it was certainly there."

Ms McNeil says the latest trial data showing the large number of sharks being caught on drumlines was disconcerting but not enough to stop her from going for a swim at her beautiful local beach.

"It is causing a bit of hysteria, and I think a lot of people have the attitude that they would rather not know," she said. "It is affecting the surf tourism industry and affecting beachgoers as well."

Ms McNeil said she was also concerned that the baited drumlines, which were positioned about 500 metres offshore during the trial, were deployed too close to swimmers and surfers and potentially attracting sharks to their vicinity.

The smart drumline uses GPS to send real time alerts to Department of Primary Industries scientists and contractors

SMART drumlines differ from traditional drumlines because they are able to alert operators when a shark has been snagged on a baited hook, and the aim is for a team to reach the animal as quickly as possible to increase its chances of survival.

"We're tagging the animal when it comes up to the surface and then we can track that animal for over a period of 10 years," Mr Butcher said. "That scientific data tells us they're moving up and down our coastline."

Mr Butcher said the data so far disproved previous theories that sharks became localised in areas like Ballina and Evans Head where spates of attacks had occurred over the past two years. He said the data showed that the sharks preferred to stay in deeper waters once they were caught and generally stayed away from the area they were caught, with most continuing their movement up and down the coast.

"The data shows they move far up into Queensland, around Rockhampton, to New Zealand and down into Tasmania and Victoria with some animals travelling to Western Australia," Mr Butcher said.

As part of the State Government's Shark Management Strategy SMART drumlines are just one of a number of mitigation measures being explored. A recent report into the trial of shark nets from November between Lennox and Evans Head showed as many as 24 animal deaths, with a single bull shark caught off Ballina the only target species captured.

In contrast the death of only one animal in the SMART drumlines trial has led Greens MP Justin Field to label shark nets an "abysmal failure".

"The nets on the north coast, and there's 50 across Sydney beaches, do not catch many target sharks, but they do catch non-threatening species including turtles and dolphins, which often die," he said. "They kill hundreds of marine animals and there's whales that die too."

Mr Field said the SMART drumline trial data was promising, but he said a broader strategy was required.

"This can't be the only strategy, a big part of the strategy has to be surveillance and drone technology. Increasing resources for surf lifesaving and professional patrols is one of the most effective ways to improve safety," he said.

"But this evidence coming in from the tagging trial has been really valuable to give communities an understanding of how sharks behave and where they're located around the NSW coast."

//DOM VUKOVIC
© Australian Broadcasting Corporation. All rights reserved.

Comments

t-diddy's picture
t-diddy's picture
t-diddy Thursday, 15 Feb 2018 at 12:33pm

there's no perfect solution but IMHO this is a good program - taxes well spent

Toppa's picture
Toppa's picture
Toppa Thursday, 15 Feb 2018 at 3:23pm

If they're travelling south to Tasmania and Victoria, which makes perfect sense due to the cooler water temperatures, I wonder where exactly in Victoria they are going? Encounters down here in Vic are still pretty rare (touch wood) compared to further north.

filthyphil's picture
filthyphil's picture
filthyphil Thursday, 15 Feb 2018 at 3:38pm

I understand they hang around the Prom a bit.
Being from Vic I often think the same thing.

indo-dreaming's picture
indo-dreaming's picture
indo-dreaming Thursday, 15 Feb 2018 at 4:34pm

Seems they actually hang on the east side of the prom running towards south coast NSW, must be lots of seals on all those rock islands of Bass strait?

mackdog's picture
mackdog's picture
mackdog Thursday, 15 Feb 2018 at 8:02pm

Reports of a big GWS on the surfcoast close to surfers last weekend and having a munch on a seal. Instagram @vandasurf

TOS's picture
TOS's picture
TOS Thursday, 15 Feb 2018 at 4:56pm

I'm sure i recall seeing a few GWS getting captured in the nets off Ballina when they were first introduced. Thats going off the Dorsal App. Im guessing you would know Freeride?

freeride76's picture
freeride76's picture
freeride76 Thursday, 15 Feb 2018 at 8:19pm

that is correct. Big one too, 4m.

simba's picture
simba's picture
simba Thursday, 15 Feb 2018 at 5:18pm

Indo and FP im pretty sure the Prom is part of the breeding ground down there,sure i read that in the past.As for drum lines i think they are more effective than nets but it seems as though around Coffs Harbour they have been removed in the last week......so is this the same at Forster and Ballina?

