Shark Nets off Australian Shoreline Catch Non-Target Species, Threatens Marine Wildlife

According to the data released by the state government, almost 90% of marine animals caught in shark nets on the Australian coastline are not the species they are intended to capture.

Tangling Problems

From 2022 to 2023, 228 animals were ensnared in the meshes off shorelines in New South Wales. However, only 24 of these are from the target species of sharks, such as tiger, great white, and bull sharks. The other 204 animals include 120 sharks from other species, such as whaler, great hammerhead, and Australian angel sharks. According to the data released by the New South Wales Department of Primary Industries, the nets have also caught 58 rays, 14 turtles, and ten marine mammals like dolphins and seals.

The data also reveals that of the animals caught, almost 25% were from protected or threatened species, as they have recently seen huge population declines. These include the leatherback, common dolphins, grey nurse sharks, green and loggerhead turtles, fur seals, and Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins. On the other hand, only 37% of the entangled animals were released alive in the water.

Entanglement has been the primary cause of death for animals encountering shark nets and fishing gear. As these animals are trapped in nets or gear, they may drown if they cannot reach the water's surface to breathe. They may also die of starvation since they cannot catch prey. The gear may cut some ensnared animals, which may cause lacerations, eventually killing them.

Appeal to Ban Shark Nets

51 shark nets have been installed along the New South Wales coast. Every year, they are put out during summer from September to April, when many swimmers visit the beaches.

The shark meshing program was introduced in 1937 by the New South Wales Fisheries after years of repeated shark attacks off Sydney coastlines. It was approved two years after a committee was convened to plan mitigation measures in response to shark stacks.

Critics argue that this old defense strategy is inefficient and dangerous to marine animals. They appeal that the government should emphasize other beach defense systems, such as drone surveillance, to allow lifeguards to monitor the sea from above.

According to Waverley Mayor Paula Masselos, there are better shark mitigation approaches to ensure community safety, and shark nets do not serve that purpose. Instead, she believes that people must be more aware that the shorelines they visit are an environment of sharks and other marine creatures.

Meanwhile, a Department of Primary Industries representative reveals that the government has no plans to make changes to the net policy. Despite the appeal from conservation groups, no decisions have been made yet about the deployment of shark nets in the future. The NSW government will decide the start of the 2023/24 swimming period following council consultation.