Juvenile endangered scalloped hammerhead shark caught in a NSW shark net off Palm Beach.

Credit: N. McLachlan | Commissioned by Humane World for Animals & Australian Marine Conservation Society

End shark nets in NSW

Shark nets along the New South Wales coast are indiscriminate fishing devices that kill hundreds of marine animals each year across 51 beaches in Newcastle, the Central Coast, Sydney and Wollongong. Around 90% of animals caught are not target shark species, and most die, including Endangered wildlife.

These nets are not barriers. They are 150 metre-long fishing nets installed 500 metres off popular beaches from September to March, designed to entangle and kill sharks.

Scientific research shows shark nets do not reduce the risk of shark bite. Sharks can swim around them, and incidents still occur at netted beaches. Shark nets provide only a false sense of security while causing serious harm to marine life.

The NSW Government has already invested in effective non-lethal alternatives, including drone surveillance, shark tagging, tracking, listening stations, and SMART drumlines. These measures are already operating at every beach that currently has a net—making shark nets unnecessary.

Take action now and tell Premier Chris Minns, Minister Tara Moriarty, Minister Penny Sharpe and your local MP to remove shark culling nets from NSW beaches. #NetsOutNow

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{contact_data~title} {contact_data~firstName} {contact_data~lastName} {contact_data~suffix},
{contact_data~organization}

Dear {contact_data~salutation} {contact_data~lastName},

I am writing to urge the Government to retire NSW’s outdated shark nets before another meshing season begins.

Shark nets kill hundreds of marine animals each year, with 90% of those caught being non-target species. Scientific evidence and the NSW Threatened Species Scientific Committee have made it clear that nets do not meet public safety or threatened species objectives.

NSW has already invested in effective non-lethal alternatives, including drones and listening stations, as well as SMART drumlines, all now operating on netted beaches. Shark nets are therefore unnecessary and must be removed. I am concerned the dead and dying animals in shark nets may even be counter productive for public safety by attracting large sharks to the beach.

I respectfully ask that you act without delay to end shark netting and rely on modern, evidence-based technologies that protect both marine life and public safety.

Yours sincerely,
{user_data~First name}

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