Locals Applaud as Dead Tiger Shark Pulled from Nets at Iconic Surf Spot

"Hope they used it for cat food."

In a surprising turn of events, Snapper Rocks surfers have thrilled to the site of a twelve-foot Tiger Shark being hauled, dead, from drum lines that have protected the joint, with one notable exception, since 1962.

Snapper Rocks, for the enthusiastic novice surfer who might’ve swung into the game posts 2020, is where local surfer Nick Slater was killed by a Great White shark,

As the late, great Longtom reported all those years ago,

That’s where I would have sat with the kids, down the end past Little Marley, picking up some little wide runners into the afternoon glow. Probs having a little chat in between waves with Nick Slater, asking him what he thought of the Morning of the Earth twin he was riding.

Forty-six, still feeling good. Washing off the stress after a good day selling real estate. Lots of buyers, people escaping the lockdown, looking for sunshine, warm water and a safer surf compared to across the border.

It’s all changed now.

That’s the end of that fantasy. No more thinking crowded Superbank is a refuge, even if from paranoia.

You get sick of looking over your shoulder every five minutes.

Check on the Sharksmart feed and you get something like this daily: DPI advise 2.81 m White Shark tagged and released from SMART drumline at SOUTH BALLINA, Ballina at 06:15 pm on 8 Sep 2020.

Ignorance offers no bliss either. It is what it is now.

And what it is, is fucking hectic. Just how far down the path are we to a Reunion Island reality?

All of which gives, I think, a little perspective into the comments on a post by Brendan Gauci, @bthedrifter, which shows the dead Tiger on the deck of the fisherman contracted to clear the drum lines.

Watch.

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A post shared by Brendan Gauci (@bthedrifter)

“I hope that shark is cat food”

A small sample.

I’d rather that shark dead on the back deck than swimming around surfers and people swimming. Good work boys , thanks for keeping us safe !!

Sucks but also would suck more to see or hear about a grom or ya everyday surfer get killed by one of them at snapper…

Yeah the boys saving lives one shark at a time!

Sure glad that didn’t eat me . Hope they used it for cat food or something !

Thank you for making our community safer

A few pro shark sentiments, but very much in the minority.

Is there a shift in public opinion? A few years back, comments would’ve been all pro-shark.

Now?

What was the tipping point?

A pretty Swedish tourist being sent home in a box?

Merc Psillakis being mauled to death at a popular Sydney beach in front of friends the day before Fathers Day?

As his twin brother Mike responded to an online troll.

“My brother’s life was way more important than any shark.”

A realisation that the world, nature etc, ain’t a pretty place?