Monday, December 28, 2009

Australia's Tiger Shark Disaster

Tony Ham is happy about it. Vik Hislop is happy about it, and even Queensland Tourism is happy about it.

For Australia when 11 Tigers are killed by nets and drumlines along the Sunshine Coast the media calls it a good thing.

We have long pointed out that nets and drum lines are a 1950's answer to a modern issue of shark conservation.

4 meter Tigers represent breeding populations and their deaths are no cause for celebration.

The only thing in the way of lasting conservation change with drum lines and nets is the will power of local and regional users to demand it.

We know sharks are being taken by these man made, indiscriminate killers, but what is being done about it?

We'll be the first to support any program that offers regional metrics for success and not just the usual rounds of blog posts and Facebook petitions. As far as shark conservation goes there's little time for "awareness" we have now moved into the "decade of action."

Surely there has to be someone on the Sunshine Coast that would like to see an end to the glorification of regional and unnecessary shark slaughters?