The Western Australian (WA) government has begun a program to kill sharks that appear near popular beaches along the Indian Ocean coast at the southwest tip of the country.
The first kill was confirmed on the 14th: a tiger shark shot one kilometer off Old Dunsborough in the South West region. Its carcass was dumped at sea.
Floating drums with baited hooks designed to attract the animals are affixed to the ocean floor 1km from beaches and surf breaks. The lines are monitored by commercial fishermen. Sharks over three meters sighted in these “kill zones” are shot.
Authorities say the program is a matter of public safety. WA is Australia’s largest state and there are ever more people in the water. Seven people have been killed by shark attacks there over the past three years. The death of a popular local surfer apparently spurred the federal environment minister to grant…
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