WA shark drumline trial canned after only two white pointers caught over two years
A trial of non-lethal drum lines off WA's south-west coast will come to an end after catching just two white sharks in two years, with the state's chief scientist saying it did not reduce the risk of attack.
After a spate of shark attacks in WA's South West, contractors rolled out 10 drum lines along an 11.5-kilometre stretch of beach in 2019 with the aim of catching, tagging, and moving white pointers offshore.
The program, using SMART (shark management alert in real time) drumline technology, aimed to see if the animals would return to populated beaches.
Of the 311 captures over two years, only two white sharks were caught, along with 266 other types of sharks, and 43 other "non-target" marine animals.
WA chief scientist Professor Peter Klinken said his independent review found SMART drumline technology was not effective in catching white sharks and “provided no demonstrable value in reducing the potential risk posed by white sharks in the South West”.
In a report on the trial released this morning, it was revealed the two white sharks captured in the trial did remain offshore immediately after being relocated.
“But based on the low white shark catch at Gracetown during this trial, it is, however, not possible to statistically demonstrate the effectiveness of SMART drumlines as a shark mitigation measure in these Western Australian conditions,” the report stated.
Government defends extended trial
Fisheries Minister Don Punch defended the two-year trial this morning, saying it served its purpose in generating data to assess the effectiveness of smart drumlines.
But he said drumlines were "a very inefficient way of capturing and tagging white sharks".
"Only two white sharks have been captured over the course of the trial. From that point of view it had limited success in assessing the behaviour of sharks when they are moved from their location and taken out to sea,” he said.
“So on the basis on that evidence … the government will not be continuing with the shark drumline approach to shark mitigation."
Instead, the government will pour $7.8 million into other shark mitigation measures including rebates for shark deterrents and upgrades to the shark monitoring network, which allows sharks to be tagged and monitored in real-time.
"The state government's tagging program has seen 51 white sharks captured since 2019, compared with only two captured during the SMART drumline trial," he said.
The SMART drumline trial will end on May 20.
Surfers express concern
But surfers have expressed concern about the removal of drumlines.
Cowaramup Bay Board Riders Association president Jane Seman said she was disappointed that surfers in the area had not been consulted.
“We haven’t had any attacks since the smart drumlines have been there and that is consistent with other drumline examples around the world," she said.
“I don’t know the best solution. But removing the drumlines does make us feel a lot more vulnerable.”
Ms Seman said personal shark deterrents were too expensive for families with multiple surfers.
She supported moves to upgrade the shark monitoring network, which warns surfers of the presence of tagged sharks through the Shark Smart app, but said it had limitations.
“Surfers and divers can’t check an app while they’re in the water, and they might be in the water for three hours," she said.
Australian Marine Conservation Society shark campaigner Leonardo Guida said he was pleased the government had taken an evidence-based approach focused on tagging and monitoring.
He said tagging programs were a better way of researching shark behaviour to reduce the risk of shark attack.
"The benefit of these tagging programs is seeing where they move, why they move, and how often they move, and we can then make the most informed decisions for ourselves on how to use the water," Dr Guida said.
© Australian Broadcasting Corporation. All rights reserved.
Comments
Of the 266 "other" sharks captured it would be good to know what percentage of these were species considered dangerous to humans.
Be interesting to know too how often they were checked. 268 sharks over circa 730 days is one every 2-3 days across the whole set-up or once every 27 days for each line. Clearance rate has a material bearing on that figure though, particularly if some locations are more popular with the noahs than others.
Set at dawn. Removed at dusk 7 days a week depending on weather and swell. Boat remains on water inside trial zone during deployment. Checked every two hours for bait. Instant alert for captures. Majority of sharks captured were Tiger's , also Mako's, Bronze and Dusky whalers. No 'non dangerous' sharks caught
So you're saying they're not left in overnight? I wonder what difference that might have made
That level of monitoring would surely have been exy
No point leaving them in overnight, they die. It was a tagging and release project for research.
Captain of shark tagging vessel to first mate : “ I can’t believe we haven’t caught a single pointer all year. How much meat are you putting on each hook?”
First Mate: “ Just one portion, Capt’n.”
