End the harm: Remove shark nets

Marine animals are sentient beings that experience fear, stress and pain. Hidden under the surface of the ocean, only a few hundred meters away from Queensland’s beach goers, animals are suffering out of sight.

The Queensland Shark Control Program needs to adopt modern, animal safe technology and move away from outdated shark nets.

The program was initiated in 1962 in response to several fatal shark bites in Queensland. While the majority of shark species are not a danger to people, those that are have been are on the target shark species list meaning if they are caught in a net whilst going about their business, they are killed. Sadly, its not just the target sharks that are caught in the nets and although not intended, many of these animals will suffer and die in these nets.

100 shark species live in Queensland coastal waterways and 7 of those are targeted by the shark control program with the top 3 including:

• Tiger shark
• Bull shark
• White shark

The Department of Agriculture and Fisheries has responsibility for managing the Shark Control Program and more details about the program can be found on their website.

The program reports that Shark nets:

• are designed to catch sharks that pass through the area
• do not create a barrier between water users and sharks
• do not prevent sharks from entering an area

As you can see from the image below, the nets do not cover the full column of water between the surface and the ocean floor, allowing sharks to swim around then and under them.

^{Image source: Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, Queensland Government}

Shark nets are indiscriminate killers. Animals caught in these nets experience fear, stress and pain, some species will drown and others will succumb to their injuries and die. For those released alive, we have no way of knowing their fate and if the ordeal lead to death soon after release.

As reported by QFish, so far in 2024, the species of marine animals caught in the nets include:

• Humpback Whale
• Australian Humpback Dolphin
• Bottlenose Dolphin
• Common Dolphin
• Spinner Dolphin
• Dugong
• Devil Ray
• Eastern shovelnose ray
• White-Spotted Eagle Ray
• White-Spotted Guitar Ray
• Green Turtle
• Hawksbill Turtle
• Loggerhead Turtle
• A number of non-target shark species including the protected Grey Nurse Shark

In 2023 the number of non-target species caught in the program exceeded the number of target animals. Although some of these animals may have been released alive, any injuries they sustain are unknown.

What is also concerning about the program is the animals that are caught in the net, can become prey for sharks looking for an easy meal. This is a distressing thought as animals caught in the net have no escape as they are preyed upon (noting they could still be alive), but it is also concerning that sharks are being attracted to the coastline unnecessarily.

^{Image source: Nets out now Coalition}

In Australia, the only two states who use shark nets are Queensland and NSW. In NSW, the nets are removed from the water during the winter months to allow migrating humpback whales to safely travel through the water without them or their calves becoming entangled the nets. In Queensland, the nets remain in the water all year round resulting in whale entanglements during migration season.

The Department of Agriculture and Fisheries have investigated shark barrier technology (a swimming enclosure) which has been successfully introduced in Western Australia, however it was identified that ocean and environmental conditions here in Queensland do not support this technology in most locations and therefore, are not considered a suitable alternative to shark nets. Learn more.

They have also conducted drone trials, identifying several benefits but also some limitations with this technology. Surveys of the community found that 83 to 98% of respondents supported drones as a shark spotting tool in Queensland. Learn more.

RSPCA Qld is urging the Queensland government to remove shark nets from the state's beaches and adopt alternative, non-lethal methods for preventing shark bites. These alternatives include tagging and tracking systems, active and passive repellents, patrols and surveillance using drones.  Strategies like shark spotting through beach surveillance and public education programs about shark-related risk factors are also crucial in enhancing safety.

To learn more about the impacts shark nets have on our precious marine life check out the RSPCA Australia knowledge base articles. You can also watch the following Envoy: Shark Cull documentary, available on major streaming platforms, which explains the history and impact of shark nets in Queensland waters.