Shark nets save lives

October 10, 2025

Graeme Stewart is absolutely right on shark nets. My long career as an environmentalist has convinced me that sharks don’t want to eat you. But attacks do happen – with terrifying results.

It concerns me that nets are a blunt instrument that catches other sea creatures as well as sharks. But it also concerns me that people are killed by sharks. The current orchestrated campaign against nets claims they don’t work and even that nets attract sharks. Professor Stewart has cut through this debate with an excellent summary of the scientific evidence – which clearly shows that shark nets save lives.

Nine young swimmers were mauled to death in the 10 years before Sydney beaches were netted – and none in the following 88 years. Similar findings have been reported from South Africa – which shares our gruesome history of shark attacks. If people want to put the protection of sea creatures ahead of our safety, that’s their right. But it’s not OK to pretend that science is on their side. It clearly isn’t!