NSW govt won't fund extra shark patrols

The NSW government says it won't fund an aerial shark patrol service, insisting it
would not have prevented the three recent attacks in Sydney waters.
Surfwatch Australia director Michael Brown wrote to Primary Industries Minister Ian
Macdonald last May asking for $80,000 to conduct patrols over the 2008-09 summer
season.
Mr Brown had provided limited patrols through corporate and private sponsorship, but
in his letter said more inspections were necessary due to a huge increase in shark
sightings.
He wrote to Mr Macdonald again in September saying that the "jump in shark numbers
is indisputable, an attack is imminent".
The government did not take up his offer and three separate attacks in Sydney waters
in recent weeks prompted the NSW opposition on Friday to question the decision.
Mr Macdonald said aerial patrols would not have prevented any of the recent attacks.
"The problem is if you look at each three cases that occurred in Sydney in recent
times, there would not have been aerial surveillance practical to be used in that
situation," Mr Macdonald told reporters.
"They were all at dawn and dusk, when aerial surveillance is useless."
Mr Macdonald said he stood by his previous comments that there was no scientific
evidence of an increase in the number of sharks along the coast.
Opposition spokesman Duncan Gay said the government could not ignore increasing
evidence from fishermen and aerial patrol pilots of rising shark numbers.
"The six-winged patrols tell us there's a 16 per cent increase in shark numbers," Mr
Gay said.
"We need to put in every possible way to protect people within reason."