Thousands rally against shark culling policy in Australia

Australians protesting the West Australian (WA) government's shark cull saw thousands of people around the country, with the largest event at Sydney's Manly Beach, Saturday in a show of anger against a culling policy seen as both futile and out of touch.

The controversial policy to catch and kill sharks off popular west coast beaches was given the green light last month after a string of fatal attacks in the past two years.

After WA Premier and Science Minister Colin Barnett announced Friday that the city of Busselton's beach enclosure trial at Old Dunsborough Beach was under way, popular fury coalesced into colorful protests around the country.

Rally was held from the NSW central coast to Adelaide, Melbourne, Hobart and Cottesloe, Broome and Perth in WA, as well as in New Zealand and South Africa, to protest against Western Australia's decision to capture and shoot large sharks caught in drum lines.

The state government provided 165,370 Australian dollars to the city of Busselton to run the trial which, lasting till April 30, will test the suitability of beach enclosures to protect beach- goers from sharks. Opposition to the policy is very strong -- against drum-baiting that will see the beach enclosure "shark- proofed" and is similar to those used successfully on the Gold Coast to prevent bull shark attacks.

Barnett said Old Dunsborough Beach was an appropriate location for the trial because it was one of the most highly used beaches in the South-West. There have been several shark sightings off the Dunsborough coast in recent months.

"Old Dunsborough Beach is used for school holiday swimming lessons, surf lifesaving and community events," he said.

The enclosure, which extends about 100 meters from the shore and runs parallel with the beach for approximately 300 meters, is designed to keep swimmers safe by acting as a barrier to repel sharks.

The premier said the beach enclosure trial was one of a range of measures put in place by the state government to help Western Australian beach-goers feel safe and enjoy the ocean.

"The state government recognizes that a range of measures are needed to ensure West Australians can enjoy our beautiful beaches. Funding research into shark deterrents is part of this strategy, as is the beach enclosure trial," he said.

Barnett said he hoped the trial would be successful and he looked forward to seeing the results.

Greens MLC Lynn MacLaren said the dropping of drum lines off popular WA beaches "goes completely against what the community wants and will be met with continuing resistance."

"I wonder how safe South Fremantle beach-goers will feel knowing that there is a meat curtain in the form of baited hooks hanging 1 km from their favorite beach, with a fisher waiting with a rifle to shoot any shark he interprets to be a Bull Shark, Tiger Shark or Great White Shark.

"From South Fremantle to Scarborough, Leighton Beach, Cottesloe and Scarborough we now have to witness the killing of an apex predator that maintains the balance of our oceans, the world is watching and this is an embarrassment to Western Australia."

"I hope the world knows that the majority Western Australians do not want this, I look forward to seeing everyone down at Cottesloe beach tomorrow to campaign for an end to this policy built on fear over fact."

The protests came just hours after a two-meter shark, possibly a tiger shark, was hauled, bloody and limp from a baited drum line off Perth's Leighton Beach.