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Crays are attracting sharks

Posted by: Paul Entwistle | 16 July, 2012 - 10:59 AM

The second last shark caught in WA waters (above) was in deep water off Leeman.

A professional shark fisherman has told Paul Murray he believes that the changes to the Cray fishing seasons has brought large sharks closer to shore. Geoff told Paul that seals hanging around the Cray pots were bringing big sharks in, increasing sightings and attacks.

Earlier in the week Geoff wrote this email and supplied a photo of the second last Great White caught in WA waters.

Hi Paul,

Just writing to you on these shark attacks, I use to work on a cray boat and it was part of my work on that boat.
We caught the second last white pointer before they made them a protected species.
Just wondering if you could do the facts and figures on when these shark attacts are made and what brings them in close to these areas away from seal colonies.
My thoughts and knowledge is , it seems to happen around the time of crayfishing industry have all their pots in close to the beach areas.
The pots are not pulled as often and are left in close depths with full bait, because of fishermen waiting for the price to go up so they get the most out of the fishing quota that is in place
Also crayfishing is all year round and not the old system of seasonal.
It seems these shark attacks in the last year around the southwest are when the cray fishermen bring their pots back in close from the deep, also since this new system of all year crayfishing. Pots are in the shallow areas more now
The Seals love playing around cray pots as it is a easy way of getting a feed of cray fish, they scare the crayfish to the escape hatches and the size crayfish get stuck in the escape hatch leaving the tail of the crayfish ready for picking by the seals.

The White pointer is a very intelligent animal and cruise these smelly pots as they know seals will be there out in the open looking for this pots, they surface after taking crayfish from one pot then while on the surface look for the floats of the line and head for it and then surface again checking where the line of pots are.

So look at the times of when the shark attacks happen around Perth areas/ south west, its mainly when these pots are in close to the areas.
Also these shark attack tours when they put people in a cage and bait white pointers to come close to the cage for a experience of a life time.
teasing a White pointer is not a good thing and if these tour operators who do this, they should be the ones to tag a white pointer and you will find it will be one or more of these sharks that is taking humans as part of their kill now as they are use to the shape of humans and not seals.

The answer to this problems is just have only a selected people boat in areas to cull the sharks in close, the one in the attachment was the second last White pointer before making protected species , this one was caught out in deep water over the edge off Leeman.
Change the crayfishing back to only the old system, with still the quota.

But Norman moore not sure as you have stated to your friends you have no knowledge on the fishing industry only of what you have learnt of just a few friends you know in that industry and have made the changes to it ,not on all of the industry.

It does not matter if you change it so we start culling these White Pointers again, will you get the ones that are human killers.

Stop these cage shark tours or get them to tag them so you can then study that they are the ones killing humans.

Blog comments

Why do we find the need to go out and kill these creatures. The Ocean is their territory not ours. I find it amusing that the powers that be have decided to go and "track and kill the "man eater" How do you know it is the right shark before you cut it open to find human remains. I am a long time hunter and believe in only killing things for need. Killing something that posses a threat is a last option. It is much easier to stay out of the water! There is no excuse for ignorance in this subject. People are well aware of the danger of sharks in the water. When you hear of an attack and the person lives the first thing they say is that it was not the Sharks Fault and they ask that people do not go out and kill these beautiful creatures. But when someone dies it is didfferent. I ams sure that and person that loves and respects the ocean would not want this. How sad people now want to kill these creatures. It is for their own pleasure and nothing less. There is no need to result to this.
Very sad

Sean Conroy Monday 16 July, 2012 - 4:38 PM
Totally agree with Paul Entwistle. I remember many years ago when I used to go on fishing trips with my Dad and Uncle near Esperance. We used to go to this little cove and in the morning and evening we would chuck lures in the ocean with chook pellets soaked in whale oil which they had in bottles. After fishing the fish were cleaned and the remnants thrown back in to 'keep em interested in the spot'. I remember one day my cousin and I went down first and there were two seals chasing fish in the cove. We watched them from the rocks and all of a sudden this huge 'noah' appeared from nowhere and started chasing the seals. Lucky seals that day. I agree that these sharks are attracted to inshore areas. Maybe as well as cray fishermen, rec fishers are still doing some things the shouldn't do.

Ric Whitehead Monday 16 July, 2012 - 1:20 PM
Could someone read this out to Norman.

Paul Monday 16 July, 2012 - 1:08 PM