A massive 4.6m great white shark was found dead in nets off Sydney’s Maroubra beach on Monday.
The DPI identified the shark yesterday. The owner of a charter fishing business posted this picture on Facebook, but received some severe responses on social media even though he had nothing to do with the shark’s death.
The charter operator said: “Yesterday I posted a photograph I took of a huge Great White Shark which was unfortunately tangled in the shark nets off Maroubra Beach in Sydney. My business and Facebook page has been slammed by members of the public. I didn’t kill the shark, I simply took a photo and my true belief is it’s sad to see such a magnificent animal killed from drowning in the net.
“After having consulted with government departments, all sharks caught in the nets alive are recorded, GPS Tagged then released safely back into the ocean. Unfortunately some of these sharks do die and are then taken to NSW Fisheries Department for scientific research.
“We do very occasionally catch and kill small sharks for food consumption. Many people have slammed me as a murderer. Our fish are all line caught with single hooks. There are taken home and eaten, like every other fish and chip shop selling ‘Flake’ which is shark. So if any one has ever eaten fish n chips, chances are you’ve contributed to the death of a shark. So your all not so innocent either.”
Meanwhile the DPI has identified a Wobbegong Shark was responsible for an incident at Gerroa on the South Coast on Saturday. A DPI shark biologist has assessed photographs of the wounds and a tooth fragment from the shark to identify it as a Wobbegong Shark.
A 24-year-old man from Sydney was participating in a surf lesson yesterday at Seven Mile Beach and was bitten on his hand and calf. He was airlifted to St George Hospital and underwent surgery today.
Seven Mile Beach is not patrolled. Surf Life Saving NSW conducted patrols on jet boats today to look for any sharks in the area. Kiama Council made the decision to close all beaches in the immediate vicinity for 24 hours.
DPI continues to work with other agencies including NSW Police Marine Area Command and Surf Life Saving NSW, and will continue to monitor the situation and provide any technical advice and resources if required.
Water users are encouraged to download DPI’s SharkSmart app which helps swimmers, surfers and all water users be aware of how they can minimise their chances of an interaction with a shark.