THE lifesaving anti-shark drum lines installed in the state’s north to protect swimmers and surfers from great whites and other known predators may have been deliberately sabotaged.

Despite seven shark ­attacks and dozens of close calls between Byron Bay and Evans Head, authorities are concerned drum lines may have been de-baited, potentially putting lives at risk.

Two days after Premier Mike Baird visited the region to inspect the drum lines being baited with fish, green group Sea Shepherd was involved in a stand-off with NSW Fisheries and police.

One of Sea Shepherd’s crews, operating as part of the group’s “shark defence campaign”, yesterday denied tampering with the drum lines.

The Daily Telegraph can reveal a commercial fisherman and off-duty RMS boat informed fisheries officials about a boat near a “smart” drum line off Ballina.

At 7.45am, the same time the boat was seen, scientists monitoring Catch-A-Live GPS technology received an alert from the drum line.

On inspection, there was no damage to the baited hook, no shark smell and no bait left on the hook, which is considered unusual.

Expert advice said it was “highly likely” the drum line was tampered with.

Under state law, anyone proven to have interfered with set fishing gear faces a maximum penalty of $5500.

A NSW Police spokesman said they were contacted by Ballina Fisheries about a “suspicious vessel” in the vicinity of drum lines off Lighthouse and Flat Rock beaches. Two were understood to have had their fish baits removed.

“Police spoke to a male and two females who were with a rigid inflatable boat at a boat ramp,” he said.

The Sea Shepherd crew, including marine scientist Jann Gilbert, shark attack survivor Kylie Maguire and teacher Jonathan Clark, yesterday “monitored” drum lines off Ballina beaches.

“NSW Fisheries made a complaint about the crew being there and the police were called,” the Sea Shepherd Facebook page posted.

“The crew were questioned by police. The crew did nothing illegal or wrong. Yet based on no evidence, Fisheries alleged that our crew de-baited the hooks.

“We look forward to ­receiving an apology.”

Sea Shepherd warned Fisheries officers to “get used to eyes being on the water and the smart drum lines being monitored”.

Police said no further ­action was expected to be taken against the crew.

The Daily Telegraph ­understands compliance boats will be dispatched to monitor the drum lines.

Sea Shepherd, which ­receives tax breaks as a registered charity, supported protest action against the drum line program adopted by the WA government.

NSW Primary Industries Minister Niall Blair said the government was committed to drum lines, and vandals faced criminal penalties.

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/nsw/sharks-drum-lines-may-have-been-sabotaged-sea-shepherd-crews-deny-involvement/story-fni0cx12-1227687365460

These so called Sea Shepherd idiots definitely have a screw loose.

I thought this would be about the greens and their anti fire control stance.

That kills people every year

The greens began as a worthy conservation movement but it was all downhill from there and now they are just anti-humanity and anti-civilisation.

Maybe they should chain themselves to the nets in protest like they do the coal loaders?

I'm sure the harmless white pointers won't mind a bit of company... ;D

...afterall they have to eat their greens to stay regular  ;D

Swagman wrote on Dec 24^th, 2015 at 7:11am:

Maybe they should chain themselves to the nets in protest like they do the coal loaders? I'm sure the harmless white pointers won't mind a bit of company... ;D ...afterall they have to eat their greens to stay regular  ;D

That's a great idea. Lets volunteer GW!!!

Oh god have some compassion for the white pointers

The greeny groups had a win in WA doing pretty much the same thing , so much so that dopey budget deficit barnett changed his whole policy around drum baiting, by stopping it all together  :D

Its time wrote on Dec 24^th, 2015 at 7:16am:

The greeny groups had a win in WA doing pretty much the same thing , so much so that dopey budget deficit barnett changed his whole policy around drum baiting, by stopping it all together  :D

Why are you encouraging these imbeciles?

Thank heavens for the good people of the sea shepherd.  Looks like Japan, is about to start whaling again.  Help Sea Shepherd, help stop Japan Whaling in the sanctuary.   [smiley=thumbsup.gif]   

Out of the 170 odd sharks caught on drum lines not one was a white shark , which is thought to be the species responsible for the fatalities here . How many species were shot in the head indiscriminately is anyones guess, its no suprise the policy was panned and subsequently shelved after 3 months.

Its time wrote on Dec 24^th, 2015 at 7:33am:

Out of the 170 odd sharks caught on drum lines not one was a white shark , which is thought to be the species responsible for the fatalities here . How many species were shot in the head indiscriminately is anyones guess, its no suprise the policy was panned and subsequently shelved after 3 months.

170 less chances of being shark bait....

Armchair_Politician wrote on Dec 24^th, 2015 at 7:04am:

These so called Sea Shepherd idiots definitely have a screw loose.

It would be kinda awesome if one of them got attacked by a shark.

life saving anti shark drum lines?

How do they figure?

wrote on Dec 24^th, 2015 at 7:26am:

Thank heavens for the good people of the sea shepherd.  Looks like Japan, is about to start whaling again.  Help Sea Shepherd, help stop Japan Whaling in the sanctuary.   [smiley=thumbsup.gif]

Please go swimming with the sharks. You would finally do something useful for society.

---

I have been swimming with hundreds of sharks.  It's been nice, but I don't see it as something useful for society.

... wrote on Dec 24^th, 2015 at 10:25am:

I have been swimming with hundreds of sharks.  It's been nice, but I don't see it as something useful for society.

So swim in the pool, easy

miketrees wrote on Dec 24^th, 2015 at 7:05am:

I thought this would be about the greens and their anti fire control stance. That kills people every year

Greens aren't anti-fire control.
Greens are anti farmers being dumb buggers and lighting up fires they have no smacking clue about often in areas that hold endangered species.

