New Imagery from NSW’s Shark Cull is a Clear Display of the Ongoing Incompetence and Carnage
- Ali Be
- Jul 24
- 3 min read
Since April this year, shark nets have been removed from New South Wales waters to accommodate whale migration, and unless the Minns Government announces the dismissal of the tax payer funded program, the nets are scheduled to return on the 1st of September. Earlier this year, Randwick City Council, which is one of eight coastal councils with shark nets, voted their preference as a no’ to the continued use of shark nets, alongside the other coastal council constituents, amounting to none of the eight coastal councils having voted for the shark nets continued use. Moreover, the state’s independent scientific committee (TSSC) has outlined their explicit disappointment by way of berating the level of ‘failure’ of the Shark Meshing Program, both from the human safety perspective, as well as ecological desecration.
Confronting new images obtained via GIPA request from NSW DPI further validates the widely accepted consensus of the leading scientific authorities. Not only do shark nets not hold any degree of efficacy, but also, with the vast majority of animals caught being non-target species (94% in 2023/24 season), may be attracting larger, potentially more ‘target sharks’ towards beach goers.
Sharks are known to be opportunistic hunters, and will typically feed on those who are already weak and in a dire state of vulnerability. Therefore, having a fishing net in the vicinity of beach goers that contains dying animals or deceased carcasses, serves as a seafood buffet for larger sharks to be attracted to.
Ironically, on NSW’s own SharkSmart website, it provides tips for staying safe such as:
“Keep away from shark nets and other shark mitigation measures”
“Avoid areas with signs of bait fish or fish feeding activity;”
“Be aware that using bait to lure fish may attract sharks”
“Don't use bait or otherwise attempt to feed a shark while underwater”
To clarify, all of the aforementioned is very reasonable advice, and must be adhered to.
The question arises when the department fails to notice the contradiction in their rhetoric when the very same phenomenon of predation takes place within the shark nets. Given that 40% of target sharks caught are on the beach side of the net, the very probable claim can be made that the nets could be acting as a shark attractant, rather than a ‘deterrent’, as is often claimed by the media.
Surely, in order to assess this safety concern, the DPI would hitherto have invested in assessing the level of risk this poses to beachgoers, yet they have not.
As we approach the 88 year anniversary of this state funded shark cull, the Minns Government is due to make an imminent decision on the lifeline of shark nets in New South Wales waters.
With the abundance of evidence available, it’s time the NSW Government listened to the seemingly unanimous scientific and expert opinions, and keep the nets out of NSW waters, once and for all.
New South Wales is a global-scale leader when it comes to shark mitigation technology and education, so why is it that when it comes to the issue of culling, the authorities chose to remain in the 1930s, at a time when typewriters were used and seat belts weren’t.
It's time to catch up and end the cull.
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