Four-metre shark spotted off WA coast placed on fisheries kill list
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Version 0 of 1. Fisheries crews were trying to catch and kill a four-metre great white shark swimming close to several Perth beaches on Tuesday. Under Western Australia's controversial shark cull policy, a “rapid response” can be made to capture a large shark spotted swimming within one kilometre of shore. A fisheries spokesman said extra drumlines had been set up and could remain in place for up to an hour. He said the great white would be destroyed if caught. Surf Life Saving WA said the shark was first seen 200 metres off Trigg beach, before moving 400 metres off Scarborough beach, prompting the Stirling council to close both. Shortly after 12.30pm West Australian time, Surf Lifesaving WA tweeted that those beaches had reopened and the shark had moved to Floreat beach. City beach and Floreat beaches were closed. The shark cull trial allows bull, tiger or great white sharks bigger than three metres caught on baited drumlines to be shot dead and dumped further out at sea. The drumlines, set one kilometre off the metropolitan and south-west coast, have so far caught at least 104 sharks, including 101 tiger sharks, with 40 either found dead or destroyed, according to figures released last month. |