Footage of a shark caught by a drumline at Sunrise Beach in Queensland has left the state government having to defend its control program yet again.
The footage, which was taken earlier this week and has been shared extensively online, shows the shark thrashing about in the water, just metres from the Noosa Shire shoreline.
The Envoy Foundation, a vocal critic of Queensland's control program, is one of several marine conservation groups outraged by the images.
The foundation's Andre Borell described the footage as "shocking".
"They catch and kill sharks indiscriminately [and] stressed sharks attract more larger sharks to predate, plus they routinely come loose and wash into the surf zone, which creates an entanglement and drowning risk."
He said drumlines washed up at Woorim beach last week, and on the Sunshine Coast during January.
"It's madness that this is how we protect our beaches," Mr Borell said.
The Queensland government has been fending off repeated criticism of its shark control program since it was launched in 1962.
Humans 'come first'
Figures obtained from the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries (DAF) show more than 13,000 sharks have been captured by nets and drumlines across Queensland since 2001.
There were 785 caught last year, with another 258 this year.
More than 900 turtles were captured in the same period.
DAF said a contractor was sent to Sunrise Beach after receiving a report about the shark in question.
"The shark was not observed in area and the drumline was replaced," the spokesperson said.
They said the government "always put human life and human safety first" and would not make any changes to its shark control program until better alternatives were found.
"The government has committed to research trialling new shark mitigation technologies, such as catch-alert drum lines in central Queensland," the spokesperson said.
"Since the shark control programs started in 1962, there have only been two shark fatalities at Queensland beaches where shark control equipment was in place."
