risk." Barnett has dismissed the public opposition as "ludicrous" and "extreme". His government claimed that killing the sharks is not culling them, but is using a "targeted, localised, hazard mitigation strategy". History (1960s to 2014) 1960s In the 1960s, one fatal shark attack occurred in Western Australia. Robert Bartle was taken while spearfishing in Jurien Bay on 19 August 1967. 1968–1992 No fatal shark attacks were recorded in Western Australia during this 24-year period. 1993–1997 In the 1990s, three fatal shark attacks were recorded in Western Australia. Two of the victims were David Alan Weir (1995) and Werner Schonhofer (1997). 2000s During the 2000s, four fatal shark attacks were recorded in Western Australia. The victims were Ken Crew (2000), Bradley Adrian Smith (2004), Geoffrey Brazier (2005) and Brian Guest (2008). 2010 In August 2010, 31-year-old Nicholas Edwards was killed by a shark while surfing at Cowaramup Beach near Gracetown. A witness said he saw a large group of seals swim by moments before the attack. 2011 In September 2011, 21-year-old Kyle Burden was killed near Bunker Bay in WA's south-west. He was attacked by a shark while body boarding. On 10 October 2011, 64-year-old Bryn Martin was killed at Perth's Cottesloe Beach. He had been swimming to a buoy offshore as part of a daily routine. It was assumed that he was taken by a shark after his torn bathers were recovered. Marks on the bathers were believed to be consistent with the teeth of a great white shark. In October 2011, 32-year-old US citizen George Thomas Wainwright was attacked by a shark while diving and spear-fishing in Little Armstrong Bay off Rottnest Island. The attack occurred offshore, where no patrols were operating. Within an hour, Fisheries Minister Norman Moore announced plans to catch and destroy the shark. Six drum lines were immediately deployed in the area and discussions of possible future shark culling measures commenced. 2012 On 1 April 2012, 33-year-old Peter Kurmann was taken by a shark likely to have been a great white. He was diving about off Stratham Beach in Geographe Bay, south of Perth. In July 2012, 24-year-old Ben Linden was attacked while surfing at "Dolphins" near Wedge Island, north of Perth. The bite marks in his surfboard indicated that the shark was likely to have been a great white. In August 2012, the results of a Bond University study comparing potential shark hazard mitigation