gold coast great white

[catfishkid]

Did anyone else see this?? :o

http://www.goldcoast.com.au/article/2008/10/18/17657_gold-coast-lead-story.html

cheers craig

[Dirtysanchez]

Wow,
How about the comments people posted under the news article?
Sure, it is a shame the shark had to die this way.. but it would be safe to assume there are probably not many options left open given the circumstances.

Lifesaver one minute, shark wrangler the next..

[tunaticer]

It is a pity that drumlines and shark nets are still deployed along the coastline. It would be a much better system to create the barriers as we see in north queensland to keep out box jellies right along the coastline of Australia. We have hundreds of bluebottle stings on each beach each year as well as other stingers. These barriers set at all public bathing beaches manned by the SLC's would negate the need for shark nets and drum baits.

I miss seeing the larger sharks nearer the coast like we used to do 30 yrs ago. Sure, they are a top level predator and we can be another feed, but they are living thier lives by the law of nature, we do not.

[ashh]

the nets are a waste of time and money .
95% of the sharks are caught on the beach side of the nets swimming back out to sea.

[Bob H]

I miss seeing the larger sharks nearer the coast like we used to do 30 yrs ago. Sure, they are a top level predator and we can be another feed, but they are living thier lives by the law of nature, we do not.[/quote]
tell that to the next shark victims parents when their child is gobbled up by one of these maneaters, you may miss seeing these larger sharks near the coast, but i certainly dont and neither do people who go there for a swim, and dont want to be just another feed as you say , stuff the sharks................bob

[PinHead]

the north qld barriers would not be much good down here..they do not have the surf that we have...harder to keep a barrier intact in surf

[PinHead]

as far as nets go..we only want 100 meters or so out from the beach..they can have the rest of the ocean.

[Dirtysanchez]

Stuff the sharks ?
Considering we are going into their domain (the sea) I think we have to respect that and be aware that they are the apex creature in this situation.
As Timi Boys signature thing says, when you are in the Briney, you have lost your spot as top of the food chain.
Or, should we all don our raccoon hat, grab the shot guns and go a hunting sharks until there are none left.

As for drum lines, well there are viable deterrents now for boats and surf board, using electronics and ultra sonics, so why not anchor larger versions on the floors of these beaches, like invisible barriers that deter the sharks from coming in as it is uncomfortable ?

[laugag]

Stuff the sharks ?
Considering we are going into their domain (the sea) I think we have to respect that and be aware that they are the apex creature in this situation.
As Timi Boys signature thing says, when you are in the Briney, you have lost your spot as top of the food chain.
Or, should we all don our raccoon hat, grab the shot guns and go a hunting sharks until there are none left.


Seems that the once endangered great white is making a big comeback. Keep hearing more and more reports from fellow fishos of GW stories. In fact I was talking to one bloke the other day the recently had a GW swimming under his boat out around Outer Rock (keppel bay), and this was only a month ago!

I dont believe in hunting any species for the indiscrimate killing but people have to be protected. WE are the apex hunter of all domains owing to our intelligence and therefore have the right to protect ourselves however we can in the most environmentally sensitive manner possible. So apart form nets, how else can you make sure these animals don't kill people. To be honest, I'm not a fan of crocs either, the government should have a culling program in place as these things are everywhere north of the tropic of capricorn. IMO they are much more cunning and dangerous than any shark could be.
Just watch out when crocs start heading south to your beloved gold coast because of climate change.

[iricangi]

TBH the shark nets are a waste of time, how many bloody whales get caught each year, i have surfed/fished a few times a week for the past 10-12 years now on the goldcoast and the amount of sharks i see in breakers is amazing.

They are there to give the general public peace of mind in my opinion.

Sharks should be left alone, its the ocean and their home. I think the general public should be more warey of bullsharks in their canals and general river systems where they swim. I remember 1 year 2 ppl died near my house on lake orr.

So they went and culled 60+ bull sharks which take 20 years + to reach sexual maturity.

[TimiBoy]

Spot on Dirtysanchez, spot on.

As if you'd get in the water with those things around. Small chance, you say? I won't take ANY chance!

