Great White Sharks

White Shark attacks keep increasing
And calls for a cull are unceasing
Despite greater surveillance and policing
And stocks of White Sharks decreasing

These calls for a cull are delusion
And improved shark safety illusion
It’s a media driven conclusion
That is creating public confusion

Understanding our shark interaction
Is key before we take action
And avoids a mindless reaction
That will not get shark safety traction

The recent decision by the WA Barnett Government to allow the culling of White Sharks is appalling. It is political expediency at its worst. There is absolutely no doubt that it was a decision taken against the advice of his own scientific departments. It’s about public appeasement and being seen to be doing something about the unprecedented number of fatal shark attacks in Western Australia in the past couple of years. And while the premise that human life must take precedence over that of a shark will strike a chord with a large proportion of the voting public it will do little if nothing to reduce the risk of a shark attack. Great White Shark attacks invariably occur on solitary surfers and divers and not on crowded Perth beaches. Culling White Sharks will not change this and at worst will give people a false sense of security. The key point is that White Sharks are a vulnerable protected migratory species. They are also an apex predator critical to the health of the marine ecosystem. If Australia ignores its commitments under the numerous international treaties designed to protect endangered species then it will have no credibility in international forums. Our call on Japan to stop whaling in the Antarctic Whale Sanctuary for example will smack of hypocrisy. Australia is a world eco-power with control over large areas of the world’s oceans. We should be a leader in marine research and conservation but we are quickly sliding down the scale. The current trend of slashing funding to science and research and ignoring scientific advice at both federal and state level is deeply disturbing. If the Barnett Government was truly committed to reducing the risk of shark attacks it would be funding research programmes to understand why it is that shark attacks are increasing at the same time that the population of Great White Sharks is falling. Understanding this will help us understand what we must do to reduce the risk of a shark attack. We must also keep things in context. The risk of a shark attack is miniscule to that of drowning and of course to being killed on the road. The analogy with road fatalities is very apt. No one suggests that culling cars will improve road safety. It is all about driver behaviour and understanding the risks. There are interestingly more road fatalities in country areas with less cars. It is exactly the same with sharks.