Why it's time to stop marine life silently suffering in shark nets

92%

of marine life caught by shark nets since September 2012 were not the target of NSW’s shark management program – including dolphins, turtles, rays, fish and threatened sharks

85%

of shark interactions in Sydney’s metro region since 2000 occurred at beaches with shark nets

A turtle was killed every 12 days

Between September 2021 to April 2022, New South Wales shark nets killed a turtle every 12 days.

We are already swimming with sharks at netted beaches

40% of sharks are caught on the beach side of the nets.

Sharks are readily able to swim around and over shark nets and into the beach. This is because shark nets only reach halfway to the ocean surface and are just 150m long.

Source Wendy Wei

Shark nets don't protect ocean users

A leading scientist has stated that it is ‘highly plausible’ that if lethal technologies like shark nets are removed tomorrow, we would see no discernible change in unprovoked shark bites.

To improve ocean safety, let’s invest in more modern shark mitigation measures already being used in New South Wales – like drones, beach patrol by our lifesavers, and shark listening stations. These are the shark mitigation measures that NSW coastal communities want more of.

These modern measures are more effective at protecting ocean users without harming marine life. 

Source Neil Gardose