The Daily Telegraph has today reported shark nets will be hauled up for good from beaches on the North Coast after evidence from trial sites showing the nets were killing large amounts of marine life yet not effective at catching target shark species.
The recent Shark Meshing Program Annual Report showed shark nets deployed along the NSW coast from Wollongong to Newcastle caught and/or killed 403 marine creatures in 2017/18, including dolphins, rays and endangered turtles.
Mr Field urged the NSW Government to heed the evidence of its own data and replace shark nets with more effective, non-lethal management measures this Summer.
"The facts are in. We have ample evidence that the shark netting program in NSW is really a culling program and primarily it is culling rays and non-threatening sharks. Shark nets do little to improve beach safety but take a terrible toll on local marine life," he said.
"NSW Primary Industries Minister Niall Blair has listened to the evidence and abandoned the shark net program on North Coast beaches. Now he should do the same across the state and redirect those resources into more effective, non-lethal management of sharks.
"The best long-term solution is to move away entirely from lethal options like shark nets to community based observers programs, better resourcing volunteer and professional life guarding services, drone surveillance technology and community awareness of the importance of healthy shark populations and how to avoid shark risks.
"With the next season of the shark meshing program off Sydney beaches due to start in September, the NSW Government should leave the nets out of the water and engage with the community to put in place an alternative plan now," he said.
17 August 2018
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