2017-12-13
In light of the new Senate report into shark mitigation and deterrence, Greens State MP Michael Berkman and Greens Senator for Queensland Andrew Bartlett are calling on Qld Labor to rid Queensland’s beaches of lethal drum lines that are killing sharks, turtles, dolphins, and whales.
"If Premier Palaszczuk was concerned about the effects of land-clearing on our wildlife, she should be equally concerned about the effects of these lethal drum-lines are having on our marine life,” said State Greens MP Michael Berkman.
"This unnecessary and outdated technology is entangling and killing sharks, turtles, dolphins, and whales.”
"We can rapidly reduce the deaths to our marine life while learning more about shark ecology with the introduction of smart lines, particularly within the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park.
"Better research would increase our understanding of sharks, so we can create smart policies that allow us to implement rapidly developing technologies that could achieve a full withdrawal of shark nets around the country while protecting both humans and marine life.
"Instead we have created policy around myths, which include the mistaken view that these lethal measures are even effective in stopping human-shark encounters,” said Senator Andrew Bartlett.
"It’s time for Premier Palaszczuk to step up to the plate, implement smart policy, and protect our ocean-goers and ocean-dwellers by getting rid of these lethal drum lines for good,” said State Greens MP Michael Berkman.