Calls ramp-up to remove shark nets from Illawarra beaches

CALLS for the State Government to remove shark nets from Illawarra beaches before the 2024-2025 swimming season is ramping up.

The Illawarra Greens will host a documentary film and question time this Saturday (22 June) at Thirroul Community Centre from 3pm with local experts speaking on the negative impacts shark nets have on wildlife, such as dolphins and sea turtles.

Greens State MLC Cate Faehrmann will speak at the award winning documentary, Envoy: Shark Cull, with guest speakers Laura Wells and Dr Rob Brander.

Greens Candidate for Wollongong lord mayor Jess Whittaker said the people of the Illawarra were horrified earlier this year when drone footage showed a bottlenose dolphin fatally entangled in a shark net off Thirroul beach.

“The NSW Labor government is responsible for this silent slaughter of marine life in shark nets because they have refused to take action since winning government and replace this old and cruel technology with evidence-based, environmentally sensitive strategies of shark management,” she said.

The $86.4 million dollar Sharksmart program funds a range of measures from drum lines to less invasive drone surveillance that can alert swimmers and surfers to the presence of sharks. The program offers education and can also supply trauma kits for a fast response in the event of an attack.

“I’ve been concerned about shark nets for a while now, because this approach to management forces us to fight against the environment,” Ms Whittaker said.

“We can’t afford to keep relying on old ways of managing sharks when we know it is harmful and these have been shown to cause a great amount of suffering to native animals.”

The event will be held 3pm Saturday 22nd June at Thirroul Neighbourhood Centre and is free to attend. Tickets can be reserved here. 

Free subscription to The Bulli & Clifton Times

OR DONATE BY CREDIT CARD

Don’t have PayPal? Instead, you can support The Bulli & Clifton Times by leaving a secure $2 debit or credit card donation. Your generous patronage of my work and research, however small it appears to you, will greatly help with my continuing publication costs.