Sydney, February 01 (QNA) – Thousands of people protested around Australia Saturday against an ongoing shark cull off western beaches near Perth.
A 19-year-old woman chained herself to a government fisheries boat and had to be cut free before it could embark on the morning catch-and-kill patrol.
The Western Australia state government has been inundated with protests since it began a programme last weekend to kill sharks more than 3 metres long that approach beaches around Perth.
Smaller sharks are released from the baited drum lines, but protestors claim undersize sharks are dying on the lines.
The government acted after seven fatal shark attacks in the past three years. Great white sharks 5 metres long have been seen near popular beaches, dpa reported.
Demonstrators holding “Save Our Sharks” signs gathered at beaches in Perth and around Australia.
Marine biologist Dan Monbeaux told an Adelaide rally there was no evidence that culling sharks reduced the risk of shark attacks.
Shark attack survivor Rodney Fox told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation that it would be better to use the 20 million Australian dollars (17.5 million US dollars) being spent for the culling to study shark behavior.(QNA)
MK,AK
QNA 1227 GMT 2014/02/01
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