Wharfjunkie's picture
Wharfjunkie's picture
Wharfjunkie Thursday, 15 Feb 2018 at 5:37pm

Are GWS good eating?

simba's picture
simba's picture
simba Thursday, 15 Feb 2018 at 6:09pm

small ones would be....flake...

TOS's picture
TOS's picture
TOS Thursday, 15 Feb 2018 at 8:40pm

Yeah i thought so. I guess these guys only tell u what they want u to hear....

freeride76's picture
freeride76's picture
freeride76 Thursday, 15 Feb 2018 at 8:44pm

Ballina drums lines are still there but they will debait the hooks and not check the gear while this swell is on because they won't be able to get over the bar

Mort's picture
Mort's picture
Mort Thursday, 15 Feb 2018 at 11:08pm

Ha Haaa! This I say the White Shark, you dumb shark, you.

Mort's picture
Mort's picture
Mort Thursday, 15 Feb 2018 at 11:14pm

The one time you came into my dream, you were casual, I thank you for that. You did look quite imposing. It was like me and my mates were spearfishing of Peren Point in Rockingham. I had gone a bit further than I should have, just to prove myself. You, came out of nowhere, like a satellite that was going to the Moon. You scared me.

We were shit spearfishermen.

Mort's picture
Mort's picture
Mort Thursday, 15 Feb 2018 at 11:16pm

Braceletts, wrist and legs, board device, jetski maybe, Naaah.

Mort's picture
Mort's picture
Mort Thursday, 15 Feb 2018 at 11:57pm

I like the picture of the shark , it is nothing like the one in my dreams.

Mort's picture
Mort's picture
Mort Friday, 16 Feb 2018 at 12:03am

She is suspended, moving, not effortlessly, she is moving. She comes out of nowhere, not the deep, but maybe fifteen, twenty down.

Like she has caught you with your pants down. She has all this computer shit in her head.

She darts off, typical.

I throw a fist at her.

Mort's picture
Mort's picture
Mort Friday, 16 Feb 2018 at 12:36am

Man, a major fishing rig.

Nick Ellison's picture
Nick Ellison's picture
Nick Ellison Friday, 16 Feb 2018 at 10:56am

Reckon Mort has been been on the acid?

Enjoy_The_Glide's picture
Enjoy_The_Glide's picture
Enjoy_The_Glide Friday, 16 Feb 2018 at 4:44pm

Yes looks like Mort's on the gear.

surfingmaciek's picture
surfingmaciek's picture
surfingmaciek Saturday, 17 Feb 2018 at 7:14am

Here's an idea, with all these sharks tagged why don't the life savers get the real live location of the sharks in their beach/area so they can sound the shark alarm? Is this too far a leap in the technology? Maybe even a phone call from the Science dept. to the local SLSC?
I realise theres still a lot of sharks that are un-tagged but its a start right?

simsurf's picture
simsurf's picture
simsurf Tuesday, 15 Sep 2020 at 12:23pm

Didn't they say in the article all of the sharks moved onto into deeper water except one?

udo's picture
udo's picture
udo Saturday, 24 Feb 2018 at 3:06pm

Gruesome pic on ABC of female swimmer attacked near la Perouse by a juvenile GWS.

truebluebasher's picture
truebluebasher's picture
truebluebasher Wednesday, 2 May 2018 at 11:01pm

"Northern NSW Sharknet trial has ended a month early!"( GCBulletin Wed 2/5/2018)
This is due to an early Whale season! (Drumlines will stay in place)

Nets were being pulled in today at following beaches...
Ballina- Lighthouse Beach/Sharpes Beach/Shelley Beach.
Lennox Head/Seven Mile Beach.
Evans Head Beach

Govt'Primary Industry MP- [CAUTION] Check signs/Avoid dark turbid murky water/Bait fish.

simba's picture
simba's picture
simba Thursday, 3 May 2018 at 6:38am

Seems the reporting of white shark tagging has gone very quiet around the northern rivers,i was told they are keeping it hush hush........noticed there hasn't been a white reported from Evans to Byron for months.......good reason for that,don't want to scare the tourists away.Anyway glad the nets are gone ,drumlines are the go.

