The third monthly report of the NSW North Coast Shark Mesh Net Trial has shown the five nets across the NSW North Coast are a failure with no target sharks species caught but large numbers of precious marine life caught and killed, according to NSW Greens MP Justin Field. The report released yesterday found:
- Not one target white shark out of a total 34 marine creatures were caught in the net.
- Threatened species such the Great Hammerhead and endangered animals including a Loggerhead Turtle were killed in the nets.
- Three months into the trial, nearly half (47%) of marine species caught in nets are still dying.
NSW Greens MP and Marine Environment spokesperson Justin Field said, “the North Coast trial report data has exposed the shark nets trial fails to catch sharks and the nets should be raised and removed immediately. “The data exposes the North Coast Shark Net Trial for what it is, a sham stunt that has failed to catch one single target shark this past month,” Mr Field said. “These nets are catching and killing precious marine animals like dolphins, turtles and rays, including threatened species such as the Loggerhead Turtle and Hammerhead. “We’ve had three months’ worth of data and nothing suggests shark nets are an effective response to community concerns about their safety in the water. “The only reasonable response given the trial results to date is to haul up the nets and put in place non-lethal technologies such as community observer programs, better resourcing lifeguards and personal deterrent devices. “NSW can do better than a shark net mesh program that provides a false sense of security for swimmers but has a huge impact on our wildlife and budget. “The Greens have a non-lethal plan for modern, effective shark management that includes education, community observation programs and an evidence-based approach to new smart technologies including personal protection,” he said. Full copy of The Greens’ non-lethal approach to shark management here: http://bit.ly/NSWGreensSharkPlan
