Shark nets to be removed early in NSW due to increased turtle migration
By Sean Tarek Goodwin
Topic:Shark Attacks
17m ago17 minutes agoThu 27 Mar 2025 at 8:23pm
Shark net in the northern beaches of Sydney.
Shark nets are in place at 51 beaches from Newcastle to Wollongong. (Supplied: Humane Society International)
In short:
The NSW government is set to remove shark nets a month early this year due to increased turtle migration.
Marine advocates and researchers say drumlines, listening stations and drones are more effective measures.
The government said it would review data this past summer before making a decision on whether nets would return.
The NSW government is set to remove shark nets a month early this year amid growing concerns from marine advocates and experts, but is undecided on whether they will return next summer.
The nets are in place at 51 beaches from Newcastle to Wollongong and were introduced after a spate of attacks in the early 1900s, which was followed by a reduction in shark attacks at the time.
Some experts and conservationists have since argued the practice is antiquated, and modern methods like drumlines, listening stations and drones have become more effective measures, while reducing the harms to other marine animals which often become trapped.
"There probably is some empirical evidence that they did have an effect, but whether or not there's an effect over that which we get from the other measures which have now got in place … is a different question," Robert Harcourt, a shark researcher at Macquarie University, said.
A man with short hair wearing a shirt poses for a photo in front of a beach
Robert Harcourt said the nets capture marine life rather than blocking them from entering beaches. (ABC News: Liam Patrick)
He said the nets work by capturing marine life, as opposed to blocking them from entering beaches.
"The shark nets are there not to stop the sharks from coming in. In fact, a lot of the sharks that are caught in the nets are swimming out of the beach having come in close to shore,"
Professor Harcourt said.
'Get rid of these barbaric systems'
Jason Iggleden, who runs the popular Instagram page Drone Shark App, argues that drones are a better way to protect swimmers without harming marine life.
Last season, 15 target sharks were caught in the nets, along with 240 other non-target species including dolphins, turtles, rays and non-target sharks.
An older man wearing sunglasses and a backwards cap photos for a photo at a beach, holding a drone
Jason Iggleden says drones are a better way to protect swimmers without harming marine life. (ABC News: Liam Patrick)
"I was flying across one day and I saw a dead dolphin in the nets and I was like, 'oh, my God, this is terrible' so every morning I would go out and check the nets," Mr Iggleden said.
What he has seen has motivated him to campaign to have them removed permanently.
"If we can create a new narrative and make people aware and educate them, hopefully we've got a chance to get rid of these barbaric systems," he told the ABC.
Turtle migration behind early net removal
The NSW Department of Primary Industries, which manages the nets, said the decision to take them out early this year was due to increased turtle migration.
Marcel Green, the department's leader of shark programs, said in recent years, about half of all incidents involving leatherback turtles caught in the nets occurred in April.
A man with short brown hair looks solemn while standing in front of a beach
Marcel Green said decisions by the government would be informed by evidence. (ABC News: Sean Tarek Goodwin)
As for next season, Minister for Agriculture Tara Moriarty confirmed in a statement that the government would review the data across the various shark management strategies this past summer before making decisions.
Mr Green said that would be informed by evidence, not emotion.
"I know some people like to hear that, 'there's a net there, therefore I feel better about it', but from our perspective, it's not a feel-good thing, it has to do good, it has to be effective at reducing the chances of an interaction," he said.
Posted17m ago17 minutes agoThu 27 Mar 2025 at 8:23pm
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