As the nation recovers from traumatic images of a baby whale struggling to find its mother last week, NSW will again add to the stress these animals face by installing shark nets tomorrow. As the whales head south, nets will go in along beaches from Wollongong north to Newcastle.
“The whale migration does not end for another two months so why are nets going in tomorrow,” asked Upper House Greens MP Ian Cohen? “
“Whales aren’t the only marine species at risk of becoming by-catch. Shark nets are officially recognised in NSW as a ‘Key Threatening Process’ that impacts on Loggerhead, Leathery and Green turtles along with the Australian Fur Seal and even dugongs.
“The environment movement has been calling for an external and independent review of the shark net program. The recommendation for a review came from the DPI’s own Shark Summit in 2006, but we’re still waiting.
“The Government should at least investigate whether or not the netting season can be shortened. The Minister in charge – Ian Macdonald – has confirmed that there have been ‘no recorded shark attacks on swimmers on Sydney surf beaches in September and October since 1791’. Shark netting began in 1937.
“An analysis of all shark attacks recorded in the Australian Shark Attack File in the Greater Sydney Area in a report for the Sydney 2000 Olympics found almost all shark attacks occurring in the months of November - April.
“Even if the netting season was shortened, we should remember that nets are indiscriminate killers. Last December an unfortunate Grey Nurse shark was caught in the Bondi shark net. Grey Nurse sharks are already on the brink of extinction and also happen to be completely harmless to humans.
“We also have to remember that 93 per cent of the State’s 721 beaches aren’t netted at all. People swimming at these beaches simply accept the minor risk that sharks pose.
“To maintain some perspective on the relative risk of fatal shark attack, it’s important to note that last year in Australia there were 82 coastal drowning deaths but no fatal shark attacks. Driving your car to the beach is more dangerous than sharing the water with sharks.
“In NSW from November 2006 to November 2007, there were 40 coastal drowning deaths. The sad fact remains that the greatest threats to beach goers are hazardous rips, treacherous surf and skin cancer. This is something that should be considered before the community starts victimising all shark species and other marine creatures that get snagged in the nets.
“When a fatal attack does occur it’s very difficult for us all to look beyond the shocking incident itself, but we do need to remember that the Ballina attack in April of this year, was the first fatal attack in NSW in the last 15 years.
“As a surfer, there’s always that fear of a shark attack in the back of your mind when you paddle out, but we still go surfing – which I’ve been doing for the last 40 years,” said Mr Cohen.
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