9 February 2017
Greens MP for Ballina, Tamara Smith, today expressed sadness at the continuing unnecessary deaths of marine life in shark mesh nets off Ballina and Evans Head.
The shark mesh nets off Ballina beaches have claimed a second dolphin, with a bottlenose dolphin reported dead in the net off Shelly Beach, the first dolphin was reported dead in the net off Seven Mile Beach at Lennox Head in the previous month’s report from the Department of Primary Industries (DPI).
“It is very sad to see the mesh nets continue to kill marine life. Figures for the whole of NSW for the past year show that 350 animals were killed up and down the NSW coast in the nets.”
“I call on the NSW government to commit to shark spotting by community groups and to continue with other non-lethal shark mitigation technologies instead of these nets, which kill more non-target animals than sharks and which give swimmers and surfers a false sense of security,” said Ms Smith
Figures released by the DPI show that despite nets being checked daily, the death of the dolphin still occurred. Other animals killed by the nets off Ballina’s beaches include Australian cownose rays, Manta rays, Great hammerhead sharks and a Green Turtle.
Only one target species shark died in the nets, a White Shark at Sharpes Beach.
Everyone who loves the marine life in our oceans is invited to sign the petition to stop the shark nets at: