NSW shark net call driven by emotion, not science, marine biologist says

"It's like putting a ping pong net on a footy field."

This is how marine biologist Lawrence Chlebeck paints a picture to describe a shark net in the ocean.

In the wake of the fatal attack at Dee Why last Saturday, which saw long-time surfer Mercury Psillakis killed by a shark, debate has again flared over the usefulness — or otherwise — of shark nets in keeping swimmers and surfers safe.

Proposed trials that would have seen sharks net removed from one beach each within three local government areas (LGA) - Northern Beaches, Waverley and Central Coast — have been canned following the attack, which Premier Chris Minns said was “the right thing to do”.

The trials were due to take place over this summer. On Tuesday, Agriculture Minister Tara Moriarty said the cancellation would allow time for reflection on the incident to “inform future considerations for the shark management program."

Across the Northern Beaches, shark nets are currently deployed at nearly all major beaches, including Dee Why.  

Animal rights group Humane World for Animals Australia — a proponent of the trial to remove nets — said the Minns decision “does not make sense for public safety or wildlife”.

A marine biologist from the group, Lawrence Chlebeck, told the Lorkeet science backed the removal of shark nets.

“We understand the need for time and space [to be] given to a grieving community … however, we stand by our indication that shark nets do not provide public safety.”

A 2024 research paper published in the Marine Pollution Bulletin found no difference in shark attacks at netted versus non-netted beaches in New South Wales from 2000 to 2022.

Meanwhile, on the North Shore, Balmoral beach has not recorded any shark attacks — fatal or non-fatal — since it removed its shark nets in 2008.

Documents obtained from a freedom of information request submitted by Humane World for Animals Australia found that over the 2024-25 period, the NSW government recorded hundreds of non-target marine animals killed in NSW shark nets, including dolphins, turtles and critically endangered grey nurse sharks.

Chlebeck believes NSW policy is “driven by perceptions of risk and perceptions of fear”, and that many Australians are misinformed on what shark nets actually are.

“The most common misconception is that they believe [shark nets] are barriers that stretch from headland to headland,” he said. “The shark nets that we're talking about are at ocean beaches, 500 metres off the beach, and they're only 150 metres long.”

Thumbnail: Humane World for Animals