There has been widespread criticism of the Government's plan to kill sharks that come close to shore.
THE WA Government's controversial new catch and kill shark policy is likely to cost taxpayers around $1 million this summer.
Premier Colin Barnett today revealed the estimated figure as the locations of the 72 baited hooks which will be used to lure sharks was announced today.
From January 10, WA Fisheries will deploy baited drum lines along five locations in the Perth metropolitan area - Ocean Reef/Mullaloo, Trigg/Scarborough, Floreat/City Beach, Cottesloe/North Cottesloe and Port Leighton - and off three beaches in the state's South West - Old Dunsborough, Meelup/Castle Rock and Gracetown - where the most recent fatality occurred.
The announcement comes as the Government put out its tender for professional fisherman to "humanely" destroy sharks caught by the drum lines.
Today Mr Barnett and new WA Fisheries Minister Ken Baston confirmed sharks caught by the drum lines that had not already died would be shot by firearm and discarded at sea.
The WA Government today revealed the metropolitan and South West beaches which will be drum-line baited for large sharks.
They also said anyone who tried to sabotage baited drum lines by either stealing the bait, hooks or interfere with contracted commercial fisherman would face a $20,000 fine.
Commercial fisherman will monitor the drum lines for 12 hours a day, seven days a week. They will then rebait the hooks overnight, it was also revealed today.
The WA Government has copped harsh criticism from conservationists over its controversial new plan, despite similar measures already in operation in New South Wales and Queensland.
A report by Bond University for WA Fisheries in 2005 explicitly recommended against using baited drum lines or shark nets in WA because of the risk to other marine life as well as the cost.
Premier Colin Barnett holding a hook which is part of the baited drum line that will be used to catch and kill large sharks as part of the WA Government's control policy.
When asked by PerthNow if the Department of Fisheries and its scientists supported the new measures, regional manager Tony Cappelluti, replied: "This is a government policy and we support the policy and we are going to play a very big role, we are determined to make sure it works."
Mr Barnett also made it clear the catch and kill policy was a government decision, not WA Fisheries.
"This is a policy decision of government and Fisheries have the responsibility of implementing it," he said.
"I understand that particularly in the research community that people do not support the killing of sharks but we have to face as a government a balance of the issue.
Popular Scarborough Beach will be among a selection of metropolitan beaches which will be drumline baited.
"Seven fatalities in three years says to me and my cabinet colleagues is that we must act. And it's no different than what happens in NSW and QLD. The way this is being done in WA, it has been designed to only catch the large sharks which are likely to be a threat."
And while Mr Barnett could not reveal whether the contracted fisherman would be given a quota, he said the public would be updated on the number and types of sharks caught over the summer.
On Tuesday, the WA government called for professional shark fishermen to apply to patrol the state's waters and kill any shark bigger than three metres spotted in the designated zones.
After the death of surfer Chris Boyd in Gracetown last month, Mr Barnett said the WA government "had to intervene more directly".
The death of Gracetown surfer Chris Boyd has triggered the state Government's shark strategy.
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