Tourism operators at popular beaches in Western Australia are welcoming a new plan to kill sharks that threaten swimmers, but there has been a mixed reaction in the wider community.
the state government will set up baited drum lines and create two monitored zones in popular swimming areas.
Commercial fishermen will be hired to catch and kill sharks bigger than three metres that enter these zones.
The ABC reports decision by the state government came after six fatal attacks in two years.
Redgate Beach surf instructor Keith Halnan said tourists have been scared away.
"We don't expect not to have any attacks but the frequency is just ridiculous," he said.
"It was hurting our lifestyle, killing our tourism industry. And what people don't really realise is we've been wiping hundreds of millions off our tourism industry."
Meanwhile, the Greens have introduced a motion in the Senate calling on the Commonwealth to oppose the "culling of sharks" off WA.
Senator Rachel Siewert said the Commonwealth needs to maintain protection for great white sharks.
"We need to understand if sharks are changing their behaviour, and I say if because we don't have a lot of long-term data," she said.
Senator Siewert said further research is needed.
