Petition Against Shark Nets - Help Save Marine Life!

Hi guys,

Sign this petition to help remove shark nets from our coastlines. In doing so, you will be saving irreplaceable marine life such as Grey Nurse sharks, Great White sharks, Dolphins, Turtles, Dugongs, Hammerhead sharks and Whales.

Follow the link below:

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/reform-go...-and-drum-lines

It's your chance to help make a difference!!

Cheers!

Done. Nets and drumlines are wiping out the last of coastal shark populations. They are indiscriminate killers that kill whatever crosses their path. Thanks for the post here.

OK, so do away with everything, wait for the first person to get chomped and then local feelings will escalate to a point where fishermen go out and cull local populations. That seems to be general feeling after most shark bite events. Unfortunately most people are not as endeared to Sharks as we may tend to be. However I believe if you do away with all measures we will end up doing greater damage to the shark populations in the long run.

Quite what the answer is am not sure yet but I do know that one needs to be found before there are no sharks left.

Cheers,

Mark.

Done!

Mark,

The shark nets and drum lines keep agencies like the Shark Natal Board in business. Instill fear of sharks in the population, create a "fix" and then keep your organization in business supporting that fix. Meanwhile countless sharks and even more "by catch" (read dolphins, turtles, mantas whales, etc) drown in the nets and on the lines every year. Education, shark monitoring and intelligent decision making are far better preventative measures to shark attacks. Born and raised in Durban, I am so disappointed that my country continues such backward practices in the face of so much evidence regarding the actual devastating impact of these devices.

Should we really sacrifice so much marine life to uphold myths to make folks feel safe? It is the media that inspires folks to kill sharks, not a random bite. In a year where shark attacks on the East Coast of the US were well below average, media hype over several incidences caused that year to be labeled the "year of the shark". Fisherman used this as an opportunity to slaughter sharks without restraint.

Education, honest media and greater awareness will protect sharks, not archaic "preventative" measures such as shark nets and drum lines.

Shawn

Mark,

In a year where shark attacks on the East Coast of the US were well below average, media hype over several incidences caused that year to be labeled the "year of the shark". Fisherman used this as an opportunity to slaughter sharks without restraint.

 

Shawn

My point exactly.

I agree that we have no right to police the oceans, especially not in a way detrimental to the inhabitants not just sharks but to all marine creatures.

HOWEVER, sharks do make the mistake of taking a nibble now and again. If uneducated and non diving individuals see this they want action to be taken. Whether its the media jumping all over the situation to instigate the sharks demise then thats very unfortunate. I just try seeing it from all perspectives. So long as people are made to feel safe then at least some may see any shark bite incident as an unfortunate accident as opposed to an out and out selection by the shark to bite the victim.

Yes, it is very sad to see anything killed, man, beast or other, but we will not as a race allow ourselves to exist without certain protective measures for our safety. With an increase in Ocean activities whether sporting, leisure or due to population explosions, then more and more people are going to come into contact with sharks, with positive or negative outcomes. People demand these measures to be taken.

Don't get me wrong, I am out here diving with Tiger Sharks off of Scottburgh and loving it. I relish any time in the Ocean with sharks. I just think that unfortunately we have to accept a certain amount of "collateral damage" for want of a better word but a damage that will allow the greater number of animals the chance to survive. Sacrifices are made in the survival of all species. Sad as it is to see a shark on a drum line I motion that stepping away from the nets is at least a start and with further studies and education people will be willing to see coastlines free of any 'safety' measures, a step I believe will eventually happen but one nonetheless that will take some time yet.

Education, honest media and greater awareness will protect sharks, not archaic "preventative" measures such as shark nets and drum lines.

**NOTE TO READERS**

Please see this as a constructive point to an argument against the implementation of perceived preventative measures to shark attacks. Whilst I make the point of understanding why some measures may be a good approach it in no way, shape or form suggest that I am for the use of these devices.

Cheers,

Mark.

Good stuff Mark. You points were received as intended and I know where you stand on sharks When I was a child, I would visit the Shark's Board and see all the dead sharks piled up. I learned from the folks there that almost all the sharks were caught on their way out (NOT IN), having caused no damage and just heading back to sea. Sadly they didn't make it. Today the sharks they are catching are fewer and smaller. The big ones have been all but wiped out. Drum lines disproportionately target large sharks. That is their goal. The large sharks also tend to be some of the most reproductive sharks (large females often). By taken these sharks on the lines, we will see an end to tigers of Aliwal as well as the other areas the drumlines are placed.

Is there no place left in our Oceans anymore for large sharks?

Shawn

I hear you Shawn. Continuing with nets will also continue to claim other life forms such as cetaceans, birds and Turtles etc. I will be filming an interview with the head of the Natal Sharks Board next week as part of this doco I'm working on. I have addressed he issues of the Nets and Drumline shift / policy etc. I must remain impartial and open in my approach to any interviews of this nature. So long as it is a straightforward, non accusatory question is there anything specific you would like me to place to them? Lets not get a deluge of questions here. Think of all points and formulate one question.

PM me if interested.

Cheers,

Mark.

Well I filmed the Interview today but heard nothing from anyone with regards to proposing questions etc. The chance was there and I would have transcribed the answer as a topic of discussion.

You snooze you lose.

Cheers,

Mark.