14 DAY TRIAL // Just yesterday, the news broke that Sea Shepherd had taken steps towards getting an injunction against West Australia's ongoing shark cull.
In a press release on the matter at hand, the organization details its reasons for asking the Supreme Court to help protect sharks swimming in West Australia's waters.
What's more, the conservationists explain who it is exactly that their legal action targets.
Writing on its website, Sea Shepherd says that it decided to seek justice from the Supreme Court after coming to realize that, despite open protests against the shark cull, Premier Colin Barnett has no intention to put an end to it.
The organization goes on to explain that, because of the Premier's stubbornness, it was left with no choice except try to protect sharks by dragging both Colin Barnett and the West Australia government to court.
“Premier Colin Barnett will still not acknowledge that he has made a mistake and cease the insanity of this drum line program,” the conservationists say.
“As a result, Sea Shepherd Australia has been given no choice but to take the WA government and Premier Colin Barnett to the Supreme Court, seeking a judicial review of the shark cull program,” they add.
As previously reported, Sea Shepherd thinks that, because the shark species that the cull targets are in danger of going extinct and therefore benefit from protection, West Australia's killing them in large numbers goes against current legislation concerning environmental issues.
Looking to protect sharks, the organization, together with Sharon Burden, the mother of a shark victim, has filed and served an Application for Judicial Review of the cull.
The organization and Sharon Burden expect that the Supreme Court will rule in their favor, and that the drum lines will be removed at least until it is determined whether or not Premier Colin Barnett and the West Australia government acted lawfully when they gave the thumbs up to this initiative.
“We are seeking an injunction to remove the drum lines immediately, on the basis that a judicial review into the implementation of the shark mitigation program is required,” the conservationists explain.
On its website, the organization explains that, as shown by several studies, sharks help keep our oceans healthy. Consequently, killing them in large numbers can only damage the balance of marine ecosystems.
“Sharks can live on this planet without us, but we cannot live on this planet without them,” Sea Shepherd explains its decision to challenge the shark cull in court.
“This is why we are challenging the legality of the Barnett government’s shark mitigation program, and this is why we are so actively involved in opposing the Western Australian shark cull,” it adds.