Why Shark Nets Are Ineffective And Problematic

Shark nets might sound like a reassuring safety measure, but the reality is far more complicated and heartbreaking. The majority of animals caught in these nets aren’t even sharks. Dolphins, turtles, rays, and other marine mammals frequently become entangled. Just this week on the Gold Coast, a humpback whale calf got trapped and drowned. It’s devastating.

And here’s the ironic part: when animals die in these nets, sharks are actually attracted toward shore because they smell an easy meal. The very thing meant to keep sharks away can lure them in closer.

The design of the nets doesn’t help either. They’re short, with huge gaps above and below. Sharks can, and often do, swim right around them. Many that get caught are simply on their way back out to sea.

Some people believe the nets are meant to catch sharks alive so teams can release them, but that’s not what usually happens. There aren’t nearly enough resources to respond to every entanglement, and by the time help arrives, most animals, sharks included, have already died.

Source: The Advocate

Which raises the question: why place something in the ocean that’s almost guaranteed to kill wildlife?

There are far better ways to promote ocean safety and shark awareness without harming marine life. Education, surveillance, non-lethal deterrents, and respecting marine environments all go much further than outdated nets.

The ocean is home to extraordinary creatures, and they deserve solutions that protect both humans and marine life.