SYDNEY (5 May 2026)—The latest statistics from the NSW Government's Shark Meshing Program obtained under Freedom of Information laws show Critically Endangered animals are still dying unnecessarily in the state's shark nets. And the death toll could be twice as high after a performance review of the program from the New South Wales Threatened Species Scientific Committee found a "notable discrepancy in the number of recorded captures in nets by contractors in the presence vs absence of observers" which means the bycatch of unintended animals could be as much as double what is reported. It also found the program is falling severely short of its self-mandated net inspection rates, prolonging animal suffering.
Humane World for Animals has obtained the latest bycatch numbers from the shark net program's 2025/26 season which reveal the continuing devastating impact of shark nets on marine animals. In the 2025/26 season, the number of target animals caught by shark nets in New South Wales was only 17% (36 out of a total of 210). The 83% non-target animals caught included:
- 11 threatened turtles, five of which were killed
- 10 Critically Endangered grey nurse sharks, three of which were killed
- 2 humpback whales, one of which was killed
The NSW Shark Management Plan sets out that nets are to be inspected at least 97 times during a season, however the committee found this to be as low as 57 times in some instances. This greatly reduces the chances of entangled animals being released alive and increases the likelihood that their death throes attract sharks.
"Observers' catch recordings being almost double that of contractors should raise serious concerns about the integrity of data that the NSW Government is basing critical safety decisions on," said Humane World for Animals Australia's marine biologist, Lawrence Chlebeck. "There's also much to be alarmed about from a public safety and animal welfare perspective. If inspections are not taking place nearly as often as they should be, that significantly increases the chance of animals like turtles and dolphins suffering slow and painful deaths while entangled and drowning in the nets.
"While the Minns Government persists with pointless and destructive shark nets, the least they could do is manage them responsibly. If they insist on keeping the nets, we're calling for 100% observer coverage on net inspections, to ensure that the NSW public knows the full extent of the devastating impact of this program.
"Shark nets are not effective for beach safety and shark bites and fatalities are occurring at netted beaches. The NSW Government should be applauded for the increasing investment in drone patrol technology and training of drone operators but real progress will only be made once destructive and dangerous shark nets are removed from NSW waters."
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Together, we tackle the root causes of animal cruelty and suffering to create permanent change. With millions of supporters and work happening in over 50 countries, Humane World for Animals—formerly called Humane Society International—addresses the most deeply entrenched forms of animal cruelty and suffering. As the leading voice in the animal protection space, we work to end the cruelest practices, care for animals in crisis and build a stronger animal protection movement. Driving toward the greatest global impact, we aim to achieve the vision behind our name: a more humane world. humaneworld.org