Cheers,

Tim

[7739IAN]

We get a lot of GW's down here around the Capes in SW Western Australia - i think there have been 3 fatal attacks in WA in the last 3-4 years with one of those down here. Given the number of people surfing and diving along our coast there is more chance you will die in a crash on the way to the beach. Personally, leave them be.

[Scott nthQld]

Seems that the once endangered great white is making a big comeback. Keep hearing more and more reports from fellow fishos of GW stories. In fact I was talking to one bloke the other day the recently had a GW swimming under his boat out around Outer Rock (keppel bay), and this was only a month ago!

I dont believe in hunting any species for the indiscrimate killing but people have to be protected. WE are the apex hunter of all domains owing to our intelligence and therefore have the right to protect ourselves however we can in the most environmentally sensitive manner possible. So apart form nets, how else can you make sure these animals don't kill people. To be honest, I'm not a fan of crocs either, the government should have a culling program in place as these things are everywhere north of the tropic of capricorn. IMO they are much more cunning and dangerous than any shark could be.
Just watch out when crocs start heading south to your beloved gold coast because of climate change.

Now this I have a problem with. There is no reason why crocs should be culled, sure there are plenty of them out there, but lets face it the most recent attacks have been because of just plain old stupidity. Barry Jefferies was in a canoe with his wiofe and dog (which is a big no no up here, dogs belong at home) and when the croc came upto them, did he leave it? No, he hit the bloody things with his paddle, which understandably made the croc go ballistic (how would you feel being wallopped on the head with a paddle) tipping them all out of the canoe.

And the last bloke in Cooktown, well, how stupid is he for collecting crab pots from the mud right on the water's edge, for future refernce, that is how crocs hunt their prey, stalk them under water, sneaking up and exploding from the water to grab their next meal. Crocs and sharks are the apex predators in Australia and should be treated with respect they deserve, not have some crazy rednecks call for a cull everytime one is spotted. Sounds like you've taken a leaf from Bob Katter's book, kill everything you can't make use out of.

Put it this way, if you don't like them stay away from the areas they inhabit and take up another hobby/lifestyle.

[Mayney]

Ah Yes,

The way we solved the problem in 1926.

[laugag]

Now this I have a problem with. There is no reason why crocs should be culled, sure there are plenty of them out there, but lets face it the most recent attacks have been because of just plain old stupidity. Barry Jefferies was in a canoe with his wiofe and dog (which is a big no no up here, dogs belong at home) and when the croc came upto them, did he leave it? No, he hit the bloody things with his paddle, which understandably made the croc go ballistic (how would you feel being wallopped on the head with a paddle) tipping them all out of the canoe.

And the last bloke in Cooktown, well, how stupid is he for collecting crab pots from the mud right on the water's edge, for future refernce, that is how crocs hunt their prey, stalk them under water, sneaking up and exploding from the water to grab their next meal. Crocs and sharks are the apex predators in Australia and should be treated with respect they deserve, not have some crazy rednecks call for a cull everytime one is spotted.Sounds like you've taken a leaf from Bob Katter's book, kill everything you can't make use out of.

Put it this way, if you don't like them stay away from the areas they inhabit and take up another hobby/lifestyle.


Hmmm so tell me scottie, you wouldn't have tried to defend yourself if some big ass croc surfaced beside your small boat abeit canoe. Yeah Right. ::)



Further, clearly Im not saying we kill every last dinosaur if your bothered to read my last post "...againt indiscriminate killing etc". But considering the success (not) of the govt. relocation program in mackay and townsville something needs to be done to protect people. Perhaps you and the other unrealistic extreme leftys could take them home and feel warm and fuzzy.

[laugag]

Ah Yes,

The way we solved the problem in 1926.


