Hunt on for monster shark that killed diver off Perth
SYDNEY: A hunt was under way yester- day for a monster 6m shark blamed for a fatal attack on a diver in western Aus tralia, despite allegations it amounted to a"revenge killing offshore from Perth on Sunday by a shark described by witnesses as bigger than their 5.3m boat. A surfer also succumbed to his injuries on Friday after his leg was bitten off by a shark along the same coastline last week. The West Australian fisheries depart ment said it would deploy"capture gear to haul in what they believe is a great white shark that poses"a serious threat to public safety Fisheries official Tony Cappelluti said if a shark matching the description of the one that attacked the diver was captured, it was"highly likely we will take the decision to destroy it in the interests ofpublic safety" "We have two methods we can either let it expire on the line orwe can use a fire arm to destroy it, he said. "In this instance today we will be using a firearm. a) Animal rights group Humane Society International expressed"extreme concern
at the government's plans. "Given that science tells us that drum lines are an unnecessary and lethal option for shark management, the government's response can only be described as revenge killing, campaign director Michael Kennedy said in a statement. Western Australian Premier Colin Bar- nett said his state, which has now suffered l4 shark attack fatalities since 2000, was in shock at the latest deaths. l don't think there's any doubt that the number of shark attacks and fatalities from shark attack has increased quite signifi- cantly over recent years," he told reporters in Perth. Mr Barnett said a number of meas ures were deployed, including the aerial patrols, to alert swimmers to sharks. But the catching and killing of the predators has long proved controversial A previous trial involving baited hooks attached to floating drum lines to snare sharks was abandoned after objections from conservationists and marine scientists. Mr Barnett said, however, the govern- ment would always err on the side of public safety and reserved the right to destroy a shark if it posed an imminent threat. AFP