Shark Nets in NSW Caught a lot of Turtles and Dolphins Last Summer

Between September and April last year a total of 748 animals were caught in 51 shark nets laid out across coastal New South Wales. This sounds like a lot of thwarted shark attacks until you realise that only 133 of the animals were sharks. The rest were harmless sea creatures, most of which died in the nets according to this newly released report.

The way in which the nets entangle threatened species is now under review, after too many Common Dolphin and Hawksbill Turtles were found dead. These numbers tripped an "entanglement of threatened species trigger point," which is the program's mechanism for self-analysis.

Dolphins fared especially poorly in the nets because they have to make a deliberate effort to come to the surface and breath. So when they're caught they drown. One dolphin had decomposed past the point its genus could be identified, despite the nets being checked every 72 hours.

A spokesperson from the Department of Primary Industries told VICE that because the trigger point was tripped, "a review will now explore the potential reasons for the increased catch in Hawksbill Turtles and Common Dolphin." This too will including information about their population size and the movement of individuals.

Of course, the NSW Government do not enjoy killing dolphins, which is why the nets have been fitted with acoustic warning devices—"dolphin pingers" and "whale alarms"—designed to keep both animals from coming to near.

Despite this measure, last season's numbers are way up from the one before. Like, way up. Remember, this season 748 animals were caught. The year prior, just 189 animals were caught.

In response, the department's spokesperson told VICE, "Numbers of interactions with marine life fluctuate each year significantly, due to a number of factors, including natural variability."

The report stresses that no fatal attacks have occurred on a netted beach in over 60 years, although that doesn't they've been embraced by the public. It's become common for vigilantes to cut open the nets while they're also often damaged by clueless boats owners dropping anchors.

In any case the Department of Primary Industries have no plan to end their netting program, explaining that "public safety is the key priority for the NSW Government."

Photo via Flickr user Arran Bee.