Searching for a Phantom Shark at a Popular Australian Surf Spot
North Steyne at Australia's Manly Beach is known for fun waves ranging from beginner small surf to triple overhead A-frames.
According to Save the Waves, it's also a World Surfing Reserve with "consistent quality surf, rich surfing history, strong community support and a magnificent coastal environment."
But now Manly Beach has a new claim to fame—a mystery phantom shark.
In the post above, the Manly Observer reported that on January 2, Manly resident Barry Brown saw a fishing boat close to shore near North Steyne at the northern end of Manly Beach. He says that with binoculars from his apartment balcony, he watched the crew haul aboard what he thinks was a shark around 15 feet long.
He reported to the Observer that he saw a dead shark reeled in from one of the two shark deterrents (either the nets or a drumline) and asked if they could look into it.
The paper did as requested and reported:
"We did, and even purchased gps tracking of the boat—contracted to check shark nets, showing the boat was exactly where Barry said it was at that time on that day. Except DPI says the shark was never there."
So what's the big deal?
After an abundance of shark attacks and drumline controversy in Australia—including the recent brutal stabbing of a tiger shark in Queensland—The Observer explains:
"Manly Observer is not suggesting that the crew of the Miss Charlotte G behaved illegally or irresponsibly, but the Queensland incident is a reminder that contractors employed to monitor drumlines and nets may operate outside the remit of the government guidelines on shark management.
"The concern would be if sharks are being killed on drumline tech and not being recorded, giving the false impression of their efficacy. Or large marine animals, a shark or other large creature, caught in the nets and not being recorded."
The Observer asks anyone with information to contact the paper and wonders:
"Is this conspiracy, honest error or a specter of the sea?"
There's more to the story, which you can read here.
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