WA govt unlikely to appeal shark decision
It is unlikely the West Australian government will appeal over the Environmental Protection Authority's (EPA) recommendation against extending the state's controversial shark cull, the premier says.
After a summer trial that resulted in the death of 50 sharks - none of them white pointers - the state government sought to extend the program by three years, starting in November.
But the EPA rejected the proposal, with chairman Paul Vogel saying there remained "a high degree of scientific uncertainty" about the effect on the white shark population.
"On that basis, the EPA has erred on the side of the environment and advised government that the proposal should not proceed," Dr Vogel told reporters.
"There are three levels of uncertainty. One is the (white) population status of the South West.
"The population trend is uncertain and the number of white sharks caught by commercial fisheries is uncertain."
A two-week public appeal period is now open, but Premier Colin Barnett has already said it is "very unlikely" the government will take part.
"But we will have to rethink how we can try and provide greater protection in the South West," the Liberal leader told parliament.
Mr Barnett said he was disappointed by the recommendation and could not ignore the reality that there had been seven fatal shark attacks in state waters over three years.
"It is up to government to deal with public safety issues," he said.
Mr Barnett said Perth beaches were "pretty well safe" due to aerial patrols but he could not say the same for South West beaches.
"I cannot look the people in the South West in the face and say `your beaches are safe, your diving (and) surfing conditions are safe' because I don't believe they are."
Dr Vogel stressed that the EPA was charged with assessing the environmental effects of the proposal, not the issue of public safety, which was raised in many of the 6751 public submissions and two petitions containing about 25,000 signatures.
But federal environment minister Greg Hunt could take other matters into consideration in making his decision, Dr Vogel said.
WA environment minister Albert Jacob can overrule the EPA recommendation, but Mr Hunt has the final say.
Greens MP Lynne MacLaren said the trial had damaged the state's reputation internationally but she hoped Thursday's decision would change that.
"Going on from yesterday's very disappointing news about how the EPA has been functioning, the public of Western Australia can take heart that today they've come up with a good conclusion," she told AAP.
"The thousands of Western Australians who protested about this are going to be thrilled."
She said the EPA should have assessed the 13-week trial, because that may have prevented some 200 sharks being caught on drumlines.
Dr Vogel stood by the EPA's decision not assess the trial, saying the board had deemed it as having low significance in terms of environmental impact, "but we would not be giving carte blanche endorsement to any extended program".
