Swan and Canning River bull shark tagging program rolling out after species confirmed as Stella Berry’s killer

The Swan and Canning rivers will be monitored for bull sharks, Fisheries Minister Don Punch has announced, confirming the aggressive species was behind the fatal attack on 16-year-old Stella Berry in North Fremantle waters last month. The State Government was urged to consider expanding tagging programs targeting white sharks in the ocean to include bull sharks in the murky waters of Perth’s rivers after the Shenton College student’s death. Bull sharks live comfortably in both salt and fresh water, and the horror unfolded about 2.5km from the mouth of the river near the Fremantle traffic bridge. Mr Punch said on Wednesday that testing by the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development’s investigation into the tragedy had confirmed a bull shark mauled the teen. “I am advised it was a bull shark ... DNA testing has found samples from the bull shark,” he said. Mr Punch said the expanded program would be ongoing and provide a better understanding of the movements of bull sharks and other sharks that may be present in Perth’s estuarine system, adding that he hadn’t heard of other species being in the rivers. “It will give us information in relation to the dispersion of adult bull sharks particularly and the potential numbers of bull sharks that are entering the river system,” he said. “This is an important measure. It has followed the public concern that was expressed particularly following the recent tragic loss of Stella.” Three new acoustic receivers will be deployed in the river system that will connect to the existing network, providing near real-time alerts of tagged shark activity via the SharkSmart WA app and SharkSmart website. Local governments would also be advised, Mr Punch said. “That may well inform local closures of popular swimming areas if there is a shark in the vicinity, in a very similar way to the way that our ocean strategies are operating,” he said. The monitoring would inform what mitigation measures may prove effective, Mr Punch said, confirming “culling is not part of our strategy”. The sharks will be caught and tagged in summer and autumn, with the program starting in coming days, Mr Punch said. WA Liberal leader Libby Mettam said the program should have been rolled out in 2021 after Cameron Wrathall survived being mauled by a bull shark while swimming at Blackwall Reach. “It’s extraordinary that it’s taken two years to make this announcement,” she told reporters. The Minister said there had been a spike in public reports of bull shark sightings in the river since last month’s fatal attack, which had heightened the issue in the public’s mind. “I encourage the public to use our SharkSmart app and report them through the Fisheries website,” Mr Punch said. “The risk of a shark attack is not high — it’s incredibly low — but these attacks do happen. “And that’s why we’re putting everything in place that we possibly can do to advise the public when there is a heightened risk.” Chief Fisheries scientist Dan Gaughan said each of the new receivers cost about $25,000. “Those receivers have, in good condition, a range of approximately 500 meters,” he said. “In conditions where there’s excessive noise around or other noise sources, they can be reduced down to, let’s say, perhaps 200 or 300 metres. “That’s why we have to test the effects of noise interference from vessels.” The City of Melville is proposing to install a shark barrier at Bicton Baths jetty — not far from Blackwall Reach and just under 3.5km from where Ms Berry was killed. Under the plan, the State Government would fund the enclosure and the City of Melville would pay for its ongoing maintenance. The same deal has been offered to the Fremantle, East Fremantle, Mosman Park, Nedlands, Claremont and Peppermint Grove councils. “All of the river councils that I’ve written to, plus some further upstream, have expressed an interest in exploring enclosures and other forms of mitigation,” Mr Punch said. He also said the State Government was still considering expanding a metropolitan ban on land-based shark fishing to all of WA. The use of wire traces was prohibited within 800m of the shore from Port Beach to South Cottesloe in February last year. Fishing for sharks was already banned at Cottesloe beach. “I’ve had representations from a number of councils in regard to whether those restrictions can be extended,” Mr Punch said. “That’s something the Government is considering and we’ll do that in consultation with the fishing sector.”