Norm de Ploom's picture
Norm de Ploom's picture
Norm de Ploom Thursday, 3 May 2018 at 1:22pm

Going by the DPI tag stats, it appears few GWS were caught between December 2016 to April 2017. Similarly, very few have been caught from late 2017 to now.
During 2017 the action hotted up around May, with greatly increased captures from July to September, then it tailed off.
So not a long series of data to make solid conclusions, but it would appear late autumn/ winter is the time they move north, hang around for a bit then go back south in spring.
So also, roughly in sync with humpback migration.

freeride76's picture
freeride76's picture
freeride76 Thursday, 3 May 2018 at 2:50pm

Seems too be the case.

Although the weird thing in the data is the presence of larger white sharks in summer. Not many, but big ones.
Tadashi had his legs bitten off in February.

udo's picture
udo's picture
udo Thursday, 3 May 2018 at 5:03pm

russhook have you had many Encounters lately ?

tubeshooter's picture
tubeshooter's picture
tubeshooter Thursday, 3 May 2018 at 8:17pm

I wouldn't be too complacent at the moment. I,ve seen a couple breaching in schools of salmon , mullet etc and in some pretty close sheltered bays on the mid north coast, . Mostly juvenile attacks on schooling fish .
Of course we're all wearing shark shield devices by now and have nothing to fear.

truebluebasher's picture
truebluebasher's picture
truebluebasher Monday, 14 Sep 2020 at 8:22pm

Smart Drumline /Tags/ Receiver (Cost) & Variables ..#1 swellnet exclusive.

Trial Beaches are primarily chosen by Shark Bite counts.
Bigger Ports are needed to operate Smart Drum lines.
No Drums roll out with high winds over 26 knots / Rough seas over 3.5m

Smart Drumlines are reset each day (500m offshore).
Rolled out & Activated 1hr after Sunrise (1 -2 man crew)
Bait: 1kg must be Aussie Salmon or Sea Mullet > replace less than 600gm bait.
Reel all in 2hrs before sunset (4 man crew + for emergency response > 30mins)
Live Sharks are relocated 1km offshore / Dead sharks are relocated 2km off shore.
Govt's own Promo shows Ballina / Coffs releases within a few 100m from shore.
https://scontent-ort2-2.cdninstagram.com/v/t51.2885-15/sh0.08/e35/s750x7...
https://www.sharksmart.nsw.gov.au/technology-trials-and-research

Not suited for Island chain Reef Systems
No more than 13kms or 30mins from Base.(500m -1km apart)
re: Gold Coast Seaway is too far from WSR...NSW would need to service or assist.
Sunshine Coast is similar...hence Qld don't progress expensive Smart Drums.

How Expensive?
(2018) $3,500 Drum/Line (Replacement Cost)
(2014) $5,705 / day ( Install 5hrs min) (Meaning a row is considered worthwhile)
(2018) $6,000 /day min. (install 10-20) over 10-12kms
$2-3m /year for 1-2 vessels > 20 +15 Drum lines or $2m-10kms beach /year

The Receivers 'Listening Stations'(Also sit 500m offshore) Usually 1 per Town
Storms have dislodged many Receivers, more than a dozen for WA & NSW
https://www.qt.com.au/news/shar-detection-buoy/3040710/
(2011) $8,000 Buoy (Install -$5,000 x 7 men / 2 vessels )


(2011) $2,000 Receiver (Often dislodge in Rough Seas)
(2011) $5,000/yr Data Download per Buoy or per town
(2020) Batteries last 18 months

(2011) $400 Tags + Onboard Vet or Medi trained officer.(Note in MP)
All / many Marine Tags ping Receiver from 500m (Up to many hours at a time)
Tags in Sharks.
Cat Bell Effect : Dolphin / Seals can hear a tagged Shark coming.
Dinner Bell Effect : Orrca packs can easily hunt down a tagged Shark.
file:///C:/Users/Owner/Downloads/Sub47_att2%20(4).pdf
Sharks suffer great pain with rusted Tag infection .
https://besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/cms/asset/6a7159a0-1e55-4186...
Sharks spot humans on beaches & swim to shore motioning assist to remove tags

*Smart Buoys or Listening Stations do NOT sound Shark Alarms for NSW surfers.
WA Trial ...are experimenting with this option...
https://www.esperanceexpress.com.au/story/6639637/shark-warning-towers-i...

