Join Call to End Shark Nets in Sydney

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23 June 2025

In 2024, the NSW Government asked our member Councils whether their communities wanted shark nets and the answer across our four coastal members where shark nets are deployed was a resounding no. Further information on the SCCG’s position can be found in our letter to Ministers here.

As identified in the SCCG’s media statement (March 2025), shark nets are outdated, scientifically ineffective, and responsible for the unnecessary deaths of protected marine species, including dolphins, turtles, and rays. We are urging the NSW Government to remove shark nets and shift toward modern, non-lethal technologies for shark mitigation which have been shown to be much more effective and less lethal.

This position is supported by the NSW Threatened Species Scientific Committee (TSSC) which released a strong critique of shark nets and its governance under the Joint Management Agreement (JMA). It highlighted a failure to meet environmental obligations and manage impacts to threatened species due to the use of shark nets.

With the current nets due to be redeployed in September, the window for action is now. We strongly encourage your organisation to write to the NSW Minister for Agriculture (Hon. Tara Moriarty) and the NSW Minister for the Environment (Hon. Penny Sharpe) asking them to:

  • Prohibit the redeployment of shark nets in 2025, and
  • Commit to investing in more effective, non-lethal shark mitigation solutions.

By uniting our voices, we can amplify public concern, drive policy change, and protect both marine life and ocean users.