Gem of a pic ;D

[cuzzamundi]

It's not about being an extreme lefty and having "fuzzy" (such a worn out word that one) feelings laugag, but rather whether or not people believe they have intrinsic value over other creatures. Some believe that our intelligence entitles us to this, others don't. Simple. BOTH sides are entitled to argue the point without insults flying around.

cuzza

[Scott nthQld]

Hmmm so tell me scottie, you wouldn't have tried to defend yourself if some big ass croc surfaced beside your small boat abeit canoe. Yeah Right. ::)



Further, clearly Im not saying we kill every last dinosaur if your bothered to read my last post "...againt indiscriminate killing etc". But considering the success (not) of the govt. relocation program in mackay and townsville something needs to be done to protect people. Perhaps you and the other unrealistic extreme leftys could take them home and feel warm and fuzzy.


So what's to defend? A croc surfaced near there canoe, probably just checking them out and would have dissapeared, and eyeing off the dog they had with them. Point is, the bloke cracked it on the head which made the croc retaliate, who's to say what would've happened if he didn't belt it? But he'd still have more of a chance than decided to try and beat the crap out of it.

Mate, I live in Townsville and have to deal with crocs nearly everytime I go fishing in the creeks, no big deal, I see plenty and still don't want them culled, and yet someone who lives in friggin Rocky, who might see 2 a year wants them killed? Tell me who would be in a better situation to tell if a cull was, or is ever needed In the time I've been here, I have failed to see the so called 'explosion' in numbers that everyone else seems to worry about.

I made my opinion clear before, if you don't like them, move away, go south west where there are no crocs or sharks to worry your little head about....just be careful of the possums, if you get too close they might bite......then we'll be seeing a call for possum culling next....

[PADDLES]

top photo mayney. you could be a bit wrong with your dates though. are you sure that's not the clubbies at main beach taking care of a few japs on surfmats circa 1998?

[laugag]

Mate, I live in Townsville and have to deal with crocs nearly everytime I go fishing in the creeks, no big deal, I see plenty and still don't want them culled, and yet someone who lives in friggin Rocky, who might see 2 a year wants them killed? Tell me who would be in a better situation to tell if a cull was, or is ever needed In the time I've been here, I have failed to see the so called 'explosion' in numbers that everyone else seems to worry about.



Wow a real life steve irwin, good for you. We'll agree to disagree scottie, but one last question, for every croc you see, how many don't you see?
Now y'all I'm a going to play jingle bells on my banjo ;D

[Marky Mark]

More people die each year in Australia from bee stings than shark attacks, perhaps we need a bee cull? Surely the number of sharks on the inside of the nets should make it clear they don't keep sharks away from the beach, just kill a heap of turtles and sharks and tangle up a bunch of whales to make people feel better IMHO...

[struktcha_man]

lets face it these creatures are great animals, crocs included, they have not evolved since dinosouars roamed the earth and seem to apply the same sucessful means of survival as the did a million years a go.

I would love to see a great white in real life, and a large croc.
Natures greatest killing machines.. yes,
but evil?.. no.

the dilema of man living in harmony with these animals is a non event
I think they will always be a danger at times, but still they represent the health of our seas and maybe somone should invent a means of keeping them clear of beaches.

The bull shark attacks more people, not because of its nature but because of its preferance to beaches and rivers, often in close proximity of man.

cheers

[laugag]

lets face it these creatures are great animals, crocs included, they have not evolved since dinosouars roamed the earth and seem to apply the same sucessful means of survival as the did a million years a go.

I would love to see a great white in real life, and a large croc.
Natures greatest killing machines.. yes,
but evil?.. no.

the dilema of man living in harmony with these animals is a non event
I think they will always be a danger at times, but still they represent the health of our seas and maybe somone should invent a means of keeping them clear of beaches.

The bull shark attacks more people, not because of its nature but because of its preferance to beaches and rivers, often in close proximity of man.

cheers


well said struktcha

[Mayney]

top photo mayney. you could be a bit wrong with your dates though. are you sure that's not the clubbies at main beach taking care of a few japs on surfmats circa 1998?

Nah Paddles,

That's Burleigh Heads in the background, the year was 1926 and a pack of sharks was feeding on a whale that washed up on the rocks.

There weren't many board riders between the swimming flags in those days and the japs on the surfmats were on our side - we thought.

[laugag]

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/12/30/2456583.htm