00:02The former director of fisheries research is worried about the frequency of shark attacks.
00:07He wants new data to see if there are more sharks off the WA coast.
00:11Well, in any fish population that you're dealing with, you want to know a good approximation for the number
00:17because then you can tailor the management program to match the certain number of sharks.
00:23The last estimate by the CSIRO in 2018 put the adult southern western population of white sharks at 1,500,
00:32but it was unable to estimate the juvenile population.
00:36But others caution population is just one factor at play.
00:40The whole range of factors including prey abundance, including temperature of the water,
00:46including distribution of people in the water.
00:48So it's not just a simple link between one parameter, the size of the white shark population, and the trend
00:55in bites.
00:56The opposition also keen on more data.
00:59Let's get a full picture of what is the current situation,
01:03how it might have changed with the recent changes to fishing regulations and the like,
01:08and what the numbers are.
01:10Mr Penn, sure it's increasing based on the frequency of attacks.
01:14The mitigation measures are fine, continue on, but they really do need to reduce the shark population,
01:21which is on an increasing trend. It won't get any better.
01:25The next population estimate, due next May.
01:28CSIRO in particular have got a key role to play in providing us with the data
01:32so that our experts can continue to provide us with advice.
01:35Firstly around conservation measures, but also around mitigation of any sort of impacts.
01:40The fisheries minister, Jackie Jarvis, says the government is working with Surf Life Saving WA,
01:46looking into new technology, additional surveillance and other ways to improve safety for this summer.
01:53Thank you for reading.
01:55You might be reading it more of a further...
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