Shark policy priority
Busselton City councillors have expressed concern the local government won’t have a shark hazard response policy going into summer.
Councillors have been asked to approve the creation of a policy at their next meeting, but were told it won’t be completed in time for the peak tourist season.
A report by City officers stated there was no clear jurisdiction for who was responsible for responding to shark sightings.
“While WA Police is the prescribed hazard management authority for marine search and rescue in WA and will activate in response to a shark attack incident, this role does not extend to preventative measures or responding to shark sightings to ensure swimmer safety,” the report said.
Stakeholders and local governments attended a shark response think tank meeting in August, but no protocol has yet been adopted.
Cr Grant Henley said at Wednesday’s briefing session this left the City in a vulnerable legal position if a shark attack occurred.
“What we need for starters is key protocols for when we can remove signs after a sighting and they need to be in place before summer,” he said.
City officers said there were already procedures in place for rangers to respond to but the policy would provide a more detailed approach.
The report recommends the council push for more Surf Life Saving WA patrols funded by the State Government as the best method to warn swimmers of a shark threat.
The only beaches patrolled within the municipality are Smith’s Beach, Yallingup, Meelup and the Busselton foreshore.
The report also suggests sharks must be at least 2.5m, within 1km of a beach and sighted by the SLSWA helicopter or Department of Fisheries’ shark monitoring network for rangers to close a beach.
It said the current approach, where rangers responded to a large proportion of both verified and unverified shark sightings, did not necessarily enhance swimmer safety.
“Rather, this approach may be contributing to further community anxiety about sharks and is not considered an effective use of resources,” the report said.
Planning and development services manager Paul Needham said responding to shark sightings cost the City between $20,000 and $30,000 in ranger hours last summer, at a time when rangers were busy with bushfire risks and dog attacks.
