Proposed shark net removal leaves Sydney swimmers on edge
Some of Sydney's most iconic beaches could be left without shark nets this summer as part of a new trial.
While nets along the coastline have provided peace of mind for surfers and swimmers for close to a century, there are concerns for other marine life which gets caught as well.
Daryl McPhee is a shark expert and he told Today even if the nets are removed, the risk of someone in the water being bitten by a shark will remain low.
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Bull sharks favour murky waters to hunt and can swim in both fresh and salt water. Reinhard Dirscherl/ullstein bild via Getty Images
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"Shark nets do provide peace of mind, but there are some alternatives that can be used," he said.
"These include the use of drone surveillance, tagging to detect sharks, the use of individual personal deterrents and a range of other measures."
While there is strong argument for and against the removal of nets along NSW beaches, Daryl said it's worth while to at least trial the idea.
"I think there's a very good proposal from the state government to trial something rather than to go the whole hog," he said.
"Shark mitigation is expensive, the NSW State Government has spent $42 million over the last two years, so going forward, some of that cost should really be picked up by those local councils."
Shark expert Daryl McPhee explains what the removal of nets will mean. Today
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And for those beachgoers who want to ensure their risk of a shark bite remains low, Daryl had some tips to stay safe in the water.
"The greater Sydney area is expected to see greater bull shark activity as the water warms up, the risk of a bull shark bite is in murky waters and generally in the late afternoons, so that's when going forward, beachgoers may need to be a little bit more vigilant," he said.
"Swimmers can still choose to go to a netted beach, so if you're in the Waverley Council area, it'll either be Bronte or Bondi, which will have shark nets removed and if swimmers want that extra peace of mind, they can go to another beach."
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