shark population. Premier Colin Barnett subsequently announced that the state government would no longer pursue its drum line policy. The announcement was applauded by a number of experts and shark conservationists. Drum line deployment from September 2014 to March 2017 From 2014 to 2017, the Western Australian government retained the option to deploy drum lines under certain circumstances under its "imminent threat" policy. They were deployed in the event of the appearance of a shark or sharks which present a possible threat to public safety. Following the abandonment of seasonal drum line deployment plans in September 2014, drum lines were deployed to kill sharks in Western Australia on at least three occasions. The first deployment followed a shark attack near Esperance in October 2014. The drum lines caught and killed two great white sharks. The appearance of a large great white shark in Warnbro Sound in December prompted a further deployment which did not result in a capture. Drum lines were also set following a fatal shark attack near Albany on 30 December. In June 2016 a drum line was set off Falcon Beach in Mandurah following a fatal shark attack on a local surfer. A great white was killed and disposed of at sea. A few days later a 60-year-old female diver was killed by a shark in Mindarie, north of Perth, and drum lines were set in that area. Western Australia south west coast SMART drum line trial Following a further increase in shark attacks along the Western Australian coast, including three fatalities between May 2016 and April 2017, public pressure mounted on the West Australian State Government to take action. Since December 2016 SMART drumlines have been deployed along the New South Wales North Coast. During the New South Wales trial, there were no shark attacks occurring at the beaches with the SMART drum lines, and the trial was continued for the 2017/18 summer. Public pressure mounted on the Western Australian State Government to adopt the same non-lethal strategy and use SMART drumlines. In April 2018 two non-fatal shark attacks near Gracetown led to the cancellation of the Margaret River Pro surfing event. Following these events in August 2018 the West Australian Government bowed to public pressure and announced a 12-month trial of SMART drum lines near Gracetown. Environmental and animal rights groups oppose the SMART drum line trial (they say it will cause animals to suffer).