Captain: “Fuck the budget. We’ll look like clowns if we don’t start catching sharks ASAP- throw two portions on each hook!”
First Mate:” Aye, aye Capt’n. Two portions it is!”
Captain: “ Let’s see those stupid fish try and evade me now!”
Simple science: No Soy + No Gluten = No GWS
haha ,,
If NSW can tag over 300 of them then WA is doing something wrong in my opinion. Location , bait , depth of hooks , etc ??? I don't know but it seems pretty clear they're doing something wrong . Perhaps there was too much community input into their placement and not enough input from people who know their stuff. Maybe the contractor/s are just boat operators and have jack shit fishing experience. Farks my mind
Probably the wrong location TBH, should have been done down at Esperance, that's where they generally love to hang out
West Aus trial duplicated NSW trial. Same gear, same depth of hooks, same bait. Difference being that this region is not a GWS nursery zone
I don’t understand what you’re implying with the comment that “the only difference being that this region is not a GWS nursery zone”.
Are you saying that you think the fishing methods don’t work because the fish are at different life stages and require differing fishing techniques? Or are you saying that the reason that sharks weren’t caught is because there’s less of them?
Well most of those tagged over east have been juveniles because the trial there is in the centre of the east coast nursery. It looks like the west coast population has a nursery zone near the SA WA border. Fisheries WA have only caught a few under 2.5 metres. So either the adults are relatively rare as believed by most researchers, or they are more wary of taking baits, or they generally give this region a wide berth. From the numbers that fisheries have tagged using opportunist methods like baiting around whale carcasses or fish aggregations they can be attracted close to shore. The VR2 receiver near the seal colony at Bunker Bay has detected quite a few tagged white sharks. Some of them have stayed around for days at a time, sometimes in pairs.
The local contractor is an absolute legend. 30 years a commercial abalone diver. Leading researcher of GWS from underwater. He's personally developed much of the technology used to monitor and observe GWS in their environment without using burley. Discovered the last GWS 'hot spot' in the islands off Esperance. His deckies and relief skippers all have commercial shark fishing and Abalone diving experience. They won the contract from tender. Look up Finding Salisbury on vimeo or youtube
Australia has commercial shark fisheries.
Millions of sharks are killed world wide for fins food and fun (sport).
Millions of fishermen kill billions of fish for fun (sport).
But Australia saves the world by enforcing radical protection of sharks for the expense of a small number of (mostly but not always) white male lives. Expendable people. Our people.
Shark nets work.
Look at the statistics for Sydney and the Gold Coast.
Nobody is talking about eradication.Nobody is talking about netting the coast.
The only suggestion is using existing effective techniques in very small areas where due to population expansion we now have quite large surfing & beach user communities. And deaths by shark attack.
Yes shark nets have "by catch" (fishing industry term). We should work hard to reduce that.
Perhaps our taxpayer millions could be spent on upgrading the successful tried and tested netting program.
For example;
species specific acoustic detergents,
much more regular monitoring to improve survivability of by catch.
More regular placement and removal of nets to target the unwanted species,
avoiding net deployment at known times of increased bycatch.
Hopefully you may have other suggestions.
Perhaps like you, I am tired of the "more chance of being killed by a bee b.s." - that is not true of our people who spend so much time exposed. It is completely different to those who dip a toe between the flags at Christmas. THEY have more chance of death by bee. Not true of the grommets round here.
I am sick of the "you are entering their environment and so deserve what's coming" argument - applied to no other group or activity.
I am tied of the conversation being dominated by academics who shout down those with a lifetime of experience with the old "just anecdotal" argument. As if their little assumption riddled models are the only truth.
Remember our community (surfers) have "skin in the game". Lets remember academics have financial incentives that could (their humans too) just maybe, influence or compromise their line. ("more research needed" anyone? )
Just to be clear, my community has suffered death and destruction of human life from people being attacked by sharks and because I, like you probable do too, love my little community I am passionate about the protection of my people. Surfers. Even you!
Bracing now for the onslaught
I hear that you are sick of the "you are entering their environment and so deserve what's coming" argument. It is, in my judgement, a very valid and important argument. Are you sick of the argument because it has truth to it?
