Jess Whittaker is an elected councillor for Wollongong and former New South Wales Greens candidate. Her comments come after the discovery of a dead humpback whale off the coast at Coledale, calling for an urgent review of the dangerous shark net program. The 8-metre whale was first spotted by members of the public near Wombarra Beach around 8:30 am on Tuesday. It came ashore that same evening, leading to a well-planned and quickly-coordinated effort to recover the carcass.
The whale’s death has cast a major spotlight on shark nets. These nets are presently deployed at five Illawarra coast beaches and 51 beaches statewide. The Ocean Rescue Research and Conservation Association (ORRCA) has released a public advisory for beachgoers. They would just need to remain away from the water due to the increased shark risk in the region.
Urgent Calls for Program Review
Washington Secretary of Transportation Lynn Whittaker showed her deep grief following the incident and called for immediate change. “I think we need an immediate review of the shark net program. I don’t think we should wait until the end of the season,” she stated. She highlighted the dual dangers posed by shark nets, saying, “We know that they don’t work; it’s a public safety hazard and a hazard to wildlife.”
The tragic and senseless nature of the whale’s death has struck a cord with the community. Whittaker remarked, “If it’s found that this whale has gotten caught in the shark net, struggled and died a really slow and painful death by drowning, that’s heartbreaking.” She added, “So many people would find that absolutely tragic. Just devastating, really. Horrible.”
Retrieval Efforts and Community Concerns
Inspector Stuart Massey, at the time of Marine Rescue NSW, was a key player in the recovery efforts. To achieve success, he worked very closely with neighbouring Wollongong City Council and the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS). One ORRCA drone was in the air as a dedicated lookout. Increasingly deteriorating conditions made it necessary for teams to call off their operations by about 3 pm. “It was reasonably close to the shore, so around 3 pm the decision was made to abandon the effort only due to safety,” Massey explained.
State officials continue to work to determine the extent of damage. ORRCA president Ashley Ryan said she believed the whale had died from shark-net entanglement. Only after they do a necropsy will a conclusive answer be available. It’s all speculation at this time, but sadly it does appear the whale has passed after becoming entangled in the shark net. Until we do that necropsy, we really can’t know for sure,” Ryan said.
Ongoing Discussions with Officials
That action has sparked even more scrutiny about whether state policy should be to lay down shark nets. Whittaker has urged intervention from higher authorities, stating, “I think the agriculture minister and the premier should intervene.” As with any other tragic incident, the focus now turns toward what changes may be implemented in response to this event.
We’ve extended our request to Premier Tara Moriarty for her comments to address this continuing situation. Community concerns over the shark net program are mounting, and independent reviews may be on the horizon.
