\u201cThat stress is clear and is obvious.\u201d<\/p>\n
It was the fifth whale entanglement off the Queensland coast this week \u2013 a mother and its calf were caught in nets off Noosa Beach on Thursday, while earlier in the week there were reports of another mother and calf entangled off Rainbow Beach.<\/p>\n
In that incident, the mother dragged the shark net about 100 kilometres north to Hervey Bay.<\/p>\n
Humane World for Animals Australia marine biologist Lawrence Chlebeck said the event was a reminder of the annual toll that shark nets take on the highly intelligent and social animals.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe tragic irony of this gentle giant and with a calf is floundering as it\u2019s entangled in a shark net in Hervey Bay \u2013 the world\u2019s first Whale Heritage Site \u2013 is simply unacceptable,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Loading<\/p>\n
\u201cEven if the whale can be freed from this net, the trauma they will have suffered and energy expended in the struggle will seriously jeopardise their ability to make the long migration back to their feeding grounds in the Southern Ocean.<\/p>\n
\u201cHow can the Queensland government continue to justify their year-round deployment of these lethal, outdated and ineffective shark nets to the state\u2019s waters?\u201d<\/p>\n
Queensland Primary Industries Minister Tony Perrett defended the practice.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Crisafulli government will always put the safety of people first which is why it has delivered the largest investment into shark management in the program\u2019s history,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cTraditional methods, such as nets and drumlines, are scientifically proven to be the most effective tool in protecting swimmers.\u201d<\/p>\n
Perrett said the government also funded a marine animal rescue team, consisting of 25 highly trained specialists who provide rapid response to any entanglement.<\/p>\n
There are 27 shark nets on south-east Queensland beaches and 383 drum lines in use on beaches from the NSW border north to Cairns.<\/p>\n