There is an urgent need to remove shark nets off the Australian coast, especially during whale migration season.
On Monday evening, a young subadult whale was discovered caught in a shark net off Mermaid Beach on the Gold Coast. After a long night struggling alone, it was freed at 8 am on Tuesday 6th June 2023 by a volunteer rescue crew.
The marine mammal was tangled in a shark net for over 12 hours. It must have been an exhausting and painful experience for a highly intelligent animal. You can clearly hear it is distressed in the video. The team are calling it whale screaming.
Sea Shepherd Australia’s Threatened Species Campaigner, Lauren Sandeman says this one event could be a death sentence for the young whale.
“After being abandoned overnight to struggle and fight for his life alone, this young whale may now no longer have enough energy reserves to make the return trip home to Antarctica. A release from a shark net does not mean this poor guy actually survives to see the next season,” said Lauren.
Whales and dolphins are not monitored after being released.
What is a shark net?
A shark net is designed to reduce the chance of swimmers being bitten by a shark. They are submerged fishing nets but do not form a complete barrier. Better non-lethal alternatives exist, including drone surveillance. They perpetuate an irrational fear of sharks.
Did you know that “the chances of you being eaten alive by a shark are highly unlikely[?] You’re more likely to die by a dog attack, lightning strike, or car crash,” said Elaina Zachos, National Geographic.
Reports show that shark nets kill sharks and non-target animals including sea birds, dolphins, humpback whales, turtles, rays, fish, crocodiles, and other marine animals. Most of these animals die by drowning or suffer serious injuries.
Queensland’s Shark Net History
Last year was the worst whale entanglement season on record with a shocking 15 shark net entanglements.
In 2020, a net replacement trail was discussed and supported by the scientific working group. But it was abandoned with no justification.
“…Queensland is 40 years behind NSW who have been removing nearly double the number of shark nets since the 1980s to prevent whale entanglements. Allowing shark nets to remain in the migratory route is barbaric and a national disgrace,” said Lauren.
“Whales migrate right through the very area where the Queensland Government insists on anchoring 186m long gillnets. There are better ways to reduce the risk of shark bite without endangering these whales and marine wildlife. Enough is enough,” said Humane Society International marine biologist Lawrence Chlebeck.
Shark nets are installed on beaches on the Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast, Rainbow Beach, and Mackay as a part of Queensland’s Shark Control Program. Queensland is the only shark net program that operates all year round. New South Wales and South Africa remove them during critical humpback whale migrations.
Every year at this time, humpback whales migrate from feeding grounds in the Southern Ocean to the warm waters of the Coral Sea to breed and give birth to their young.
Dr Leonardo Guida, shark scientist at the Australian Marine Conservation Society said: “It’s incredibly frustrating seeing the same thing unfold each year when we have solutions that modernise beach safety standards and don’t put wildlife at risk. The drones are proving their worth on south-east Queensland beaches, keep them up and get the nets out now.”
Marine scientists, surfers, environmental groups, the Australian Marine Conservation Society and Sea Shepherd Australia are continuing their calls for the Queensland government to commit to the removal of shark nets during whale migration season.
