# Sharks in Sydney harbour



## craig51063 (May 30, 2008)

I was listening to ABC radio last night and they were talking about the navy diver that was attacked by the shark . apparently a bronzie .

they were talking to a harbour fishing guied [ cant remeber his name ]who was saying that the harbour is full off sharks at the momment .
infact every time he goes out he sees sharks and hes out at least 5 times a week .with the biggest being 41/2 mtr bronzie .
he has seen them in and around the boat moreings at balmoral , around the zoo ,middle head . they seem to be hanging around the schools of palagics that in the last few years i qoute " seem to be on the increase over the last few years ".

just thought i should pass that on !!!!

craig


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## SharkNett (Feb 20, 2006)

Always have been lots of sharks in the harbour and surounding rivers. Have been hearing of rowing skulls in the Paramatta River getting nudged for as long as I can remember (I'm only 40 though). My grandparents lived on the shore of Hen & Chicken Bay at Fivedock for 45 years and got reasonably regular reports of dogs disapearing when encouraged to swim by thier owners.
Yes there are probably more sharks now because the harbour is a little cleaner and there is more food with the pros being kicked out, but its not a bad thing. To me it just indicates a healthy fishery where even I might catch something. :shock:


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## SgtWilson (Oct 6, 2008)

I often wonder just how vunerable one really is to shark attack either in (or on) a kayak ?

Would a shark really be all that interested in attacking a reasonably large lump of plastic or fibreglass/kevlar ?

I guess lots of people still regulally row out to their moored boats in tiny row boats and inflateables without incident.


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## craig51063 (May 30, 2008)

So is it normal to have this many shark sightings in the harbour ??????

i been told by old timmers that back in the 50s and 60 s you wouldnt swim in the harbour because of sharks .

sharknett you could be on to something ,maybe because of water quality and fish numbers the sharks are more prevalent ????

cheers
craig


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## wopfish (Dec 4, 2006)

Many many sharks I believe...... Ive heard many stories that are supposedly true..

OK so there was the tinny that hooked into a massive tiger shark at Sow and Pigs reef that got towed as far down as Avalon...

There was an overseas visitor fishing with a pilchard I think and landed a monster GWS at the spit..

Then there was a tourist boat near darling harbour that witnessed a bronzie ??? leaping out the water nailing some fish... the tourists thought it was a show of sorts :lol: :lol:

I swim in the harbour a lot but only on the netted beaches - Ive often felt sorry for those clearance divers when they train as they do marathon night swims all over the harbour..... possibly without protection :?


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## 123SHARKY123 (Jan 15, 2008)

i think last year or so there was a whale in the harbour so why not a shark


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## SharkNett (Feb 20, 2006)

wopfish said:


> OK so there was the tinny that hooked into a massive tiger shark at Sow and Pigs reef that got towed as far down as Avalon...


I remember a story maybe mid 90's about a big tiger that was hooked somewhere around the heads and fought all the way to Spit and back on a hot summers day. Apparently the nearby swimmers in Middle Harbour were oblivious to the whole thing.

There was also a photo published in the papers a few years ago of a 3m bull shark caught in a pro net in the paramatta river and then released again.

The upside of all this is apparantly I can paddle outside the heads without concern because all the sharks are in the harbour. :lol: :lol:


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## TROJAN (Jan 2, 2009)

Over the years from approximately November to April I have seen Bronzies and Hammerheads in Botany Bay and in the Port Hacking River.
Hooked a 7 foot Bronzie early one morning in the Port Hacking whilst there was water skiers in close proximity. My mate was fishing in a SMD Beach competition at Cronulla and hooked a Bronzie right beside the swimming flags, the Bronzie was jumping out of the water while my mate was fighting it to shore, believe me it scared a lot of swimmers out of the water and worried the clubbies.
Ged


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## Gene (Jan 9, 2008)

Occy is right, the harbour has been cleaned up a bit, the pros have been banned, as a result there are more fish for the sharks to feed on.

Where's Ben Cropp when you need him?


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## SgtWilson (Oct 6, 2008)

Gene said:


> Occy is right, the harbour has been cleaned up a bit, the pros have been banned, as a result there are more fish for the sharks to feed on.
> 
> Where's Ben Cropp when you need him?


Or Ron & Valerie ??


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## murd (Jan 27, 2008)

SgtWilson said:


> Or Ron & Valerie ??


They're living in Fairlight, Sydney. The local Manly Daily likes publishing their articles on establishing Marine Parks but when I challenge their claims via my own letter to the Paper, it never gets published.

