Popular WA tourist destination bans shark fishing

A city council in Western Australia’s south has voted to ban wire trace fishing at a popular tourist destination over concerns the practice, often used for shark fishing, was putting the community at risk.

Fisheries Minister Don Punch banned wire trace within 800 metres of the shore along Perth’s metropolitan coastline in 2023.

Advocate Lisa Hills said while it had been a great start, the majority of the state’s coast including major tourism destinations were still not protected.

She attended a Busselton council meeting on Wednesday night, giving an impassioned speech on why the practice should also be banned along the Busselton Jetty.

“The City of Busselton invites people from all over WA to come and enjoy the jetty – swim, snorkel, SCUBA dive, so I ask you why would you continue to allow shark trophy hunters and wire trace to operate,” she said.

“It is your job to keep the community safe and right now, I feel like that’s not what you’re doing.

“I hope tonight you use your votes and your voice to protect our oceans and our ocean-loving community. Let’s ban land-based shark fishing before a preventable fatality occurs at a Busselton beach.”

Hills also detailed how she had been harassed while out for dinner, been sent numerous nasty messages via social media and had videos sent to her of people holding sharks down and pulling out their teeth.

Someone also carved her name into a dead shark carcass and left it near the jetty she often dives at.