Manning recreational fishing team Yep I’m On Fishing will soon release a documentary featuring the tag and release of three bull sharks in the Manning River last year.
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The documentary, entitled ‘The Big 3’, follows Adam Maddalena and Glenn Lambert’s experience with the bull sharks off Croki last November, as part of research for the NSW Department of Primary Industries (DPI).
The duo spent up to four years tracking sharks’ movements.
They were able to pinpoint where the sharks were travelling after upgrading their equipment.
The sharks measured 2.95 metres, 3 metres and 3.15 metres.
Mr Maddalena said stigma has always surrounded their work, with people accusing them of cruelty.
He hopes the documentary’s release on DVD will shed some positive light on the benefits of shark research.
"We want to show critics that we don't harm the sharks by tagging them for research," Mr Maddalena said.
When contacted by the Manning River Times, a DPI spokesperson highlighted the importance of the work undertaken by the team.
“The tagging research undertaken by DPI and partner agencies provides vital information about sharks and their movements,” the spokesperson said.
For Mr Maddalena, it’s his passion for conserving the sharks that keeps him motivated.
"It's always been about the research.
"I wanted to try and research and see how far they traveled.
"It's an obsession, it's not a hobby anymore," he said.
Mr Maddalena recalled an incident where he was trawling the waters at Manning Point in August 2016 where he hooked what he believed to be a three to four metre white pointer.
He said he was disappointed he could not get a photo or video of the shark.
Plans are in place to follow up this research with a focus on tiger sharks.
The first trailer for ‘The Big 3’ is featured on the Yep, I’m On Fishing Facebook page with the full documentary set to be released in September- October this year.
Mr Maddalena hopes to have it distributed through tackle shops in the Manning and Great Lakes area.
DPI backs bull sharks research
The NSW Department of Primary Industries (DPI) have highlighted the importance of the work undertaken by the Yep I’m On Fishing team.
Adam Maddalena told The Manning River Times that he received negative feedback regarding the tag and release method of bull sharks.
Researchers for the DPI have tagged and released 31 bull sharks since August 2015, as part of the NSW government’s $16 million dollar shark management strategy.
There are currently 98 tagged bull sharks in total.
A spokesperson for the DPI said this method allows researchers to get a full understanding of the movements of bull sharks.
“Bull sharks are the only widely distributed shark that lives in fresh water systems for extended periods where they sometimes breed.
“The tagging research undertaken by DPI and partner agencies, including CSIRO, provides vital information about sharks and their movements.
“The more information we have, the better equipped we are to implement measures to increase bather safety,” the spokesperson said.
Tagged sharks are tracked by a series of underwater listening stations posted along the coastlines of Australia.
Listening stations in the region are located at Forster, Old Bar, Hawks Nest, Red Head, Crescent Head and Port Macquarie.
When a tagged sharks swims within 500 metres of these stations, an instant alert is sent out to via the app and Twitter feed.
Information on these sharks is available through the SharkSmart app or via Twitter @NSWSharkSmart.