Cheers
Hi billie,
nah, I am sick of it because of the callousness of the comment, often made by people who spend little time in the water, and so who have a very low personal risk exposure. I get that is not you, but It just seems to me it's one of those things best left unsaid, especially to those who's people are the ones paying with a leg or a life.
Interested to know why you think its an important argument, and an argument for what? (I assume you mean us accepting a death rate in our sport from shark attack?)
Cheers mate
In what other tragic death do you hear, they new the risk. A women married to an abusive person that goes on to kill her. Imagine (rightly so) the outrage if some one came out with, ohh she knew he was violent and knew the risk. You could apply that kind of comment to so many situations and it is totally irrelevant, callous and dismissive of the situation.
Nah that's apples and oranges.
A better comparison is maybe an experienced surfer dying at pipe, chops whatever. Tragic, yes, but the participant knew the risk.
Giday old non kook (love it!)
The apples to apples comparison is a bit tricky, but probably worth thought. How about;
car load of young people + recklessness (speed, drink, shitbox car) have fatal accident - should have known etc so we take no action to prevent future occurrences
young footy player spear tackled, looses mobility/life - should have known etc so we take no action to prevent future occurrences
kids playing in stormwater, sucked down a drain, loss of life - should have known etc so we take no action to prevent future occurrences
House goes up in flames in bushfire with loss of life- should have known etc so we take no action to prevent future occurrences
Not sure any of these is the right apples 2 apples comparison........But
The real argument is about nets.
It's the tragic photographs of the bycatch of nets that inspires the "surfers are expendable, f*ck them they knew the risk" line that these unsalted dried up landlubbers run.
If we accept that nets work at saving surfers lives (as the record in Sydney & Gold Coast demonstrates)
but we find the cost in bycatch too high, let's have a crack at fixing the bycatch problem of nets.
A few ideas, would love to hear yours;
Acoustic pingers at species (dolphins, turtles whales) specific frequencies,
Active monitoring perhaps by camera with quick response by contractors to free non target species (jetski ?)
Placement & removal of nets each day to prevent overnight bycatch
Remember state governments are spending up big (our money!) on ineffectual methods at the expense of our grommets.
Im not OK with that.
Nobody " deserves" to be bitten
Sometimes I jump on google maps (sat view) and zoom in over a section of coast and imagine a series of nets or drum lines installed to protect that area from sharks. That area is now "out of bounds". Where will the sharks now go to meet, feed, shag and raise their families?
Zoom out a little bit (just a couple of clicks on your mouse roller thingy) and a whole bunch of extra headlands, shoals, bays and beaches quickly come into view.
Zoom out a little bit more and even more come into view. The blue on your screen is very quickly overtaking the land.
Zoom out a little bit more....and then again.
You quickly realise the ocean is really really REALLY freakin big. And deep water aside (where they survive just fine anyway), there is still tonnes and tonnes of available coastline for them to do whatever they damn well want.
Try it sometime.
I honestly don't think its a case of either or. They will get on just fine if you net off or drumline those handful of places people and sharks regularly cohabitate.
spot on comments mate
“I don’t know the best solution. But removing the drumlines does make us feel a lot more vulnerable.” Cowaramup Bay Board Riders Association president Jane Seman.
"The state government's tagging program has seen 51 white sharks captured since 2019, compared with only two captured during the SMART drumline trial," Fisheries Minister Don Punch.
These two opinions are diametrically opposed, even though both are analysing 2 years of the same real dataset. With all due respect to feelings, surely facts carry more weight?
how are they getting them for the tagging program?
assuming baited hooks?
why does the Drumlines using baited hooks not work over there?
Anyone got any clues?
edit: another extremely crappy mainstream media media article on sharks.
Anthony Pancia, you work for the ABC and cover the the south-west. Can you ask some questions and do a follow-up?
I'm with you freeride. I'd like to know why the discrepancy with the east coast figures.
they have been using the wrong bait for 2 years. Wouldn't you think after a year it was time to try a different baits? They catch a lot more on the east coast coz they set up hooks nearer the shark known birthing areas. A lot of juvenile, fish eating whites caught over there. Whale or seal meat seems to be the food of choice for full grown whites. Preferably dead easy to feast on whales. Now where could we get that sort of bait? That's right it washes up onto our beaches all the time.
