Whales are being entangled, injured or killed in the Gold Coast shark nets, Queensland, Australia every year. Whales and dolphins have the same fear of drowning and the suffering inflicted on them is tremendous. The entanglements are predictable, occur every year and most important are preventable.

So lets stop this!

How on earth can we justify the use of gill nets allowing to continuously catch whales in the 21st century? These nets are designed to kill. It is time to use new technology to ensure swimmers safety. 

Gold Coast bay and Moreton bay in the urbanised south-east Queensland are home to a large number of marine mammals including the common dolphin, bottlenose dolphin, dugongs, and the humpback whale. Recent studies have confirmed that humpback whales use the Gold Coast as a resting and calving area during their southern migration (https://www.humpbacksandhighrises.org/HW_behaviour.pdf Recent surveys also showed an increase of calving in the region. In particular mothers and calves were found to spend hours or days on the surface to rest with their calves near the shore.

Every year more whales and dolphins are being caught, injured and even killed in shark nets that are set 500 m offshore in attempt to kill large sharks. We have studied which nets catch most whales and dolphins and that we can stop a large number of horrible entanglements by lifting the nets for only a few weeks and still ensure safety for swimmers by replacing them with modern and better technology.

We need your signature, your support. Every day we grow stronger building a community that respects the ocean and life.

Join our facebook community  http://www.facebook.com/HumpbacksandHighrises

More infos on shark nets from the government here. 

An entanglement in a shark net can be viewed here.

Other victims of shark nets can be viewed here.

A doco about the shark nets can be watched here. 

Alternative to shark nets: drone surveillance, personal shark deterrents, education, modelling prediction of shark occurrence, plastic nets/barriers in calm waters, satellite tagging shark, shark spotters, enclosed beaches and in development: sonar barriers, electromagnetic fences.

Thank you for supporting marine life.