Greens jump to the shark's defence

10 NOVEMBER 2015: Just when you thought it was safe to go back in the water, the greens want to roll out the red carpet to Jaws. The Mackay Conservation Group today are seeking people to oppose the Queensland Shark Control Program, thus relegating the value of human life to somewhere lower than a shark. The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority is considering the continuation of a highly successful Shark Control Program, which aims to reduce the possibility of shark attacks at beaches where people swim. That’s the kind of safety measure we should be congratulating rather than demonising. The Shark Control Program removes large and potentially dangerous sharks near 85 popular Queensland beaches, targeting Tiger Sharks, Bull Sharks, and Whalers. The success of the safety program is evidenced by the fact there have been no fatal shark attacks recorded at a shark control beach within the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park since its introduction in 1962. The Program is supported by local governments, the Queensland Surf Lifesaving Association, the tourism industry and the general business community.People’s safety is paramount in most people’s minds so it is a bit concerning when the extreme greens place such a low priority on a human life. This program has been running a long time and the practice is constantly being fine-tuned to minimise the impact on non-target species. Most people feel more comfortable knowing there is some protection out there and believe the benefits (reducing number of dangerous sharks near swimmers) outweigh the small cost to non-target species. The Shark Control Program would have minimal impact even on the target species population, given it operates along just 0.5% of the coastline. In a ten-year period, the Shark Control Program at Mackay removed 479 target shark species, catching only 136 non-target species (mostly other sharks). A further 78 non-target species were caught and released alive.