Plans to beef up drum-line security
The WA Government expects to spend $6 million on drum lines to catch sharks off the State's coastline over the next three years.
A review of this year's 14-week drum-lines trial released yesterday revealed the State Government plans to crack down on attempts to disrupt the shark cull.
The Government proposes to extend an exclusion zone around the drum lines from 50m to 100m and bring in a 100m exclusion zone around drum-line operators' vessels.
It will also draw up plans with WA Police to deal with those who interfere with the drum lines.
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Premier Colin Barnett said the report, which was written by his own department, "vindicated" the drum-line trial and proved many concerns about it were misplaced. "I've got no doubt in my mind that this program has increased public safety on our beaches," he said.
Critics point out that no great white sharks, which have been responsible for the 11 fatal attacks in WA since 2000, were among the 172 sharks caught on the drum lines during the trial.
Instead 163 tiger sharks were caught, of which 64 died, and one bull shark.
The review said the Government would look at changing the bait used on the hooks after a higher than expected number of tiger sharks and seven stingrays were caught.
It also said training would be improved for the private contractors, who will operate up to 72 drum lines off the Perth and South West coasts.
The South West surf community will be consulted on the placement of drum lines after concerns they were too close to surf breaks during the trial.
The review said the drum lines would have "additional swivels" to reduce the twisting of rope by caught sharks.
The Government is applying for approval to operate drum lines for 5 1/2 months a year, at a cost of $2 million, for three years.
