1-30 April 2018

Operation

During April 2018, SMART drumlines were deployed for 15 days at Ballina-Lennox Head, 20 Evans Head, and 30 days at each of Kiama and Ulladulla. Environmental conditions determined how long SMART drumlines were deployed on any given day, ranging from 4:10h to 12:49h. On average, SMART drumlines were deployed daily for 8:08h at Ballina-Lennox Head, 8:28h at Kiama, 9:27h at Evans Head, and 10:21h at Ulladulla.

Total catches

During April 2018, a total of four target sharks from two locations were caught (Table 1 and 2): three Tiger Sharks (1 male and 2 females) from Kiama and one Bull Shark (1 male) from Ballina-Lennox Head. No target animals were caught at Evans Head or Ulladulla.

A total of five non-target animals were caught (Table 1 and 3), including two Shortfin Mako (Kiama and Ulladulla), two Smooth Hammerheads (Ballina-Lennox Head), and one Greynurse Shark (Evans Head).

All animals were released alive.

Comments

When the contractor responded to sixteen alerts that had no catch, they found that six hooks had no bait, nine hooks had the bait fully intact, and one hook had 50% of the bait remaining. Furthermore, when the contractors arrived at the respective drumlines for retrieval at the end of the day, one Bull Shark was found hooked on the line at Sharpes Beach, Ballina (Table 1). It was tagged and released immediately.

All other caught animals triggered an alert to the DPI contractors who responded and were at the SMART drumline within an average of 18 minutes.

Table 1: The date and time of capture of species and their sizes (total length in m), sex and status during the month of April 2018.

* indicates where no alert was received and the shark was found during retrieval at the end of the day.

Table 2: Cumulative total of target shark species caught on SMART drumlines since December 2016 at Ballina-Lennox Head (BL), Evans Head (EH), Coffs Harbour (CH), Forster (F), Kiama (K), and Ulladulla (U).

^a 1 individual died
^b 1 individual was found dead on Airforce Beach, Evans Head on 12 May 2017 after being tagged and released on 7 May 2017

Note:

• Ballina and Evans Head trial started 8 December 2016 and will be completed on 30 June 2018 (18 month trial)
• Coffs Harbour and Forster trial started 14 August 2017 and was completed on the 13 February 2018  (6 month trial)
• Kiama and Ulladulla trial started 3 November 2017 and was completed on the 2 May 2018 (6 month trial)

Table 3: Cumulative total of non-target species caught on SMART drumlines since December 2016 at Ballina-Lennox Head (BL), Evans Head (EH), Coffs Harbour (CH), Forster (F), Kiama (K), and Ulladulla (U).

^a Loggerhead Turtle was tangled in the trace (but not hooked)

Table 3 (continued): Cumulative total of non-target species caught on SMART drumlines since December 2016 at Ballina-Lennox Head (BL), Evans Head (EH), Coffs Harbour (CH), Forster (F), Kiama (K), and Ulladulla (U).

^b 1 individual was found dead on the line after an alert

Table 3 (continued): Cumulative total of non-target species caught on SMART drumlines since December 2016 at Ballina-Lennox Head (BL), Evans Head (EH), Coffs Harbour (CH), Forster (F), Kiama (K), and Ulladulla (U).

^b 1 individual was found dead on the line after an alert.