Report period: 23 November – 30 November 2017
Nets were installed at Lennox Head, Sharpes, Shelly, Lighthouse and Evans Head beaches on 23 November 2017.
During November 2017 nets were deployed for seven days at five beaches and each checked 4-5 times (Table 1). Contractors and trained DPI observers check the nets once every 12-48 hours, depending on when weather or bar conditions allow safe access to the nets.
Method | Beach | Number of days net deployed | Number of times net checked |
---|---|---|---|
Nets | Seven Mile, Lennox Head | 7 | 4 |
Sharpes, Ballina | 7 | 4 | |
Shelly, Ballina | 7 | 4 | |
Lighthouse, Ballina | 7 | 5 | |
Main, Evans Head | 7 | 4 |
During the seven fishing days in November a total of 18 individuals from six species were caught in the nets (Table 2).
- 10 (56%) were released alive.
- 8 (44%) were deceased and retained for analyses.
- Of the three target shark species (White, Tiger and Bull sharks), one Bull Shark was caught in the net at Lighthouse Beach, and was relocated and released alive.
- ‘Listed Fauna’ caught in November were six Pygmy Devilrays and two Great Hammerhead.
Beach | Species | Number alive | Number dead |
---|---|---|---|
Seven Mile, Lennox Head | Pygmy Devilray | 0 | 5 |
Great Hammerhead | 0 | 2 | |
Sharpes, Ballina | - | - | - |
Shelly, Ballina | - | - | - |
Lighthouse, Ballina | Bull Shark | 1 | 0 |
Australian Cownose Ray | 1 | 0 | |
Whitespotted Eagle Ray | 1 | 0 | |
Pygmy Devilray | 1 | 0 | |
Main, Evans Head | Common Blacktip Shark | 0 | 1 |
Australian Cownose Ray | 6 | 0 | |
TOTAL | 10 | 8 |
1The Management Plan for the trial defines a ‘fishing day’ as 24 hours that the nets are in the water