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‘Tagging before culling’

Secret Harbour-based surfing school instructor and surfer Doug Kitchingman is against shark culling and emphasised the importance of shark tags.

The tragic passing of 35-year-old surfer Chris Boyd in Gracetown, on November 23, has reignited the shark culling debate among many; however, Secret Harbour surfing instructor Doug Kitchingman does not support the cull.

Mr Kitchingman, who operates his surfing business Gone Surfin at the popular Secret Harbour beach, said the recent attack had “put the wind up most surfers” but they knew when they went into the ocean, they were going into the sharks’ territory.

“I think we need to invest more money in shark tagging to monitor where they are and when they show a pattern of aggressive behaviour, then go out and get them — at least you know it’s the same shark,” he said.

Department of Fisheries WA executive director of research Dr Rick Fletcher said fisheries were conducting a major multi-agency, collaborative sharktagging and monitoring project.

He said experimental monitoring and tagging activities began in 2008 and the more comprehensive white shark monitoring program was established in late 2011.

“The total number of sharks tagged for the Shark Monitoring Network project is 338, including 142 white sharks, 176 whaler sharks and 20 tiger sharks,” he said.

A Surf Lifesaving WA spokesman said the club supported the work of fisheries in their role of shark tagging and research.

Premier Colin Barnett had said he did not support the culling of sharks but, after the latest fatality, he would consider the State’s options.

Secret Harbour Surf Lifesaving Club captain Rick Lowe said the club was now recording hourly figures on the beach so that after this season they would have a better indication of whether the shark scares have led to a decline in numbers.

Mr Kitchingman said after three fatalities close together in 2011, he had noticed a fairly lean summer.

He said the scares did tend to make people think twice about going in the water.

“People shouldn’t be panicking, but we should be pushing the Government to get behind tagging instead of culling, as it’s the best way to go about it,” he said.

According to statistics from the Australian Shark Attack File from the Taronga Conservation Society Australia, there have been 31 shark attack cases, with nine fatal attacks in WA, in the past 10 years.