The Queensland government has committed to a further $88.228 million, an outstanding co-investment. This investment will implement the Shark Control Management Plan 2025–2029. Minister for Primary Industries Tony Perrett announced the plan, which he said was mainly aimed at keeping swimmers safe. The initiative will combine traditional shark control measures with innovative technologies, such as drone surveillance, to improve safety for beachgoers.
The expanded plan will begin this July of 2023. We’ll be doing ongoing maintenance to keep it effective. Federal government plans to spend $6 million on shark control at seven beaches in Queensland. There will be sound expertise and deep local community engagement as to where these dollars can be best spent. This combined method hopes to address both the safety of swimmers and the conservation of marine life.
Key Features of the Plan
The Shark Control Management Plan aims to combine established safety measures, such as shark nets and drumlines, with advanced technologies. The expanded use of drone surveillance is central to the blueprint. It allows us to keep track of where the sharks are in real-time. Drones are an effective tool to gather data that can help guide decisions and enhance safety for swimmers.
Minister Perrett stated, “Today’s announcement is big and bold, it puts swimmer safety first.” Perhaps most importantly, he wanted to underscore what’s at stake when it comes to keeping swimmers safe. During his term, he underscored the importance of safeguarding our marine ecosystem. The plan identifies seven targeted beaches where traditional methods will be implemented:
- Gold Coast: Pacific Beach (shark nets and drumlines), The Spit (drumlines)
- Sunshine Coast: Happy Valley (drumlines), Coolum North (shark nets and drumlines), Peregian North (shark nets and drumlines)
- Wide Bay: Elliott Heads (drumlines), Moore Park (drumlines)
Regular assessments will be conducted in collaboration with stakeholders, expert scientists, and community members to ensure the measures are effective and acceptable.
Controversy Surrounding Shark Control Methods
Our government has tried to assure the public that using lethal methods such as shark nets and drumlines are safe. Opposition to these harmful practices is building. Environmental group Sea Shepherd Australia condemned it as “a reckless intensification” of the program. Mr. Clark, an environmental advocate, pointed out that while drone technology represents progress, it does not justify the maintenance of antiquated culling methods.
He remarked, “These lethal methods don’t protect people … Minister Perrett is ignoring the science, legal risks, and public safety, while intensifying a program that should have been phased out years ago.” Mr. Clark further emphasized that data indicates drones observe far more sharks than those caught in traditional nets: “The data show us that they see a lot more sharks with the drones than they catch in shark nets.”
Further, at the EIS’s Public Hearing stage, Mr. Clark expressed alarm about possible illegal consequences under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999. He archived the expansion of the current shark control program as potentially illegal. He stated, “Under Section 43B(3) of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999, any enlargement or intensification of the Queensland Shark Control Program could be deemed illegal.”
Safety Incidents Highlight Public Concern
With a number of recent tragic encounters, public pressure to improve shark safety on Queensland’s beaches has peaked. Luke Walford died last month in a tragic spearfishing accident at Humpy Island. In addition, 17-year-old surf lifesaver Charlize Zmuda was hospitalised after a shark attack while swimming at Bribie Island. These incidents increase focus on current shark control measures, including shark nets and drumlines, and their lack of effectiveness.
In those same five years, only two fatalities have happened in waters outfitted with drumlines, specifically in Queensland waters. These types of incidents have led to renewed calls for radical reassessment of today’s pipeline practices. Mr. Clark emphasized the necessity for a shift in strategy: “We need to have the shark nets removed. The drumlines ultimately have to go, and we have to get into the modern ideas of using that technology such as drones, shark barriers, and really good public education.”
Officials remain committed to enhancing swimmer safety while exploring innovative solutions to address public concerns about marine life conservation.
