No WA Shark Cull

Greens label dropping of metro drum lines ‘a disgrace to Western Australia'

Submitted by Nadine Walker on Fri, 31/01/2014 - 11:42

Media statement, 31 January, 2014.

Greens MLC Lynn MacLaren says the dropping of drum lines off popular WA beaches this morning ‘goes completely against what the community wants and will be met with continuing resistance’.
 
Set to speak at the 5000 strong anti-shark cull rally tomorrow, Ms MacLaren says that ‘The Premier seems to have made this decision all by himself whilst disregarding overwhelming science and constituent concern.
  Read more »

#noWAsharkcull team will continue to challenge indiscriminate shark cull

Submitted by Nadine Walker on Tue, 28/01/2014 - 14:12

Today Greens MLC Lynn MacLaren took part in a joint media conference that once again called on the Barnett Government to halt its shark cull policy; drum lines dropped in Dunsborough on Australia Day resulted in the first shark cull since the knee-jerk policy was implemented.

The team released footage of the sharks ‘humane’ death, this included material that indicates the delegated fisher may not have sufficient knowledge to carry out the tender. The shark, shot four times in the head, was reported to have been a 3m female Tiger Shark, it is alleged the fisher mistook the Tiger Shark for a Bull Shark. Read more »

MEDIA ALERT: Response to first WA shark cull Media Conference

Submitted by Nadine Walker on Tue, 28/01/2014 - 08:42

Media statement, Tuesday, 28 January 2014.

What: Media conference by the #noWAsharkcull team in response to the dropping of drum lines and subsequent death of a 3m female Tiger Shark on Australia Day.

Who: Hon Lynn MacLaren MLC – Greens WA spokesperson for Biodiversity
Ross Weir - Founder of West Australians for Shark Conservation (WASC)
Jeff Hansen - Managing Director of Sea Shepherd Australia
Patrick Pearlman – Environmental Defenders Office WA’s Principal solicitor
Amy Wilkins - Spokesperson for conservation group Animal Rescue Team
Natalie Banks – Organiser of #noWAsharkcull protest and diving instructor
Read more »

Environment Minister fails evidence test on sharks

Submitted by Shane Guthrie on Tue, 21/01/2014 - 13:00

State and Federal Greens MPs have blasted the Abbott Government for exempting a proposed cull of sharks in WA waters saying it makes a mockery of environmental laws. “The Minister has basically approved the indiscriminate killing of great white sharks.

If this is the Abbott Government’s benchmark for protection of nationally protected species woe betide Australia,” Greens National Marine Spokesperson, WA Senator Rachel Siewert said.

“The Greens will challenge this decision when Parliament resumes.”

WA Greens MLC Lynn MacLaren said the reasons for the exemption did not stand up and were self-contradicting.

“This is not the standard of argument that is worthy of an Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act exemption,” Ms MacLaren said. Read more »

Shark cull policy turns shambolic

Submitted by Shane Guthrie on Mon, 20/01/2014 - 16:06

Greens South Metro MLC Lynn MacLaren says the WA Government’s announcement today that it will divert WA Fisheries Department resources to operate drum lines off Perth after no commercial operator could be found to do the job is further evidence the shark policy is a shambles.

 “After blaming everyone but themselves for not being able to find a commercial operator willing to operate drum lines off Perth, the Barnett Government has announced that it will divert Fisheries Department’s resources to do this dirty task,” Ms MacLaren said.

 “I guarantee that virtually no one at Fisheries will be happy about this; I would not be surprised if there are resignations.

 “The WA Fisheries Department’s mission is to conserve and manage the aquatic resources of WA to ensure there are ‘fish for the future’ – the shark cull completely contradicts this.

Read more »

Stop the WA Shark Cull! How you can help

Submitted by Nadine Walker on Wed, 15/01/2014 - 13:07

When it comes to saving the Great White Shark from culling in WA, there are a number of actions you can take to help. Click the links below to send your message to Premier Barnett, who will be implementing a knee-jerk policy that is indiscriminate and ineffective. 

Great White Sharks are the doctors of the ocean and essential to marine biodiversity, we must not be culling an endangered species that maintains the balance. Read more »

Killing Sharks - The Case Against

Submitted by Shane Guthrie on Thu, 09/01/2014 - 12:46

The following opinion piece by Lynn MacLaren was published in The West Australian newspaper's 'Agenda' section on Saturday 4 January 2014.  

The Greens and Western Australia’s commercial shark fishing industry might not seem like natural allies but on one issue they currently agree:  the Premier should immediately dump his plan to install drum lines off WA’s coast.

Quite apart from obvious legal and ethical questions about the shark cull plan (the great white shark is a protected, vulnerable species according to the Federal Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act) there are real reasons to doubt the proposal will save lives. Read more »

Barnett botches shark tender

Submitted by Shane Guthrie on Mon, 06/01/2014 - 09:40
Media statement, Monday 6 January 2014
Greens South Metro MLC Lynn MacLaren says the Barnett Government’s shark drum lining and killing tender was not advertised properly and could open the Government to legal action.
“This comes as further proof of the Government’s ill-thought-out approach to shark hazard mitigation,” Ms MacLaren said.
“Not only did the Premier ignore numerous key stakeholder groups affected by this appalling policy before he announced it  – ranging from ignoring the organisers of the Rottnest swim to WA’s shark fishing industry and shark scientists, it also appears that he has botched the tender process.
Read more »

Greens challenge State and Federal governments to put up or shut up on sharks

Submitted by Nadine Walker on Sat, 04/01/2014 - 13:03

Media statement, Saturday, 4 January 2014.

Joining thousands of West Australian beachgoers and ocean-users at today’s rally on sharks at Cottesloe, Greens State and Federal MPs have condemned the shark cull policy and called on the Barnett Government to abandon it.

"The thousands of people attending today’s national rallies are evidence of how deeply repugnant this policy is to Australians," Senator Rachel Siewert, Australian Greens Marine Spokesperson said today.

“We love our beaches and oceans, and understand the importance of protecting vulnerable species and ecosystems. Read more »

Shark fishers back the Greens in condemning drum lines

Submitted by Shane Guthrie on Tue, 24/12/2013 - 14:19

Media statement, Tuesday 24 December, 2013.

The Greens say details in today’s shark capture tender released by the Premier’s office reveal even further cracks in the poorly crafted strategy to make WA beaches safe this summer.

“WA commercial shark fishers have told me that  they were not consulted on this plan,” WA Greens MLC Lynn MacLaren said.

“They are appalled because it will indiscriminately kill so many small sharks, including those species on whom their livelihood depends. Read more »