BONDI SHARK ATTACK 12/2/09

[CEO]

   An email from an ECOfisher in Sydney's eastern suburbs this evening, reports another shark attack at the southern end of Bondi beach. The surfer was pulled from the water by mates about 7:30pm with a nasty bite to his left arm. He is thought to be a 33 year old local. The victim recieved immediate medical attention on the beach from a doctor, while awaiting an ambulance. Surfing at 7:30pm on an overcast evening is really, killing time!

[CEO]

       Gosh. We all hope it wasn't one of those few Grey Nurses, you know those "labradors of the sea," that was responsible for this latest attack. And we all wish the surfer a safe and speedy recovery, in St Vincents Hospital.

[billfisher]

There's plenty of food for them with all the kingfish and salmon around Sydney. No wonder there are more encounters like this. Vic Haslop (the shark hunter) said these attacks are due to 'depleted fisheries' and the sharks being forced to look for 'other food sources'. A few others have repeated this myth. I would have though it is against ecological principles for a predator to outstrip its prey in population growth (and sharks are fished for too)!

[Nete-Quette]

Article from:  The Australian
THE NSW Government has conceded sharks are thriving because of environmental controls and bans on commercial fishing, after two shark attacks in Sydney waters this week.
The admission yesterday came as professional fishing groups claimed government policy had been dictated too much by the chase for green votes at a cost to maintaining a sustainable local industry.

NSW Primary Industries Minister Ian Macdonald warned swimmers against entering the water at dusk or dawn, when the risk of shark attack was greater.
The minister was responding to heightened public fear after shark attacks on navy diver Paulde Gelder in Sydney Harbour on Wednesday, and surfer Glen Orgias at Bondi Beach on Thursday.
After the closure of Sydney Harbour, Botany Bay and much of the NSW coastline to commercial fishing, industry experts say that a big increase in fish species including Australian salmon, yellowtail, kingfish and silver biddy have led to higher numbers of predatory sharks.
They blame a government policy dating back to 2002, when then Labor fisheries minister Eddie Obeid clamped down on estuary fishing and backed the creation of large marine parks along the coast.

Mr Macdonald, Mr Obeid's Labor successor, said yesterday he accepted that shark numbers had increased significantly. "The sort of reports I'm getting from people spotting sharks indicate there seems to be a build-up of sharks in the estuaries as well as along the ocean shore," he said on ABC radio.
Mr Macdonald said government "protective measures" in recent years had halted a decline in many shark species. "That, coupled with some improved environmental conditions, plus a reduction in fishing efforts in parts of the state, mean that shark numbers could enhance."

NSW Seafood Council member Graeme Hillyard accused the NSW Government of playing politics instead of basing decisions on scientific research before putting restrictions on fishing grounds.
Mr Hillyard said government decisions to create marine parks for most of the NSW coastline and to close down fishing in many of its estuaries was based on buying votes.
Other states, he said, had not adopted the same hard line.

Mr Hillyard, who also chairs the Hawkesbury Trawl Association, whose fishermen have been limited to working on weekdays only, said: "There is not one estuary, lake or river that has been under threat from commercial fishing. It's about buying votes and appeasing people. The poor old fisherman's views that sustainable fishing is possible has been overlooked."
According to Mr Hillyard, cooler sea currents had kept larger numbers of sharks closer to estuaries and shores.
Commercial fishing in Sydney Harbour was banned after a dioxin contamination scare.

Commercial fishing in other waters including Lake Macquarie and Botany Bay was stopped after pressure from environmental groups.
Large areas of NSW coastal waters from the borders of Queensland to Victoria have been declared marine parks, with fishing allowed in certain zones only.
According to a commercial fishing lobby, a growth in bait fish in estuaries and on the coast has boosted shark numbers.

[CEO]

    Like weeds, feral animals and bushfires in their terrestrial National Parks - all out of control! Lock it up, throw the key away and keep the community out. What do they realistically expect? It's time the community stood up to these green extremists!

[Open Oyster]

     Maybe, just maybe, after these shark attacks and the Victorian bushfires the general public will start questioning these Green ideologies and realize the flaws, myths and misinformation on which  National Parks and marine parks  are created.
     It may make some people "warm and fuzzy" to protect a shark but at what cost to real science?

[CEO]

   And now the Bondi Chamber of Commerce ic demanding the entire beach be netted by govrnment, before the tourists go elsewhere and Macdonald the Fisheries Minister, wants more signs at all beaches to warn people of the shark danger. Now when you think of the multitude of nationalities that go to Bondi, (Backpackers Paradise) there would need to be a forest of signs to cater for that need. Is that what we want Bondi to look like - more bloody "don't" signs? What about a big picture of a Great White with a surfer in its mouth? Would they get the message from that? Remember, you can't regulate against sheer stupidity!

[Nete-Quette]

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[CEO]

  GREAT ONE LINER!  Was it our Shadow Minister for Fisheries who said on national television, "The minister has put a quota on people taking sharks. Sadly there is no quota on sharks taking people!" Surely a quotable quote for years to come. Very telling.

[CEO]

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[CEO]

        Obviously Deputy Premier Carmel Tebbutt isn't seeing them, but everyone else is including lifesavers, fishers, surfers, airline pilots and News helicopter crews.
       Fisheries Minister Macdonald says there are more sharks around Sydney now, because of the cleaner water attracting more fish, which attracts more sharks!
       Minister for DECC says "no."  Minister for Fisheries says "yes!" Does this continue to portray a government in disarray and focussed on factional infighting?

[CEO]

      CONFIRMED! Fisheries scientists have confirmed the attack on the Dover Heights man surfing at Bondi was attacked by a 2.5m juvenile Great White.
                    "You're gonna need a bigger boat!" said the cop to the owner / skipper of the "Orca."  (Jaws)

[CEO]

     And another attack early on Sunday morning (1/3/09) on a young surfer at North Avalon beach at about 6am! Prime time!