The pointers they bring about the cages at the Neptunes seem to love the big tuna baits they tease them with. Can’t imagine any predatory fish passing up a bit of tuna.
The problem with tuna as a 'set' bait though is it loses most of it's 'juices' very quickly , falls apart and is quickly destroyed by pickers. , All the drum liners I used to know preferred chunks of eel when they could get it . Stays on the hook forever and carries a scent for days.
Eel? Never would have known that. Cheers.
I heard chunks of stingray flap are prime bait here.
will confirm next time I see the shark contractor.
apparently he caught the first white of the season here (south wall Ballina) the other day.
A couple of divers I caught up with at the boat ramp got buzzed in the first week of March.
Is September the all round worst month for East coast surfing?
The blokes I know were operating commercially on the north coast nsw. Went out with them on occasion , mostly to give a hand when I had some downtime from my own boat and for the experience.,,before the dpi slashed all the rules .
I often went for the cobia too. There's usually a few hanging around the hooked sharks.
But yeah eel was the go to bait , surprised me too .
FR76 My understanding of the WA tagging program is whenever whites are observed, particularly en masse, the fisheries send out a boat and tag them. Nothing to do with baited hooks, usually occurs when whites are feeding on a whale carcass, offshore or near shore.
Jamyardy , I refer you to the picture at the top of the page . This has everything to do with baited hooks.
As for the methods used to tag the other ones I'm clueless.
what? they just motor up to them and stick a tag in them?
never heard of that being done before.
Every other tagging program relies on the fish being caught first on a baited hook.
I hear ya's. Maybe the West Australian paper is reporting it incorrectly. But yeah they motor up and tag them without any baiting is how I interpreted the article, but that was a year or two ago, maybe things have changed. The only baited hooks I know of and seen are between the capes, most of these other tagged sharks are from the south coast WA I think. Then they have deployed so many scores of underwater sensors around the state, and when one of the tagged sharks swims within so many xxx mtrs of one an alert comes up on the shark alert program, maybe all the info is on that site, haven't really checked it out, just remember reading an article about it one day.
They were tagging the sharks caught on the drumlines.
Entirely separate to that, they visit shark feeding events and ‘capture and tag’ sharks. I don’t know how they first capture them.
Some more detail here
https://www.mediastatements.wa.gov.au/Pages/McGowan/2020/06/Targeted-tag...
OK, capture would entail a baited hook.
no way you can secure an adult or even juvenile white shark without having it on a hook first.
Freeride, Vic Hislop used to swear by using a big stingray as the best bait for whites.
The story about him catching (and shooting with a shotgun once he got it up near the boat after a couple of hours of fighting!!) the big white that took the guy off Cape Moreton in the 90's he used a whole stingray as bait and caught the thing on the first night.
Vic is such a hero isn’t he.
I heard ages ago the tigers froth on stingray and the bullies love eel, esp turned inside out apparently to release more aroma
100%
2020 was a la Nina year FFS. Pretty silly to evaluate a program during a one in seven year event.
W.A's Drum line trial duplicates NSW trial. Same gear, same bait. Same methodology. Biggest difference is the W.A trial is nowhere near a nursery zone. W.A Fisheries have tagged 70 GWS in the same period mostly by sitting beside whale carcasses that have attracted GWS and setting drumlines, also using Salmon as bait, same as Smart drum line trial. Less than 20 tagged GWS swam through the SW W.A receiver network during the 2 years of the trials. Only one that was tagged in NSW. Plenty of info on the net if you look.
