It has been a confronting and devastating year with a 12-year-old killed by a shark in Sydney and another shark attack in Coogee over the weekend. The NSW government has said there is nothing off the table in response to the latest shark incident. But it is vital that we don’t just start going out there and randomly culling sharks.

Several locals including Ian Cohen and Dean Jefferys were at the hearing presenting their position on shark deterrents at the senate enquiry into shark mitigation and deterrents that took place last Tuesday 2 May in Byron Bay.

Shark mitigation and deterrents are on the agenda for a meeting in Byron Bay today of the Senate Environment and Communications Senate Committee.

The state government has ruled out culling north coast sharks responsible for recent attacks but it has agreed to a $250,000 package to tackle the problem, Ballina mayor David Wright says.

A world wide spotlight is on Western Australia as the shark cull continues to leave the ocean floor strewn with the carcasses of dead and dying fish.