Gear selectivity of large-mesh nets and drumlines used to catch sharks in the Queensland Shark Control Program

Published source details Sumpton W.D., Taylor S.M., Gribble N.A., McPherson G. & Ham T. (2011) Gear selectivity of large-mesh nets and drumlines used to catch sharks in the Queensland Shark Control Program. African Journal of Marine Science, 33, 37-43.
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This study is summarised as evidence for the following.

	Action	Category
	Use baited lines instead of nets for shark control Action Link

Use baited lines instead of nets for shark control

A site comparison study in 1992–2008 at three coastal sites in the South Pacific Ocean, Queensland, Australia (Sumpton et al. 2011) found that baited lines used for shark control had fewer entanglements of four dolphin species, humpback whales Megaptera novaeangliae and dugongs Dugong dugon than nets, and survival of entangled dolphins was higher on baited lines. Overall, baited lines had fewer entanglements than nets of common dolphins Delphinus delphis (5 vs 74 respectively), bottlenose dolphins Tursiops spp. (6 vs 26), Indo-Pacific humpback dolphins Sousa chinensis (0 vs 12), spinner dolphins Stenella longirostris (0 vs 12), humpback whales (0 vs 26) and dugongs (0 vs 9). Survival of entangled common and bottlenose dolphins was higher on baited lines (both 100%) than in nets (common: 5%; bottlenose: 8%). Catch rates and survival of target sharks on baited lines and in nets differed between species (see original paper for details). At each of three locations, 9–35 baited ‘drum’ lines (single lines suspended beneath a buoy with a baited shark hook) and 3–11 shark-control nets (186 m long x 6 m deep, 50 cm stretched mesh size) were deployed to protect beaches. All lines and nets were deployed parallel to the shore in water 6–12 m deep. Fishers checked and re-baited the 56 lines and 17 nets during 15–20 days/month in 1992–2008.

(Summarised by: Anna Berthinussen)