Report period: 8 May – 30 May 2017
During the sixth month of the NSW north coast meshing trial (8–30 May, 2017), nets were deployed for totals of 22–23 days at five beaches and each checked between 12 and 33 times (Table 1). The contractors are required to check the mesh nets twice a day, but if the weather or bar conditions prevent safe access, then fewer checks are made.
Beach | Number of days net deployed | Number of times net checked |
---|---|---|
Seven Mile, Lennox Head | 22 | 12 |
Sharpes, Ballina | 22 | 12 |
Shelly, Ballina | 23 | 14 |
Lighthouse, Ballina | 23 | 15 |
Main, Evans Head | 22 | 33 |
In total, 22 individuals from eight species were caught in the mesh nets. Eight animals were released alive, while 14 were found dead and had tissue samples retained for analyses (Table 2). One target shark, a White Shark, was found dead in the Sharpes Beach net.
Beach | Species | Number alive | Number dead |
---|---|---|---|
Seven Mile, Lennox Head | Pygmy Devilray | 2 | 4 |
Sharpes, Ballina | Australian Cownose Ray | 0 | 1 |
Great Hammerhead Shark | 0 | 1 | |
Longtail Tuna | 0 | 2 | |
White Shark | 0 | 1 | |
Shelly, Ballina | Bottlenose Dolphin | 0 | 1 |
Pygmy Devilray | 0 | 1 | |
Whitespotted Eagle Ray | 1 | 0 | |
Lighthouse, Ballina | Australian Cownose Ray | 2 | 0 |
Common Blacktip Shark | 0 | 2 | |
Longtail Tuna | 0 | 1 | |
Pygmy Devilray | 2 | 0 | |
Main, Evans Head | Pygmy Devilray | 1 | 0 |
TOTAL | 8 | 14 |