heres a new one..


[urlhttp://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/nsw/shark-nets-greens-blame-climate-change-for-damage-despite-evidence-of-vandalism/news-story/1c7d850c4ea85cf5166835ac24b98060][/url]

THE Greens have blamed ­“climate change” for damage to Sydney’s shark nets, despite clear evidence they were ­vandalised.

In fact the left-leaning party’s claims came as marine conservationist Dave Thomas yesterday confessed to having previously cut the nets aimed at saving swimmers and surfers from the marine man-eaters in order to save a trapped animal — and said he would not hesitate to do it again.

“If I am out there and I see an animal, I will assess the safety of me and the people around me, I will do three cuts to release the animal,” the founder of northern beaches-based Eco Divers said. That is despite rookie Greens MP Justin Field insisting climate change may be to blame after The Daily Telegraph revealed shark nets at Bondi, Curl Curl, Dee Why, Manly, Queenscliff and other popular beaches had been deliberately damaged.


Local conservationist Dave Thomas said he would not hesitate to do cut shark nets again. Picture: Adam Ward
A dolphin “pinger” alarm was removed from the Manly net, while others were slashed or had anchors cut.

“Climate change has really hit the NSW coast in the past 12 months, we’ve had huge storm events, so I’ll hold my judgment on how those nets were damaged,” Mr Field said.

The government’s new ­annual shark report identifies just one net, at Dee Why, as having been damaged in a storm, during March 2016.

The same net was vandalised in September 2015, along with those at Bondi, Manly, Queenscliff, Curl Curl and Wattamolla.

Nets at Bronte and Soldiers Beach were damaged by boats.


Greenies have vandalised a series of shark nets at Queenscliff, Bondi, Dee Why, Manly, Curl Curl and other popular Sydney beaches. Picture: Stephen Cooper
All up, there have been at least 20 cases identified by the government where shark nets have been deliberately vandalised since 2010, and six instances in the past year.

However, Labor MP Walt Secord described Mr Field’s claim as “baloney”.

“There have been 20 attacks — nets have been cut and pingers removed,” he said.

“If you cut a net you’re putting swimmers and surfers into jeopardy. If you remove the pingers you’re also putting wildlife in jeopardy — that’s absolutely stupid.”


Thousands of beachgoers and surfers are put at risk by the destruction of shark nets. Picture: Dylan Robinson
The government has plans to potentially test electric shark nets, up to 100m long, to shock sharks away from humans.

The cables, which lie on the seabed and have electrodes rising vertically through the water, have been tried successfully off Cape Town.

The government has also ­admitted its aerial shark patrols are duds with last year’s flights spotting just 46 sharks, most of which were harmless.




they cant even lie straight..