North Australian FISH FINDER TM forums

http://www.news.com.au/national/diver-k ... 6315190264

Was just talking to a WA diver last week, he said there are a lot of shark sightings now and some people are reconsidering diving off Perth. Dunno if shark numbers are up, but he reckons they are.

Poor bugger, condolances to the family. 4th in the past 7 months off Perth

Yes, it is tragic.

When I was a reporter in Brisbane, Vic Hislop told me white pointers weren't that rare and he said "I'm going fishing in Moreton Bay this week and I'll bring back the evidence".

And he did, including the body of a white pointer almost bitten in half by a bigger one. He had shark bodies in a freezer. He said "if white pointers are so rare how come I can just go out and catch them like this?"

Regardless of what you think of Vic Hislop's attitude towards sharks, he made his point.

It's like the croc-cull debate. Perhaps there should be a licence for a game fisherman to take a single white, with numbers limited, as overseas tourists would pay a motza to visit Australia to do so, at least it would provide some income and help keep numbers in check, assuming numbers are up.

Anyone know if sightings are up on the East Coast?

Matt,check out sportfish extremethere is a thread there about a juv white washed up at jervis bay,new.'

My brother is embarking on a federally funded research program off west oz. They have a dedicated vessal and scientists from around the world joining in to research the great white and other apex species. Is the GW shark adapting to a new regular food source? Are the juveniles competing for live fish stocks? Are there some grumpy old GW's having a chop for sport? Are individuals that currently
roam the globe clued in on human tucker and know where to look? These are some of questions they hope to answer from this research along with the usual environmental aspects. My bro will certainly convey his observations to me during the program.

Will quokka's on rottnest island turn carniverous zombies? Thats what i want to know lol.

Havnt heard any talk of them in the northern rivers area since Ive been here Matt its all Bull sharks this way,although I hear sightings of whites increase mid year when the whales come nth to calve .

Plenty about on east coast Matt. As mentioned in May-June when the whales migrate north the whites are there with them. They tend to not be as aggressive but when the whales head south after breeding they are definatley more aggressive. Used to see a few in the late 80's and early 90's and even fought one for 9.5 hours on 80lb chair gear that was 700kg+ only to pop it on the trace 300km south of the hook up location.
Since the banning of taking the white's they have made a slow comeback but more recently (2005-2010) there where plenty of juveniles to adult whites from Sydney - Yamba from the inshore reefs to out 120 miles.
Just before i moved up here i counted 12 off the beach between Burubi and Stockton in one morning feeding on schools of salmon.
Awesome creatures but scary when ya spot em in the surf or when free diving bluewater.

I remember as a kid when old Vic Hislop got a big one he would do a traveling show with his big frozen shark in a van. The whole town would come out to have a look, they were some big sharks he use to bring down. He use to say "you young fellas wont to be careful surfing out there, I got this one right out the front there" for a week after we would be sh*tting every time we paddled out.

I remember old Vic, used to catch some monster sharks, I grow up fishing off shore around Fraser island and double island, have seen enormous sharks, and closer and closer to the shore over the years

went to his shark show in hervey bay as a teenager and the bloke although good at what he does, i think is a bit of a wanker. I dont know why we cant leave them out there.... we kill a heap more than take us. If a shark ever took me, I wouldnt ever want the govt to shoot it. poop happens I reckon.... (and ive done 160+ scuba dives and seen some big fellas before too...)

The recent attack was in the middle of geographe bay the first time ever the other attacks around here have been at surf spots which are near seal colonies the seals have increased in population in the last 10 years by 200% as there used to be only about 12 in one area lots more now spread down the coast, same as perth lots of seals reside in the area. It is bad when someone is taken but you are in there territory.The guy that was taken on Saturday owns the buisness next door to mine ,I have had a yarn over the fence a couple of times nice bloke, in the wrong place at the wrong time. We fish close to the coast where there have been attacks and we do heavy berlying and have not seen any big sharks come up in our berly trail, not since 12 years ago anyway.

Bring in Vic he'll sort it, make sharks a thing of the past. Vote one Vic Hislop.

I remember thàt trailer park shark Ben, all the kids at school talked about it for weeks. Vic rekoned he had seen one 36foot long, or that's what one of the big kids said anyway!