้ีa hunt was under way yesterday for a monster 6m shark blamed for a fatal attack on a diver in western australia despite allegations it amounted to a "revenge killing"
the west australian fisheries department 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 of public safety
animal rights group humane Society international expressed "extreme concern at the government plans "given that science tells us that drum lines are an unnecessary and lethal option for shark management the government response can only be described as revenge killing" campaign director Michael kennedy said in a statement
western premier colin Barnett said his state which has now suffered 14 shark attack fatalities since2000 was in shock at the latest deaths
a previous trial involving baited hooks attached to floating drum lines to snare sharks was abandoned after objections from conservationists and marine acientists
however the government would always err on the side of public safety and reserved the right to destroy a shark if it posed an imminent threat afp