The annual pink Snapper spawning aggregations in Cockburn Sound off Perth's coast sees the arrival of GWS , and has been a reliable tagging ground for W.A Fisheries. These are adult sharks that arrive to eat fish. Neptune Island cage divers collect samples from every GWS that comes in close range to the cages. Blood samples from these cores show that fish continue to be a main part of white shark's diet for their life span.
thanks heaps for all these very informative posts Slugga.
yeah cheers sluggadog. I was curious as to the methodology of non smart drum line tagged sharks. thx
Agreed. Great informative posts Sluggadog. Really appreciated. What you said about Juvenile pointers not taking the baits really stood out. I was thinking something similar. Obviously there's the probability of much larger pointers cruising the coast here and larger quantities of them, compared to Ballina/east coast however most likely there are just as many juveniles in the 2-3m range migrating up and down the coast. Possibly a different food source (quantity of food) for the Juvies here too compared to east? Maybe less interest in baited hooks considering the coasts they've covered that are full of food sources. Anyway, cheers for the well informed observations.
Perhaps those scientists who propagate the theory that sharks don’t eat humans because they’re not high in fat content should peruse the data regarding fin fish being a perennial food source for pointers. A lot less calorific value in a snapper than in a human and typically more energy expenditure required to swim down a healthy snapper than a teabagging surfer. Heaven forbid the official scientific stance should be that we just don’t taste as nice.
“We haven’t had any attacks since the smart drumlines have been there and that is consistent with other drumline examples around the world,"
It is also consistent with almost every other each where drumlines have Not been installed. Both the frequency of attacks and the percentage of beaches with drumlines are so low I doubt they would generate enough combined data from which to draw any meaningful conclusions.
Agreed. I'd like her to back that up with some sources
Just playing the devil's advocate here for a sec: What about places where there have been a spate of shark attacks and then drum-lines are installed? It would be interesting to see some science on this.
The problem also with this failure is it slows down the data and knowledge received from when they pass the listening buoys.
Here's some data put out by nsw dpi a month ago on tagged white sharks visits on the east coast over 2019 /2020
good vid ...finally eplaining things a bit better....jeez old port mac has a few pings......suppose they are all different sharks pinging not the same going back and forth.?
Simba, I think they must be able to separate the individual sharks to present the data shown in the video but they don’t explain that. On some days there would be up to 10 recordings on the local buoy which must be the same shark otherwise the numbers in the video would be a lot higher. Would make sense if the Shark Smart app reported which Shark was present so didn’t have to worry there was a pack of 10 hanging off the beach.
With all the sharks caught off ballina I’m surprised that they didn’t have higher numbers recorded on the buoys.
Distracted i thought the same mate. No way those numbers are right concerning the Evans /Lenno stretch....i used to look at the dorsal site every day and it was the most pings of anywhere by far and they show hardly any on that vid........something smells down at the tip thats for sure,more smoke and mirrors.
I think the vid numbers only referred to whites. Perhaps the dorsal sight records additional species
RJ, agree video is about Whites but the Shark Smart app does say which tagged shark species passed by. However they don’t seperate individual sharks.
For example 13/5/2021 at Forster there were 13 alerts issued for a Great White. Probably the same shark but the app doesn’t say. Be better if they said Shark No. X, recorded at this location.
This guy covers a few klms https://www.facebook.com/529123477122422/posts/4065885636779504/?d=n
Just curious whether the 2 naughty GWS returned to their haunts post disciplinary action?
In a report on the trial released this morning, it was revealed the two white sharks captured in the trial did remain offshore immediately after being relocated.
Pages 19 and 22 map out their journey's while the sat tags remained active. Pretty long voyages for both. Mostly out along the edge of the continental shelf.https://www.fish.wa.gov.au/Documents/occasional_publications/fop139.pdf
Well, we got rid of most of those dam dinosaurs, mammoth, taz tigers, lions, leopards, rhinos, elephants, koalas, quolls, seals, whales, fish, dugong, eagles, bilby, forests, rivers, creeks, etc. Let get rid of those other beasts and show the girls we are hunters & conquerors not greeny tree huggin pacifists.
Reference: Cane & Abel Genesis 4:1–18 & Quran 5:27-31
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cain_and_Abel;
If you believe we had a hand getting rid of the dinosaurs, I can only add that once they escaped their cages in the Park and ate the computer programmer Dennis Nedry, we had to respond.
Shark and human interactions: what factors are at play?
A 2016 paper examined six global shark bite “hotspots” – the United States, South Africa, Australia, Brazil, Reunion Island and the Bahamas – and concluded that when it comes to encounters between sharks and humans, there are a range of causes at play.
