Too many sharks?

[disorderly]

I was chatting to a bloke who had returned to the ramp from a reef trip today.
He complained of being pestered by sharks all morning.
Strangely enough ,I told him, my last trip out was one of the worst for losing fish and rigs to sharks that I can remember.
Anyhow this fella then told me that he had just made up a drumline with a 20l drum to catch the sharks.When I asked what he intended to do once they were hooked,he said he would kill or shoot them.
He expressed a particular dislike for the larger bronzey's and believed that there was far too many and they needed to be "thinned out".
He believed that the sharks were also smart enough to realize that the sound of boat motors meant there was a likelihood of an easy meal in area's that were frequented by boats and fisherman.

So are there too many sharks(I guess a similar argument could be made for crocs now that they are not hunted)?

Is it OK to hunt them for "sport"?

Are they really smart enough to investigate when they hear a boat pull up in search of an easy meal?...(I wonder from what distance they can hear an outboard).

Should they be thinned out?

Thoughts anyone?......

scott

[Scott nthQld]

No, whether we like it or not, when we go fishing we are in their territory, that does not give us the right to just go culling like they did back in the day. Truth be told, the sharks probably do associate people and boat on the reef as an easy way to get a feed, put yourself in their shoes (or fins), if you ha a chance to get an easy feed, would you take advantage of it? Thats one big HELL YES from me.

Now I don't like sharks, and not many people would, but when we are fishing and taking what is their normal food source and distressing hooked fish, can you wonder why the sharks come and investigate, and then why they learn to associate us with easy pickins?

[frankgrimes]

I was chatting to a bloke who had returned to the ramp from a reef trip today.
He complained of being pestered by sharks all morning.
Strangely enough ,I told him, my last trip out was one of the worst for losing fish and rigs to sharks that I can remember.
Anyhow this fella then told me that he had just made up a drumline with a 20l drum to catch the sharks.When I asked what he intended to do once they were hooked,he said he would kill or shoot them.
He expressed a particular dislike for the larger bronzey's and believed that there was far too many and they needed to be "thinned out".
He believed that the sharks were also smart enough to realize that the sound of boat motors meant there was a likelihood of an easy meal in area's that were frequented by boats and fisherman.

So are there too many sharks(I guess a similar argument could be made for crocs now that they are not hunted)?

Is it OK to hunt them for "sport"?

Are they really smart enough to investigate when they hear a boat pull up in search of an easy meal?...(I wonder from what distance they can hear an outboard).

Should they be thinned out?

Thoughts anyone?......

scott

Hmmm.....Sounds like a nice bloke......unbelievable!

If drumlining isn't illegal it should be....I find it amazing when people take it upon themselves to "help" nature by killing a species....sharks were here way before us, and they need to be respected as an integral part of the marine ecosystem.

[baitwaster]

There is probably a good reason why they are all there, nature is funny like that. They are not an introduced/feral species ( they belong there ) Leave the poor bloody noahs alone.

[GAFYM]

Back in the 60's when i was in the Navy it was not uncommon to get a feed of fresh fish using the anti-submarine mortar bombs. Find a school of Tuna and lob a bomb into them. It was then a race to see who got them, us or the Munchies and out there miles from nowhere, they were BLOODY BIG munchies, just came from nowhere.
Was the only fresh food we got.
Scary watching them feed.

[jtpython]

Scott they seem to be the same up and down the coast this weekend.
Yesterday we got hammered by sharks taking ten good sized reefies to the buggars, plus losing one handline as it proceeded to shred line off it at such great speed the old man couldn't hold it flinging the handline out between his legs and over the side after unsuccessfully trying to stop it.(leaving a huge welt up the inside of his leg)
Then today out we go's after turn of tide we loses two fish cut clean thru then booshka Big tiger comes straight to the side of the boat swimming round and round after trying to do a quick reconisense of our lines he hits my road at 50 miles an hour cutting thru the 100 lb nylon leader as if it wasn't there, our trip finished there and then .
I'd like not to lose fish to these big suckers but it is there territory
JT

[snelly1971]

Sounds as though up North sharks are a problem...where as down here we get hundreds upon hundreds of those stinking flamin seals thieving our fish...

What is wrong with catching the sharks on light tackle...then release them....I thought this would be fun ????

mick

[jtpython]

No fun catching a 14 foot shark on any gear for me lol
Or watching the head of a 14 lb trout come onto the boat enuff to make a man drink
JT

[harro1]

i reckon let him go for it. i dont agree with killing all sharks but whites, tigers, makos, bronzies etc. the less of them the better.
can anyone explain "drumlining"? never heard of it

[disorderly]

i reckon let him go for it. i dont agree with killing all sharks but whites, tigers, makos, bronzies etc. the less of them the better.
can anyone explain "drumlining"? never heard of it

harro 1,

Drumlining is used ,along with netting, by shark contractors to kill sharks off our most popular swimming beaches (at least in QLD).
Been going on as long as I can remember.
It's basically just a float or drum with a heavy baited hook,line and trace attached.
This is then attached to an anchor and bobs your uncle.Once hooked a shark will eventually tire and has no chance of escape.

I didnt get into the nitty gritty with ole mate at the ramp so i dont know if he would have attached his drum to an anchor or just by a line to his boat.
He did seem really into it though.....

BTW As much as they annoy me when they munch on a good hooked fish or snip off a few $3 rigs I have to agree with the guys who just accept that we are invading their habitat and so realize that they have their place.

snelly, I only have so much time when I'm out fishing I'd prefer it to be productively spent rather than hooked up to a bloody great shark for hours.

Scott

[harro1]

cheers for the info scot.
just want to say my opinion on the shark thing is more about them attacking people, which has happened a bit in the last year or 2, not really about losing fish or rigs. like some guys have said here why wouldnt they take a free feed.

[snelly1971]

harro 1,

Drumlining is used ,along with netting, by shark contractors to kill sharks off our most popular swimming beaches (at least in QLD).
Been going on as long as I can remember.
It's basically just a float or drum with a heavy baited hook,line and trace attached.
This is then attached to an anchor and bobs your uncle.Once hooked a shark will eventually tire and has no chance of escape.

I didnt get into the nitty gritty with ole mate at the ramp so i dont know if he would have attached his drum to an anchor or just by a line to his boat.
He did seem really into it though.....

BTW As much as they annoy me when they munch on a good hooked fish or snip off a few $3 rigs I have to agree with the guys who just accept that we are invading their habitat and so realize that they have their place.

snelly, I only have so much time when I'm out fishing I'd prefer it to be productively spent rather than hooked up to a bloody great shark for hours.

Scott

Buy a big electric reel then Scott....they will drag them in

Mick

[aussiefool]

Back in the 60's when i was in the Navy it was not uncommon to get a feed of fresh fish using the anti-submarine mortar bombs. Find a school of Tuna and lob a bomb into them. It was then a race to see who got them, us or the Munchies and out there miles from nowhere, they were BLOODY BIG munchies, just came from nowhere.
Was the only fresh food we got.
Scary watching them feed.

Been there done that back in the day when we just tossed the trash over the side ..... used to see some big fins then

[Luc]

Makes you wonder wether with the amount of rain & rivers flooding more sharks are coming closer to shore for the pickings in the flood waters!!

Luc