SLSNSW
State Operations monitor the Feed and MAY notify Patrol officer of unusual activity.
Are NOT expected to monitor Sharksmart app during patrol.
The Sharksmart app feed is NOT considered as Sightings or Warnings
Does NOT sound beach alarms based on Sharksmart app alerts
Are under NO obligation to launch a drone / IRB in response to Sharksmart app.

Are obliged to upload Shark sightings & Beach closures onto Sharksmart site.

PS: NSW claim most Sharks released offshore vanish well out to sea.
(Above) NSW promos only ever show inshore releases...this corrupts offshore data.
One must assume all releases are inshore...as to cost - time- labour constraints.

NSW shark vidz follow on from iconic fake drone rescue footage of stunt nippers.
Just saying ...NSW Govt in-house blooper vidz are full on hypnotoad spazz.
https://media.tenor.com/images/a5b11ce5c0d164f0203db13051fcc816/tenor.gif
Same avant garde director filmed Tulla Tub crash'up'derby pool safety promos.

Read the corrupted data with this in mind...it's a shame...cause TRIAL was useful.
NSW can still save data by re-calibrating the in-shore releases into the matrix...

We saw what NSW Govt did last Summer..
Dr Moreau should own up to releasing hostile tagged sharks into the surf zone!

Norm de Ploom's picture
Norm de Ploom's picture
Norm de Ploom Tuesday, 15 Sep 2020 at 1:48am

“Sharks spot humans on beaches & swim to shore motioning assist to remove tags“

Eh?

truebluebasher's picture
truebluebasher's picture
truebluebasher Tuesday, 15 Sep 2020 at 12:18pm

Thanx for reading Norm de Ploom...it's of growing interest


3m clicks on that vid & all know that Shark swam to the feet of those on the shore.
Then turns to exhibit the Tag...but also wags tail demanding assist.
That's the wake up call that the world can't hide...Sharks keep scoring A+

Recent findings show Sharks can scan Shoreline from afar & breach shore by night.
Bull sharks often hang beneath Bat & Bird roosts & actually leap clear to pluck nests.
These acrobatics train the Bull sharks to clear the surface to catch Rays mid flight.
Sharks can slowly bob and scan shorelines for prey & also sniff out Bait from jetties.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2672427/Whats-going-Curious-gre...
They can stalk pet dogs on footpaths & pin humans against a shoreline as if a seal.

Wild Dolphins have long communicated with Humans by song & sound.
Dolphins as Lifeguards + Dog/Human/Dolphin team as one during fish harvest.

Many creatures repeat visit to thank a Human half a world away until end years.
Marine life / Birds / Reptiles all return to comfort zones or human's healing hands.


Most in these relationships compare favourably to a Pet Dog!
Before one thinks! Yes! But Dogs can be domesticated?
100,000/yr Oz Dogs attack mostly family members, much less so strangers.

As we now know Sharks have no issue with engaging crowds on busy shoreline.
We know our pets do likewise so a smarter predator is no different.

Injured sharks target beach flagged Areas to plead mercy for public to remove hooks.
Above video shows a typical tail swishing of water to motion for help.
These tags drive them insane (No relief) as said the handicap must exhaust them.

This is no longer odd...it's now the new norm...more people now offer assist to sharks.
Sure! Back in tbb's day was entirely the opposite. Now any/all step up as rescuers.
Can see whole town is on a mission to save the shark...huge elation upon release.

In fact there is much argument over increased rescues being more stressful to shark.
Once the public free the shark it reciprocates like a freed tangled Whale.
This is very real alright & Shark rescues in full view...local authority has no say.




Today's beach goers respect Sharks a lot more than JAWS era.

This Bay is mostly empty, but the Man highlights his beachside outpost house.
With people walking about...where else would a propeller injured Shark seek help?
We again see timely tail thrashing as if a dog & again showcasing the injury.


Not a coincidence if it keeps playing out the world over...many similar stories & vidz.
Pattern shows more hooked / tagged Sharks increasingly seeking out human assist.

Always the injured shark knows how to seek assist by choosing a 'help centre'.
Pacific Saltwater would call Sharks to hand.
Sharks even rescued men by towing them to shore.
There is nothing new of Man's relationship with Shark but it's now more inevitable.

thermalben's picture
thermalben's picture
thermalben Friday, 7 May 2021 at 10:47am