These include:
rises in human population
habitat destruction/modification
changes in water quality
climate change
changing weather patterns, and
the distribution/abundance of prey.
Reference
https://theconversation.com/factfile-the-facts-on-shark-bites-and-shark-...
Well obviously there are no GWS...durr!
Experts reckon that the shark shield rollout has reached shiver immunity.
WA Govt : "Never Wander out Yonder without yer first responder!"
Surfie : "This ain't no Surf Safari this is a Big Game Safari...paddle faster...but not faster than me!"
Qldurrz will start off the WA Telethon by donating the Noosa WSR Dog Catchers Net...Good2Go!
The new fisheries minister was on ABC Perth yesterday, he was mostly going on about the tagging of the sharks being the only real beneficial results of the program. Also said that they had more success tagging a number of white sharks off a dead whale carcass than the whole drumline program.
So perhaps a designated area to drag whale carcass for disposal way out to sea and fisheries can tag away, heaps cheaper and more efficient (and also brought up on forums here many times in the past).
He also said helicopter and shark spotting were the best measures for safety (just like they used to do along Perth beaches on the top of SLSC clubs in the past) .
Seems like a lot of money wasted appeasing the fearmongered masses to end up in the same place?
if i go out by a shark then so be it sure beats dying doing a 9-5
You don't serously believe that
Outrageous that you should be so accepting and philosophical about the immutable reality of your own death!
No matter how you word your sentiments regarding your preference of death, people will be determined to misread them as “I don’t mind dying.”
Everyone knows that wasting away in a hospital bed, whilst pain and suffering colour your remaining days, is way better than than becoming food for a fish. Don’t they?
Perhaps you’d get real lucky and dodge the fish food conclusion long enough to perish in a burning car wreck?
Little bit dramatic but I share the sentiment.
I’ve decided to go full Elo. If you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em.
From here on in its nothing but hyperbole - The Ultimate Commenter challenge!
I doubt you'd say that when you're in its mouth, Trent.
Never a truer word said D-Rex
sorry my view and take on this is different to the rest. i stand by my statement
cull GWS - SIMPLE - other than that amend the act that "protects" them.
Yet Mandurah area had to get out of the water at least 4 times late last year due to whites plus heaps of other sightings
During the recent WSL connest I was expecting there to be shark sightings going on past years and the comments from WA locals on here about recent sightings.
There were none though from what I can remember?
They dumped a few of those receivers in the vicinity of the contest site and that fisheries boat motored around the area to be available in case any came close. I heard they didn't get any shark pings at all during the contest days or waiting period. Bronzies certainly have been around in the last few weeks, including near the contest site. They also had a fixed wing aircraft circle the vicinity each day during competition, not sure if it spotted any though.
The two whites were caught in the first year. None after that.
Anyway , my curiosity as to how they operate and the results got the better of me .Found a PDF from WA fisheries that has a lot in it.. https://www.fish.wa.gov.au/Documents/occasional_publications/fop139.pdf
They caught a 4.6m GWS off North Point... That’s huuuuge!
Thanks for sharing the link tubeshooter.
Also, the (fairly extensive?) use of acoustic receivers by WA Fisheries might explain why they had the large boat sitting just off the contest area at Margaret River? I imagine it has some pretty solid technology attached to it?
I'll second that. Cheers for sharing TS. Just reading through it all now.
Really interesting to see the big one tagged off NP and released headed South and then East in April/May, at a time when i always thought most pointers were heading exactly the opposite way.. South to North.
Actually sluggadog posted the link a few days before , I just didn't see it.
WSL is by no means the most sharky of events but has the most Govt Tourism Stickerz.
Ironmen / Ocean Swims / Island Paddles / Dive & Tour events involve More Sharks.
Many if not all competitors are mandated responsibility for own shark mitigation.
WSL Pro Surfer Govt funded shark mitigation is premium & can top whole State spend.
Rescheduling Comps outside of Bait / Salmon runs
Whole Regional Beach allocation & evacuation of beach for Comp Wherever / Whenever!
