Demand Nets Out Now in Queensland
Tell the Queensland Premier to urgently replace shark nets and drumlines with non-lethal alternatives!
Over 103 whales have been officially caught and entangled in Queensland’s shark nets since 2001. Not to mention, the countless marine animals including dolphins, turtles, rays, and sharks that are killed every day in these nets.
Queensland is the only state left in Australia which still keeps shark nets in the migratory path of whales, and one of very few places in the world that actively targets protected and endangered marine species.
After over 60 years of this program, there remains no evidence that shark nets and drumlines do anything to improve beachgoer safety. Queensland’s own Scientific Working Group that advises the Shark "Control" Program has supported the removal of these nets during whale season for years now.
Despite this, shark nets remain at local beaches in Queensland against scientific recommendation, needlessly entangling hundreds of Australian wildlife - including whales.
Send a message to the Queensland Premier, The Hon Annastacia Palaszczuk, asking her to act upon scientific advice to remove all shark nets during the whale migration season and commit to replacing the program with modern, non-lethal shark bite mitigation measures.
Every year hundreds of marine animals are indiscriminately injured or killed by Queensland’s shark culling program.
In addition to whales, many of the animals that are caught are non-target species like turtles, dolphins, rays and harmless species of sharks.
The 2017 Senate Inquiry into Shark mitigation and deterrent measures unequivocally recommended the immediate replacement of lethal drumlines and the phase-out of shark nets in support of a wide range of non-lethal shark mitigation measures.
Nearly five years on, this recommendation remains ignored by the Queensland and New South Wales state governments. Whilst NSW has switched to SMART drumlines (designed to send an alert when a shark has been captured on the line), they continue to deploy shark nets despite community and scientific support for their removal, whilst Queensland has yet to do either.
Enough is enough.
Queensland and New South Wales refuse to hold the use of shark nets and drumlines to the same scientific standard demanded of modern alternatives such as drones and personal deterrents.
Sea Shepherd stands with dozens of organisations making a stance to end shark culling in Australia for good.
It’s time for all of us to step up and demand better for our ocean and the incredible marine life which call it home.
It’s time for #NetsOutNow