100 Great White Sharks tagged in NSW
The most populous state in Australia has clocked up 100 tagged great whites with its drumline programThe Department of Primary Industries (DPI) has now captured, tagged and released 100 Great White Sharks. The 100th White Shark was a 2.5m long female tagged at Airforce Beach, Evans Head.
The NSW Minister for Primary Industries, Niall Blair, said DPI scientists has been tagging White, Bull and Tiger sharks, with a particular focus on the NSW North Coast, since August 2015.
"The tagging program provides vital information about sharks and their movements along the NSW coastline and beyond — some sharks have been detected as far away as New Zealand.
"NSW is leading the world… we are the only government using SMART drumlines to catch and tag white sharks," the Minister added.
SMART DRUMLINES
SMART drumlines are used to intercept sharks beyond the surf breaks, before they are able to interact with surfers or swimmers.
When a shark is caught on a SMART drumline, researchers receive a phone, email and text alert and, if conditions permit, they tag, relocate and release the shark.
Mr Blair said the more information they gather on White Sharks leads a reduced risk of further attacks.
"In addition to the 100 White Sharks, we are actively tracking 33 Bull and two Tiger Sharks, as part of our $16 million Shark Management Strategy," the Minister said.
Some 20 satellite linked (VR4G) shark-listening stations are installed along the NSW coastline to provide real-time tracking data of tagged sharks.
These are located at Kingscliff, Byron Bay, Lennox Head, Ballina, Evans Head, Yamba, Coffs Harbour, South West Rocks, Port Macquarie and Forster, Crescent Head, Old Bar, Bondi, Hawks Nest, Redhead, Kiama, Sussex Inlet, Mollymook, Batemans Bay and Merimbula.
Great White Sharks are a protected species and listed as threatened — though many ague their numbers are actually on the rise — and anglers must release any White Sharks inadvertently hooked during fishing.
More at this NSW Fisheries page on Great White Sharks.
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