Image: A #Netsoutnow rally at Manly Beach in May 2023. Image: Humane Society International Australia.
Shark nets placed off 51 beaches in Sydney and along the NSW coast will be removed one month early, on March 31, 2025. The NSW government said that this was in response to increased turtle activity in April.
The Minns Labor government however rejected demands by local councils and marine experts to permanently remove the shark nets, which have been called “ineffective” and a danger to other non-target species.
The government announced that it wanted to strike “the right balance and meet community expectations” for the 2024-2025 Shark management program, but kept options open for the future, including the permanent removal of shark nets. Shark nets are currently placed off 51 beaches between Newcastle and Wollongong between September and April.
Striking The Right Balance
“The NSW Government’s priority is the safety of beachgoers, at the same time we are committed to protecting our state’s marine life,” Minister for Agriculture Tara Moriarty said in a statement.
“We will be working closely with local governments, SLSNSW and Surfing NSW over this season to ensure the future of this program works for the communities it operates in. “As we map the future of this program we will listen to local communities, and consider the best available evidence to ensure we are striking the right balance at our beaches,” said Moriarty.
The Minister added that following community feedback, the government had taken steps to safeguard marine animals. This included drone surveillance using 50 drones, partnering with Surf Life Saving NSW, 37 tagged shark listening stations along the NSW coast, and 305 SMART (Shark-Management-Alert-in-Real-Time) drumlines all year.
‘Not Nearly Enough’
Humane Society International Australia and the Australian Marine Conservation Society which have been calling for shark nets to be permanently removed, welcomed the announcement but added it was “not nearly enough” as it will leave “destructive nets” in place for six months this summer.
“Critically endangered grey nurse sharks are dying in the nets in alarming numbers, hastening their extinction on the east coast. Six months is simply too long, and we stand by our call to have the nets removed completely and permanently,” Lawrence Chlebeck, a marine biologist with Humane Society International (HSI) Australia, said in a statement.
“We strongly urge local councils and the Minns Government to work quickly on permanent removal of the ineffective shark nets. They know shark nets don’t stop shark bites, and they know nets are killing marine animals.”
Between September 2023 and April 2024, over 93 percent of marine animals caught in shark nets were non-target species, according to data released by the HSI Australia, earlier this year. This included whales, turtles, dolphins, rays, and smaller or non-aggressive sharks. Of the 208 non-target marine animals trapped by shark nets, 134 were found dead after having been ensnared. Just 15 marine animals were the targeted species – great white, tiger, or bull shark.
Collateral Damage Of Shark Nets
Around 24 percent of the marine animals caught in the shark nests were threatened or protected species. In September 2023, a migrating humpback whale was found entangled in a shark net off Catherine Hill Bay, according to HSI.
“Every year we see the same story: a minuscule number of targeted sharks caught compared to an overwhelming number of other marine animals,” said Chlebeck.
“The collateral damage caused by these nets is unbelievable: for every targeted shark caught last season, 17 other marine animals become entangled in the nets. Many of them were dead when found or would have died soon after, and what’s most upsetting is knowing just how many of those animals were threatened and protected species,” Chlebeck said.
Greens NSW MP and Healthy Oceans spokesperson Cate Faehrmann slammed the Minns Labor government’s announcement. “Twenty-one out of 25 coastal councils have said that they do not want shark nets at all. They do not keep swimmers safe – sharks can swim under, over, and around them,” said Faehrmann.
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