2016-06-22
Greens MLC Lynn MacLaren has accused the Government of missing a key opportunity to gather evidence from a white shark killed off Mandurah earlier this month.
"In response to Greens' questions in Parliament tonight the Government has confirmed that the 4.2 metre white shark it killed off Mandurah on 2 June spent more three hours dying on a drumline and the Fisheries officers made no effort to examine the shark's stomach contents before they dumped it in the sea," Ms MacLaren said.
"It's appalling that the rare opportunity for scientific study of a white shark of this size was tossed overboard. It shows a contempt for both wildlife and scientific endeavour and proves once again that the killing had nothing to do with increasing human safety.
"We will never know if it was the same shark responsible for biting Mr Gerring and it seems the only opportunity for exploring that possibility or learning what food had attracted the shark to that area was deliberately missed.
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