Thousands have gathered on Manly beach in Sydney to protest against WA's shark culling policy. Source: AAP
ANTHONY Joyce once shared the Western Australian government's views on sharks after he found his foot in the jaws of one while surfing.
But the surfer from Sydney's northern beaches, who was pulled on to the beach at Narrabeen last October bleeding profusely from a wound lined with puncture marks, has done what says is a "180" on his initial support for the culling of sharks over three metres.
"The amount of sharks they are going to kill is going to make no difference in the scheme of things," he said.
Mr Joyce said, since undertaking three moths of research that included talking with shark experts and marine biologists, he now supports greater government support for marine biology programs and shark education in schools and through surf life saving.
Mr Joyce, who took three months to enter the water again after his shark bite, soon hopes to get back on his board.
He was one of thousands of people gathered on Manly beach on Saturday to protest against WA's shark culling policy.
Witty signs, foam shark fins and chants of "stop the cull" filled the idyllic beach.
Among them was James Cook, a 27-year-old who said he was more likely to be king hit than attacked by a shark.
His mother Katherine Cook was equally outraged at Australia's desire to kill the marine animals.
"I'm really angry and incensed that we can't co-exist with anything," she told AAP.
"We are going into their (sharks) environment.
"Why can't we co-exist?"
She said more people died across the world each year from being hit by coconuts than shark attacks.
The baited drum lines along WA's most popular beaches hooked undersized sharks within hours of being set on Friday.
A one-metre tiger shark was caught off Cottesloe Beach. The shark was later released, as was another tiger shark wrangled in the drum line shortly after.
In defence of its policy, the WA Government says a spike in often-fatal shark attacks had dented tourism and leisure based businesses.
WA shark expert Paul Sharp said the baited drum lines might actually increase the risk.
"Simply having those baits in the water will result in excited and stimulated sharks," he said at the Manly protest on Saturday.
"Like any other animal, when they are excited there is a greater risk of an accident happening."
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