As part of a broader program of shark hazard mitigation (see details below), the Government of Western Australia is implementing a shark hazard mitigation strategy which involves the deployment of baited drum lines to capture target species of large sharks (the proposal).

The proposal involves the deployment of up to 72 baited drum lines and rapid response within marine monitoring areas (MMA) in the metropolitan and the South West regions until 30 April 2014. The proposal commenced on 25 January 2014 in the South West and 31 January 2014 in the metropolitan region.

The target species include white sharks (Carcharodon carcharias), tiger sharks (Galeocerdo cuvier) and bull sharks (Carcharhinus leucas) over three metres in length. The non-target species caught, including all sharks less than three metres are to be released alive if possible.