Officials cannot prosecute anyone because the bay 30km south of Margaret River and famous for its stingrays is open to recreational fishing. A management plan penned in 2006 for coastal waters between Geographe Bay and Augusta, which could better protect the stingrays, is still sitting on government desks.
Stumpy was one of the oldest, friendliest and biggest of the black and eagle rays in Hamelin Bay. It was more than 1m across and was happy to be approached and petted by visitors. Hamelin Bay Holiday Park worker Kate Silverwood said some guests had to be restrained from attacking the fishermen. "They (the fishermen) cut off the wings of Stumpy while he was still alive," she said.
"People were absolutely mortified, kids were standing there crying. A lot of people have been coming here for so long and they were just devastated." Ms Silverwood said there were about 40 people on the beach at 9am when the slaughter occurred. More than 600 people have signed a petition calling on Fisheries Minister Norman Moore to turn the area into a marine park sanctuary zone to better protect the rays.
15 comments:
What a pack of absolute bastards. I hope they get done for child endangerment, outraging public decency or something equally tenuous but punishable.
Oh god don't let the precious snowflakes melt.
People killed a fish to eat. Please STFU about child endangerment. I'm outraged by your idiocy and hope the cyberpolice backtrace your comment and make you face the consequences of doling out such weapons grade stupid on the general public.
Judas Priest.
Another charming "anonymous" comment. Here's a hint: Decaf.
Wanda: I'd be curious to know the signal:noise ratio given anonymous cowards to people with nicks or those with nicks to people with logins.
Poor Stumpy. What a waste.
Eat a carrot if you're hungry, for goodness sake! Killing a friendly animal was completely unnecessary.
Too bad those guests were restrained. It would have been a pleasure to hear these fishermen had to at least pay their meal with black eyes and swollen lips.
'orrible!
Sad, but such is life at the top of the food chain.
While they may have been lacking in tact, the fishermen did nothing illegal, and were just practicing their trade.
I think animals enrich our lives in many ways, but one of them is by acting as sustenance for us higher life forms.
Davelog, please spare me such talk about the food chain. At least I am not protesting the killing of stingrays for food, but killing this particular stingray in this particular place in this particular way. I think killing and eating sheep is OK. Just not in a petting zoo.
Insolitus,
"the bay 30km south of Margaret River and famous for its stingrays is open to recreational fishing."
The open bay, not a petting zoo.
But, you're probably right. The appropriate response to killing a fish and putting it in a cooler to eat later is probably a violent assault on fellow humans.
I'm not stupid, I know it isn't actually a petting zoo. It is, however, a place where children were petting friendly animals.
The fact that they killed it is the least of my concerns. The way they went about it is horrendous. Plain cruelty, cutting off its wings while it was still alive. I don't understand how anyone can justify that, regardless of whether it was for food, bait, in an open fishing location, or what have you. And to do so with an essentially tame animal? Cowardly indeed.
nfmgirl: Whilst I agree with you, "good" sushi restaurants won't. They fry a live fish, skin it or make sashimi whilst the fish is alive. I've seen lumps cut off and the fish dumped back in the tank and felt quite ill. I still love to still eat sushi, but no insanely fresh restaurants for me, I'll make sure it's good and dead before chowing down. I'm completely against halal meat for a similar reason, they won't stun the animal before slitting its throat :(
Ratz: Ah, yes...sashimi. I've seen video of a fish brought filleted and still breathing to the table. Equally horrifying!
Those fishermen can't have had much skill if all they could get was a friendly stingray that basically swam into their hands. They didn't have to do any 'fishing' at all! Where's the sport in that? Leave the friendly guy alone!!! grrr... poor thing!
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