The Sharkshavers have been charged for de-baiting and neutralising drum lines set to kill sharks in Western Australia during a trial shark cull in 2014.
By the end of the trial nine activists had been charged with interfering with fishing equipment by the Fisheries Department of WA and two years later, two convictions have proceeded through court with fines and costs over $10,000. We are also accumulating hefty legal representation costs. We hope to support some of the members of the Marine Response Unit who saved the lives of many sharks through their actions to neutralise the drum lines.
The WA shark cull trial was opposed by almost 80% of Western Australians, and not backed up by science or logic. All it did was run a meat curtain of bait one kilometre off our popular swimming beaches, thereby bringing sharks closer to shore and stimulating them with bait. It also made matters worse by providing the public with a false sense of security, when the reality is, we can do so much more in mitigating shark incident risk with modern day technologies.
Not only was the WA shark cull a pathetic attempt at public safety, it was also very cruel and inhumane with numerous sharks and other species caught on these massive hooks left to die a slow, pointless and agonising death.
A number of us decided to save sharks and other sea creatures where necessary by releasing them. We also sought out drum lines which were then neutralised so sharks could not be captured. This also aided in drawing less sharks closer to our public beaches in a bid to improve public safety.
At the end of the trial shark cull by the Western Australian government, 172 sharks had been caught and only 50 were over the 3 metre target length and no Great White Sharks over 3 metres were caught. The remaining 122 other marine animals, mostly sharks, suffered and died as by-catch on the drum lines. The sabotage carried out by many activists effectively saved many other marine animals from agonising suffering and slow death by releasing caught animals and continuous de-baiting and neutralisation of the drum lines.
A number of the activists charged, five of us, have banded together to crowd-fund and fundraise for the costs of our legal representation and also to help pay for our fines and court costs.
Your donations/help would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you on behalf of our marine life and life supporting oceans.
Relevant media links:
* WA shark cull activist fined thousands for drum line sabotage, 13 July 2016 – http://www.watoday.com.au/wa-news/wa-shark-cull-ac…
* WA shark cull: Activists could face jail for removing shark bait, 28 Jan 2014 – http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-01-28/activists-co…
* WA conservationists vow to sabotage baited shark drum lines, 29 December 2013 – http://www.perthnow.com.au/news/western-australia/…
* World’s top marine biologists, scientists call for end to Western Australia’s controversial shark cull, 4 Jul 2014 – http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-07-04/hundreds-of-…
* Barnett Government Acknowledges that drum lines attract sharks, 17 February 2014 – http://www.seashepherd.org.au/news-and-commentary/…
* WA Government ignores their own science and now their own survey to carry out shark cull, 29 August 2014 –http://www.seashepherd.org.au/news-and-commentary/…