It takes RFS months to plan a back burn and it can only take place when the moons align and all conditions are perfect for it to be effective.

Why farmers and others think they can wonder around burning poo willy nilly is beyond me.

My friends in RFS control and Parks absolutely detest citizen Backburning.

Kiron22 wrote on Dec 24^th, 2015 at 10:39am:

miketrees wrote on Dec 24th, 2015 at 7:05am: I thought this would be about the greens and their anti fire control stance. That kills people every year Greens aren't anti-fire control. Greens are anti farmers being dumb buggers and lighting up fires they have no smacking clue about often in areas that hold endangered species. It takes RFS months to plan a back burn and it can only take place when the moons align and all conditions are perfect for it to be effective. Why farmers and others think they can wonder around burning poo willy nilly is beyond me. My friends in RFS control and Parks absolutely detest citizen Backburning.

You've got no smacking idea. Farmers can't do burning off without a permit, numbnuts!

Kiron22 wrote on Dec 24^th, 2015 at 10:39am:

My friends in RFS

Tony Abbott?  :D

Armchair_Politician wrote on Dec 24^th, 2015 at 11:03am:

Kiron22 wrote on Dec 24th, 2015 at 10:39am: miketrees wrote on Dec 24th, 2015 at 7:05am: I thought this would be about the greens and their anti fire control stance. That kills people every year Greens aren't anti-fire control. Greens are anti farmers being dumb buggers and lighting up fires they have no smacking clue about often in areas that hold endangered species. It takes RFS months to plan a back burn and it can only take place when the moons align and all conditions are perfect for it to be effective. Why farmers and others think they can wonder around burning poo willy nilly is beyond me. My friends in RFS control and Parks absolutely detest citizen Backburning. You've got no smacking idea. Farmers can't do burning off without a permit, numbnuts!

Which isn't hard to get, also farmers and morons go light fires in state parks, national parks and on their property all the time in the name of "back burning"

Funny, if I don't have a "clue" then apparently some of the most senior members of RFS that i'm friends with don't have a clue, senior parks officials and rangers I'm friends with don't have a clue.

I bet if one of these nuts lost someone they care about to a shark they'd change their tune.

Nope, Sharks are part of the Ocean, we are entering their domain.

Even if I was attacked by a shark, I would not call for drum lines or crap. It's my fault, it's the risk I take.

It's like wondering into the african wilderness and then getting attacked by a Lion and complaining that all Lions should be shot.

Armchair_Politician wrote on Dec 24^th, 2015 at 11:15am:

I bet if one of these nuts lost someone they care about to a shark they'd change their tune.

Revenge against a creature in its natural environment , hmmm healthy mindset  :(

Mitigate the risks if you want to swim or surf in ocean , wear your sharkshield invest in the wetsuits that camoflouge you , we do when we're diving as a precaution .

Kiron22 wrote on Dec 24^th, 2015 at 11:17am:

Nope, Sharks are part of the Ocean, we are entering their domain. Even if I was attacked by a shark, I would not call for drum lines or crap. It's my fault, it's the risk I take. It's like wondering into the african wilderness and then getting attacked by a Lion and complaining that all Lions should be shot.

No, it's not at all like wondering into the African wilderness. The beach is our domain.  If the sharks wonder in too close then they get Rule 303.

They have 99.99999999% of the ocean to do their killing.

Kiron22 wrote on Dec 24^th, 2015 at 11:17am:

Nope, Sharks are part of the Ocean, we are entering their domain. Even if I was attacked by a shark, I would not call for drum lines or crap. It's my fault, it's the risk I take. It's like wondering into the african wilderness and then getting attacked by a Lion and complaining that all Lions should be shot.

Or you could be 'wAndering' into the African wilderness......

Of course..if you were attacked by a lion, while wAndering in the African wilderness....it's unlikely you'd be able to call for all lions to be shot...(well other than through a Ouija board or a spirit medium).

... wrote on Dec 24^th, 2015 at 10:15am:

life saving anti shark drum lines? How do they figure?

When something bad is happening, that gets to the front page, it's better to do something useless to appease the plebs, than to do nothing at all.

gizmo_2655 wrote on Dec 24^th, 2015 at 3:49pm:

Kiron22 wrote on Dec 24th, 2015 at 11:17am: Nope, Sharks are part of the Ocean, we are entering their domain. Even if I was attacked by a shark, I would not call for drum lines or crap. It's my fault, it's the risk I take. It's like wondering into the african wilderness and then getting attacked by a Lion and complaining that all Lions should be shot. Or you could be 'wAndering' into the African wilderness...... Of course..if you were attacked by a lion, while wAndering in the African wilderness....it's unlikely you'd be able to call for all lions to be shot...(well other than through a Ouija board or a spirit medium).

or witch doctor.. ;D ;D

hilarious dont some mother ave em...

when was the last time someone was attacked by a tiger or a lion???..

its more the other way round... we kill them...


Armchair_Politician wrote on Dec 24^th, 2015 at 11:03am:

You've got no smacking idea. Farmers can't do burning off without a permit, numbnuts!

why do greenies always go into DENIAL....the pat themselves on their backs when ever the world rolls over and follows their dumb stoooopid wishes....

then when it all goes pearshaped they claim it wasnt us.... >:( >:( >:(

they are parasites....trouble makers destroyers and liars.

boxy wrote on Dec 24^th, 2015 at 5:03pm:

... wrote on Dec 24th, 2015 at 10:15am: life saving anti shark drum lines? How do they figure? When something bad is happening, that gets to the front page, it's better to do something useless to appease the plebs, than to do nothing at all.

has PA closed down for the holidays.???.....