Here's my last letter that never made it to the Manly Daily, titled 'Fishless Habitats?':



> Re the Article: _Marine life must be protected, MD Dec 31 by Ron and Valerie Taylor._ I understand how Australia needs marine parks and fishing exclusion zones for the regeneration of certain fish species. However, I find it extraordinary that the supposed demise of the Grey Nurse Shark is due to 'fish-depleted reefs', as quoted by the Taylors. Long Reef, one of the locations potentially gazetted for a 1,500 metre fishing exclusion zone is a recognised kingfish, snapper and sweep haunt with fish regularly schooling in their thousands - ample to feed all 500 Grey Nurse sharks estimated to exist along the NSW coastline. The fishery at Long Reef is so healthy that even Great White Sharks are now turning up to feed, a phenomenon I witnessed first-hand from my kayak just recently.
> 
> I wonder if the real reason for the demise of the Grey Nurse Shark can be attributed to the Taylor family and their spear fishing colleagues slaughtering them in their thousands back in the '50s using spears fitted with explosive powerheads. Why should everyone else now have to pay the price for their obvious stupidity?
> 
> If the Taylors' still believe Long Reef to be 'fishless', they should pop down one day and have a look - I think it's recovered!


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## craig51063 (May 30, 2008)

murd said:


> SgtWilson said:
> 
> 
> > Or Ron & Valerie ??
> ...


i could NOT AGREE WITH YOU MORE 
infact valerie has been on record saying that she and her sport WERE RESPONSABLE FOR THE DIMISE OF THE GREY NURSE SHARK! as in the 60s they were wrongly thought of as maneaters and were also very dosile and were an easy target AND THEY SLAUGHTERED THEM IN THERE THOUSANDS .
she has also said that the fish populations have gone down in the last 20 years . i reminded her of how clean the harbour was now , the kingfish populations are on the rise ,in fact the harbour is the best its been for decades ,even whales come in and rest around the opera house but as she supports the NPA she wants to close of ALL REC FISHING BETWEEN NEWCASTLE AND WOOLONGONG and so it fell on death ears ........
i really do think these people should pull there head out of there rsses and have a bit of a look around and see what the real world is like now cause at the momment they havnt got a clue ....................

craig


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## SgtWilson (Oct 6, 2008)

Hmmm, I'm sorry I mentioned those two!

the only knowledge I had/have of the Taylors is from my days of drinking at the "Brookie Rex" hotel in Brookvale. Circa 1977 - 1980 something ??

Their ugly mugs were plastered all round the bar and didn't help the beer go down too well or my counter lunch!! :shock: :shock: :shock:


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## hoodlum (Sep 24, 2008)

letting the forum know today at 10am Land base mate went to the middle harbour today with two others. WITHIN 2 hours they landed dozens of bonitos and legal size kings on full pillies. All fish were cleaned and placed in a tidal pool. within 30 minutes of the fish running red in the pool a 3metre plus bronz whaler came right up to them on the rocks.

It took a bait they placed in the water and danced on the surface with heavy trace for 5 minutes then when it decided to move on it simply did.

Just another ,,,,,, 4 different species that have been sighted in sydney harbour in 7 days

15ft tiger - craig mcgill last sat
large hammerhead - craig mc last sat
bull shark? diver tursday
3metre plus bronze today.
Bondi??? friday

I think its safe to say there would be hundreds of them in the harbour looking at that fact sheet in the last 7 days. :shock:

But I FEEL safe on my yak. safer then sydney roads anyway

hoodlum


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## Rick (Dec 19, 2006)

I also totally agree. The pseudo greens along with those like R&V Taylor trying to deal with their conscience should get off their arse and actually check out the fish stock situation before crapping on about fish exclusion zones. 
These ignorant greens who think they are acting to save humanity with luck following the Vic fires should now have their wings clipped. They alone were responsible for the extent of the devastation. We can not control drought the wind, temperature or stop idiots lighting fires. We can (and used to) control the fuel load. I guess the fact Murd's letter was not published highlights that it is increasingly difficult to have any balance or debate. Which means controlling the greens will be next to impossible because the major political parties suck up to them so they can get elected.


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## craig51063 (May 30, 2008)

Rick said:


> I also totally agree. The pseudo greens along with those like R&V Taylor trying to deal with their conscience should get off their arse and actually check out the fish stock situation before crapping on about fish exclusion zones.
> These ignorant greens who think they are acting to save humanity with luck following the Vic fires should now have their wings clipped. They alone were responsible for the extent of the devastation. We can not control drought the wind, temperature or stop idiots lighting fires. We can (and used to) control the fuel load. I guess the fact Murd's letter was not published highlights that it is increasingly difficult to have any balance or debate. Which means controlling the greens will be next to impossible because the major political parties suck up to them so they can get elected.


YEP i agree

craig


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## phil79 (Nov 7, 2008)

sharks are good
sharks mean fish
fish and yak= fun


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## keza (Mar 6, 2007)

phil79 said:


> sharks are good
> sharks mean fish
> fish and yak= fun


i thought it went some thing like ...

fish are our friends
fish are not food 
etc etc or was that another film :lol:


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## Rick (Dec 19, 2006)

Keza ...sic as in an old persons sick! Or should I say fillet of fish please? ;-)


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## rabbitz (Jan 7, 2009)

keza said:


> i thought it went some thing like ...
> 
> fish are our friends
> fish are not food
> etc etc or was that another film :lol:


It goes:
Sea Kittens are our friends
Sea Kittens are not food

(with apologies)
Rabz


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