For the first time in human history, the "high seas", the two-thirds of our ocean that lie beyond any national border, will have a legally binding set of rules. On January 17, 2026, the UN High Seas Treaty (officially known as the BBNJ Agreement ) officially enters into force, marking the most significant shift in maritime law in over forty years. Why This Matters Now Until this moment, the high seas were essentially a "no man's land." While they cover half the planet’s surf

The recently published Queensland SharkSmart drone trial report confirms what the science behind shark interaction mitigation has long asserted : non-lethal aerial surveillance (drones) are substantially more effective at spotting sharks than catch-and-kill equipment such as shark nets and drumlines. During the trial, conducted under the Queensland Government’s Shark Control Program (SCP), drones recorded 676 shark-sighting events, compared to just 284 sharks caught in adjac

Last week, the long-awaited EPBC Act reforms were finally passed in the Senate. Despite 165,000 signatures collected on our Change.org page , overwhelming community support, countless expert recommendations, and a clear opportunity to modernise outdated policies, the final bill did not include the removal of Section 43B. This archaic loophole that allows the QLD and NSW shark culling programs to kill unlimited amounts of protected wildlife without any formal environmental ass

The NSW Government’s 2025 Shark Meshing Program began in September, and hidden Government files obtained regarding the first month of operation have already exposed a troubling reality. Images obtained under the state’s Freedom of Information Act (GIPA) reveal that on the first fortnight of the shark nets being redeployed, a tiger shark, one of the DPI’s ‘target species , was caught and killed on the Central Coast’s Shelly Beach, and left to attract larger sharks to the area.

A juvenile humpback whale has tragically drowned after becoming entangled in a shark net at Coledale Beach, NSW, marking yet another failure of the NSW Shark Meshing Program. The young whale, like thousands of others migrating along Australia’s east coast, was on its southerly journey back to Antarctica when it became ensnared. This whale never made it home. Despite the NSW Department of Primary Industries (DPI) claiming to remove shark nets during the whale migration season,

Imagine Sydney in 1937, before World War II, before modern technology, and before we understood marine ecosystems the way we do today. That year, Charlie Chaplin was captivating cinema audiences, the Hindenburg airship tragically exploded in New Jersey, and Sydney’s roads had only just started seeing traffic lights. It was also the year the New South Wales Shark Meshing Program (SMP) was introduced, a lethal strategy to reduce the number of sharks at popular beaches following

Queensland's Fisheries Minister, Tony Perrett, recently asserted that "Traditional [shark culling] methods, such as nets and drumlines, are scientifically proven to be the most effective tool in protecting swimmers." This statement stands in stark contrast to well established scientific evidence and expert consensus, casting doubt on the government's commitment to evidence-based policy.  In other words, it is blatant misinformation. Thermal imaging drone footage from Envoy Fo

The Queensland’s Department of Primary Industries has been issuing near-identical letters to those who raise concerns about the recent...

A new national survey co-funded by the Envoy Foundation and conducted by the University of Sydney and YouGov has delivered a clear...

On Saturday 27th September, three more humpback whales were found entangled in Queensland shark nets, two at Rainbow Beach and one at...

With the recent announcement from the NSW Government to transition their lethal shark meshing program by removing of just three shark...

When it comes to the debate surrounding shark mitigation methods, two fundamentally different tools are often confused by the mainstream...

As Australia grapples with its deadliest year for drowning fatalities in recorded history, the uncomfortable truth becomes harder to...

The risk of being bitten or dying from an unprovoked shark bite in Australia is extremely low. According to studies by the Australian...

Australia’s environment law, the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) Act, is heading for its most significant...

With the recent announcement of the NSW Department of Primary Industries (DPI) trial removal of just three shark nets out of the 51...

It sounds good. You walk into a store, scan the sunscreen aisle, and choose the one with the reef-safe sticker. Easy. You feel like...

Trying to modernise shark culling (via shark nets and drumlines) is surprisingly one of the hardest campaigns in ocean conservation. Many...

While the Queensland Shark Control Program (QSCP) faces growing public scrutiny, its persistence hinges on a loophole in federal...

In 2017, a Senate committee delivered what should have been a watershed moment in Australian environmental policy: a clear,...