Six sharks have been baited and killed in the last week following two incidents on the East Coast of Australia. In response, the Queensland Government and Fisheries Queensland set three baited drum lines in the harbour at Sawmill Bay, inside the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park.

Scientific research has proven shark culling to be indiscriminate and ineffective in reducing the risk of adverse interactions as target species, such as tiger sharks, are highly migratory and likely to move on from a fished area within a few hours following an incident (Holland, K., Wetherbee, B., et al. Marine Biology (1999)) making the identification of a responsible individual of an attack near impossible.

As apex predators, sharks play a key role in ensuring healthy ecosystems and maintain balanced food webs. Under threat from over-fishing and with the removal of over 100 million sharks each year our oceans face an ecological collapse which will impact communities globally.

We need to stop this unnecessary slaughter. Please speak up for the voiceless and insist alternative measures be taken immediately by the Queensland Governments Department of Fisheries to end shark culling and enforce better mitigation procedures for public safety.