Sand Pumping override / ramping or shutdown for Surf Comp Arena
Fisheries override on Shark Net / Drum Line numbers & positioning eg:
Shark Net repositioning
Balconi & Clever Buoys
Smart Drum Lines removed or added & realigned
VR4 Shark Tag Receiver Buoys
SMS
25m Fisheries Patrol Vessel / Spotter-Planes / Helicopters
Airport Exempt Drone Licences (Not even SLSA is afforded CASA override freedom)
Crowd + BOM Hazardous Seas Jet Skis / Pathogen -SLSA Beach Closed > override access.
Shark Repellent Leashes
OK ! tbb just save the rest for a Lay Day / Week / Month / Year.
Just saying that after $millions WSL Shark now appears at nearly every comp.
Sept - Cabba Shark #1
Dec - Straddie Mass Shark Cull takes out Top Jeep Predator (Pro's get a Boost)
Dec - Covid Outbreak #1
Dec - Maui Shark #1
April - Lay Daze Outbreak #1
April - Narrabeen Shark #1
April - Margaret River - A330 #1 (Biggest WSL Plane brakes hard on smallest runway)
Major Govt override as WSL detour Perth Lockdown to land at tiny Busselton (A Big Deal )
Yep! tbb tracked down a few snaps of #1 Govt / WSL Massive VIP Override.
https://scontent.fbne6-1.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.6435-9/178469676_11304440274...
click more :
May - Rottnest Shark #1
Jeep Leader Shark is the hot tip for the Gold Medal.
WSL Shark has one fin on the podium.
PS: tbb has long said to be careful for what you wish for...
Shark Towers were not the Town's best beach side Tourism attraction.
As Shark Towers come down the Beach Towers rise Up...get the message!
Shark Nets visually remove Shark problem well offshore to those Buoys way out there!
Unspken quiet achiever now they are Death Traps lining Family Resorts...They gotta Go!
Drone squadron spots a Shark fart each & every minute & closes comp & town the same.
More Shark spotting > Less Comp Time > Less Stickers > Less Govt Sponsors.
Ask! Who wants WSL yelling Shark every minute @ #1 Govt Tourism Showcase.
Have a look at tbb's Chart...coz WSL now scream Shark at every beach they visit.
Govt blows $3m for Shark to Photo Bomb Hot Town's WSL Promo.
Govt are blamed for Beach Resort evacuation live on TV.
#1 Rated Ultimate Surfer viewers are stoked with the weekly Jump the Shark elimination!
Just saying the crew are wise to this fact...the more Sharks you see, the less you surf.
[ Beach Closed ] 24/7 Liability [ SOLD ] [ Private Property - Trespassers Prosecuted ]
Did we get that right...or did tbb drag out the ending to slowly.
Anyhow! Crew knows how fast their favourite thing in life can come to an end.
Vid mentioned up the page - Cheers slugga
Wow.
That was really good thanks Udo.
Thanks to Slugga and others for comments learnt a bit reading this, BTW I am with Trent.
White sharks probably prefer live bait is my guess.
Map-like use of Earth's magnetic field in sharks:
https://www.cell.com/current-biology/fulltext/S0960-9822(21)00476-0
Link won't work, lead author is Keller if you wish to look it up yourself
Large changes going on:
https://earthsky.org/earth/magnetic-north-rapid-drift-blobs-flux
https://ourplnt.com/earth-magnetic-field-changing-faster/
And one for the doomers:
https://phys.org/news/2021-02-earth-magnetic-field-broke-years.html
They didn't get any whites at all in the 2013/14 drum line trials . Either white sharks are a lot smarter on the west coast or the program was/is flawed somehow.
That was when death threats were made to Drum line contractor ...he quit
And then a NSW operator then took on the job ..?
TubeShooter that drum line trial if I remember correctly was deliberately run out of the normal White season so they wouldn't catch any.
Udo I have mates who are processual fishes (completely out there) were dead keen to do the drum lines looking forward to bashing and shooting anyone who interfered... might be why they didn't get the gig.
Friday 21st May : 3m Tiger Shark bites Diver on arm off Quandong Beach north near Cable Beach WA
https://www.perthnow.com.au/news/broome-advertiser/dpirb-investigates-re...
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-05-21/wa-shark-attack-off-broome-in-wa-...