First shark killed as controversial culling policy begins

Written by:
Hans Kruit, 27 January 2014

The first shark to be killed under a controversial culling policy was shot dead off Australia’s western coast on Sunday, despite fierce opposition from environmental activists.

The three-metre (10ft) animal, believed to be a female tiger shark, was caught on bait lines near Dunsborough, south of Perth, and shot in the head four times at close range by a government-contracted commercial fisherman.

Its carcass was dumped at sea, Simon Beaumont, a government spokesperson said.

Controversial barriers used to catch and kill sharks which come too close to popular beaches of Western Australia were laid down by fishermen at the weekend.

The State Government say the shark cull policy has been introduced to reduce the incidence of shark attacks, of which there have been seven fatal attacks in the last three years.

source: The Independent

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