We all want to enjoy a fun, relaxing, and safe day at the beach. Going to the beach when it's scorching hot and cooling off in the refreshing waves is part of our coastal lifestyle. Whether it's swimming, surfing, diving, fishing, or just simply admiring the view, the ocean provides something for all members of our community. So it's time we do something to protect the members of their community.  

Shark Nets are an outdated technology that have lined 51 beaches on the NSW coast, including Newcastle beaches since 1937. They were designed to cull sharks amongst hysteria labeling them "human-eating monsters", due to the public's limited knowledge about the ocean and the importance of apex predators 84 years ago. To this day, shark nets still capture and ultimately drown sharks along with many other marine species that get tangled in their mesh, since fish need to continue swimming to breathe. There is nothing more unnatural than a fish drowning.

We humans have allowed these deathtraps to be put in place for our peace of mind, not because of their effectiveness. According to the SMP-2020-21-Annual-Performance-Report (pg 23-25), only 11% of all captured species in 2020-2021 were the target species of Near Threatened Tiger, Bull, and the Vulnerable to Extinction Great White sharks. In the Hunter, 3 Great whites along with 18 other animals including an Endangered Humpback whale, Loggerhead turtle, and a Critically Endangered Greynurse shark were captured just in the last year.  

Thankfully, due to ingenious development in technology, we have more effective ways to keep beachgoers safe, with Shark Listening Stations, SMART Drumlines, Shark tagging, and Surf Life Saving Club Drones patrolling Newcastle beaches.

Without the local community's support, Shark Nets will continue to indiscriminately kill our local wildlife. Let's show that our community supports Newcastle Council's decision to remove Shark Nets and wants to safeguard our beaches with effective, tested technology while conserving marine biodiversity by removing the Shark Nets by the end of this beach season on April 18th, a year after the decision was made.