"Django," a man who declined using his real name, rescued a whale calf tangled in nets on Tuesday morning off the Gold Coast, but may now face a fine of almost $27,000 for meddling into policies regarding shark control.
Onlookers called officials to report the scene, but after hours passed without any intervention, the recreational diver thought to go for a one-person rescue.
Django told reporters that he thought it was pretty cool when he first saw the whale. But after realizing that it was stuck in nets, he felt that it was 'uncool' and that his adrenaline just 'kicked in.'
He took off on his boat, took off his shirt, donned swimming fins, and jumped into the water near Burleigh Heads. Django said he used his knife to free the young whale's pectoral fin from the net, as it was already cutting into its flesh.
The whale was reportedly spotted around 7 A.M. by a drone operator, but the crew from the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries arrived at the scene at 9:45 A.M.
According to Django, officials from Queensland Fisheries seized him as he came to shore. He admits being aware of the trouble he's gotten himself into, but at the end of the day, he says you just sometimes have to 'pay the price.'
Queensland Fisheries says that investigation is still ongoing and that no fine has been issued yet. Officials say that people who have interfered with equipment such as shark nets typically face a maximum fine of $26,690.
The fisheries minister, Mark Furner, says that the rescue was indeed risky and that people should leave it to the professionals to do their jobs in such circumstances. He adds that the decision of whether the rescuer will be prosecuted will be up to the department.
How Do Shark Nets Work?
Shark nets work by entangling sharks that swim nearby and happen to run into them. According to the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, shark nets are set on 51 beaches in New South Wales, stretching over 200 kilometers of coastline.
The nets are typically 150 meters long and six meters high. They are set in ten to 12 meters of water approximately 500 meters from and parallel to the shore. Generally, one to two nets may be put up at each beach.
Shark nets are said to be effective at reducing the number of sharks dwelling in the area as they have a higher chance of stumbling upon the net over time. The nets, however, do not prevent sharks from entering or leaving the beach.
Controversial Shark Control in Queensland
The Queensland shark netting program, which builds up a portion of the state's Shark Control Program, is by far the biggest and most extensive. Noticeably, it is also the only one that operates throughout the year.
Animal advocacy groups such as the WWF have been actively finding ways to stop it as the nets have been reportedly killing more than 15,000 animals, including a hundred species of endangered sea creatures such as dugongs, stingrays, and more.
According to Sea Life Trust, the deaths of thousands of animals are unnecessary and that the out-dated system doesn't even protect anyone. In fact, the nets have killed two people as well, according to the organization.
To top it all off, the NSW Shark Meshing Program is estimated to cost about $1.4 million per year, for an eight-month contract that functions on 14 days of the month on beaches between Wollongong and Newcastle alone.
