SHARK DRUM LINE PROGRAM
341. Hon LYNN MacLAREN to the
Leader of the House representing the Premier:
I refer to drum line operations off
the Perth and south west coasts.
(1) Will the
Premier please table the guidelines that have been given to both the south west
contractor and Department of Fisheries officers on the processes for capturing
and releasing sharks on drum lines?
(2) Is the south west contractor
obliged to photograph the sharks captured by the contractor?
(3) Are Department of Fisheries
officers obliged to photograph the sharks they capture?
(4) Will the
Premier please table all photographs taken by the south west contractor and the
Department of Fisheries of all shark captures on drum lines to date?
Hon PETER COLLIER
replied:
I thank the honourable member for some notice of this
question.
(1) The
contractor and the Department of Fisheries comply with the service operations
as specified in the tender, and the relevant state and federal legislation.
Compliance is based on self-reporting, observer reports and an automatic
location communicator fitted to the contractor's vessel. As part of
pre-commencement meetings held with the contractor, training was provided on
operational protocols, which included guidance on managing bycatch, handling
target sharks and responding to a shark threat within a marine monitored area.
(2) Yes. However,
safety of the crew and condition of the animal always take preference over
photographing.
(3) Yes. However,
safety of the crew and condition of the animal always take preference over
photographing.
(4) No. As per
the response provided by the Minister for Fisheries to Legislative Council question
on notice 874, asked on 12 March 2014, catch data on drum line operations is
released and made public on the Department of Fisheries website.